BTEA includes Kanoo HQ in tourism promotion plans for Manama Souq

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has announced the inclusion of the historic headquarters of Yusuf bin Ahmed Company in the Manama Souq as part of its plans to boost tourism to this historical site.

This coincides with the Kanoo family’s development work for this building, which is being transformed into a museum and exhibition for the firm and family history in the Manama Souq.

Zayed R. Alzayani, the Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority signed an MOU with Khalid Mohammed Kanoo, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yusuf bin Ahmed Kanoo Company, which involves the ongoing work on developing the company’s building along with the development projects of the Manama Souq.

The two sides also agreed to appoint representatives to discuss issues concerning the development of the company’s building or any other development activity relating to the historic Manama Souq site.

Alzayani expressed his pleasure at this type of collaboration, which aims to shed light on one of the oldest family-owned businesses in the Arabian Gulf and the region, as well as to attract dedicated visitors and interested tourists who follow the history of commercial and economic activity.

“BTEA aims to include the historical Kanoo building in the Manama market among the Bahraini tourist destinations promoted locally, regionally, and globally. This is consistent with our strategic goals of emphasizing Bahrain’s status as a global tourist destination and enhancing tourism’s contribution to the national GDP,” the minister said On his part, Khalid Mohammed Kanoo, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yusuf bin Ahmed Kanoo Company, said: “We are glad that this building will be included in BTEA’s plans to develop the Manama Souq in order to bolster its position within the market’s urban and cultural heritage,” said Khalid Kanoo.

He explained that plans are ongoing to transform this building, which was completed in 1960 and has housed the Kanoo family’s business offices for more than 60 years, into a museum that will display monuments from the Kanoo family’s history of trade and entrepreneurship across three continents for more than 130 years.

Adding that it will also showcase the Kanoo family’s heritage and achievements in the commercial, economic, social, and cultural sectors during the last century.