Manama: Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism, participated in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from September 14 to 17. The event, themed "Travel 2040: New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology," brought together leading specialists, decision-makers, and leaders from the tourism and travel sectors, along with representatives from international institutions and companies specializing in the sector.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Minister Al Sairafi emphasized the significance of ATM as a global platform specializing in the travel and tourism sector. It offers opportunities to strengthen international cooperation, showcase the latest trends in the sector, build partnerships, and exchange expertise, thereby supporting sustainable tourism growth and enhancing the competitiveness of tourism destinations. She highlighted Bahrain's commitment to active participation in the global event to engage directly with tourism partners and markets, promoting the Kingdom's diverse tourism offerings, advanced infrastructure, and high-quality projects. This participation aims to attract more investment and visitors, strengthening Bahrain's position in the regional and global tourism map.
Bahrain's representation at ATM 2026 includes a pavilion featuring 28 entities from both the public and private sectors. These participants comprise the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, national carrier Gulf Air, Exhibition World Bahrain, and several luxury hotels, resorts, and destination management companies. The Kingdom's 420-square-metre pavilion showcases key tourism offerings and provides information on the latest tourism projects and initiatives. It also facilitates bilateral meetings with tourism-sector representatives from various countries to explore opportunities for joint cooperation and share best practices in sustainable tourism, aligned with the objectives of the Tourism Sector Strategy 2022-2026.
As part of the exhibition's activities, Minister Al Sairafi participated in a high-level ministerial session organized by United Nations Tourism under the theme "Building a Resilient Tourism Sector Through Cooperation." The session, attended by Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism of the United Arab Emirates, Shaikha Nasser Al Nuwais, Secretary General of UN Tourism, and other ministers and senior officials, focused on strengthening the resilience of the tourism sector, reinforcing traveler confidence, developing cooperation between governments and the private sector, and enhancing air connectivity and investment to support sustainable growth in the region's tourism sector.
During the session, Minister Al Sairafi highlighted the successful integration model among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which has contributed to strengthening traveler confidence, maintaining travel flows, and reinforcing the region's position as an integrated tourism destination capable of responding to regional and international changes. She stressed the importance of joint Gulf action in supporting sustainable tourism development, alongside continued investment in infrastructure, innovation, and human capital, to promote the GCC countries as an integrated tourism destination and enhance their competitiveness on the global tourism map.
On the sidelines of the event, Minister Al Sairafi held a bilateral meeting with Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri. The meeting focused on strengthening tourism cooperation between Bahrain and the UAE, exchanging views on mutual interests, and reviewing opportunities and initiatives to support the growth of the tourism sector and strengthen shared interests.