Manama, Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Tourism Authority (BTEA), Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani, has affirmed that the unprecedented success of the current session of “Food Festival” demonstrated the recovery of the tourism sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and reflected the sector’s ability to restore, and even surpass, pre-pandemic performance and growth rates.
He noted that this achievement proved once again the success of the government’s policies in supporting and developing this sector.
Minister Al Zayani stated during the conclusion of Food Festivals that the current edition had a large turnout and was the biggest of its kind compared to the previous six sessions, whether in terms of the number of participating restaurants or the number of visitors from citizens, residents, and tourists. He noted in this regard the significant role played by the participating restaurants and the rich programme of events in the success of the event.
The Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism also acknowledged that the effects of recovering from the pandemic were visible in the hotel and restaurant sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain, which saw a real increase of 31.66%, and 39.82% at the current prices in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to the fourth quarter of 2020; according to the statistics issued by the Information and e-Government Authority.
“These figures and indicators bolster our belief that we are on the verge of a major renaissance in the tourism sector, especially as we get closer every day to the launch and operation of major tourism projects such as the region’s largest exhibition and conference centre, the diving coast, and the Galali coast, among others, demonstrating Bahrain’s ability to meet the ambitious goals set out in the Bahrain Tourism Strategy 2022-2026” , Minister Al Zayani said, noting in this regard the efforts of BTEA, which has launched a rich programme of significant activities since the beginning of this year on a national, regional, and international scale.
It’s noteworthy that the Food Festival this year witnessed the participation of 120 restaurants that served various types of food, drinks, and desserts. The “Cooking Corner,” which featured several well-known Bahraini chefs preparing and cooking various sorts of cuisine in front of the public in a unique interactive setting, was another highlight of this year’s food festival. This edition also featured a wide range of events and exciting activities, including Bahraini artists who performed a variety of musical and artistic shows, in addition to raffles prizes that were also held throughout the event in collaboration with hotels and restaurants around Bahrain.
Source: Bahrain News Agency