Manama: Fatima bint Jaffar Al Sairafii, Minister of Tourism and Chairperson of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), highlighted the importance of unifying marketing and promotional efforts across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states as a single tourism destination, while increasing domestic direct investment in the tourism sector. She noted that these efforts aim to attract more visitors, stimulate related sectors, and align with Bahrain's Tourism Strategy 2022-2026, which identifies GCC countries as a primary target market.
According to Bahrain News Agency, this came during her participation in the third edition of the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum 2025, hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain from November 2-3, under the theme "Rethinking Global Investment for New Trade Dynamics." She took part in the joint ministerial session on "GCC Tourism: Market Opportunities and Strategic Partnerships," which examined ways to enhance regional integration and attract quality investments in the tourism sector.
Minister Al Sairafii noted that domestic direct investment in Bahrain had reached 35% compared to 2025 and emphasised that GCC tourism integration remains a key driver of sustainability.
She noted that Bahrain is working with its GCC partners to develop integrated tourism programmes that reflect the unique cultural and natural assets of each country under a unified regional vision, positioning the Gulf as a seamless destination for travelers worldwide.
The Tourism Minister also highlighted that the diversity within unity is a defining feature of GCC tourism, with regional cooperation serving as a cornerstone in promoting the Gulf as a single destination rich in cultural and geographical variety. She added that joint tourism packages combining the best experiences from each member state support sustainable development and the goals of the Tourism Strategy 2022-2026, including increasing tourist nights, raising tourism revenues, and boosting the sector's contribution to GDP.
During the forum, she participated in the Tourism Roundtable: Opportunities and Strategic Partnerships, which convened leading international investors to discuss the rapid transformation of the GCC tourism industry, the development of tourism assets, and initiatives to strengthen regional tourism partnerships.
On the sidelines, she held a meeting with Captain Adel Al Ali, CEO of Air Arabia, to explore collaboration and joint promotion of Bahrain as a tourist destination, including expansion into global markets.