Manama: The Ministry of Tourism has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with the Kanoo Museum. This comes as part of ongoing efforts to develop cultural tourism and reinforce the status of the city of Manama as a distinguished tourist destination.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the memorandum aims to promote cultural and heritage tourism in Manama through the implementation of joint programmes and initiatives that highlight the national identity and the cultural wealth of the capital. It also aims to include the museum among the Ministry's official tourist destinations in its promotional programmes and activities.
Fatima bint Jaffar Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism, stated that the signing of this memorandum aligns with the redevelopment plan for the historical area of the Manama Souq. The plan aims to preserve its historical and cultural identity and meet the infrastructure needs of the area. She noted that the Kanoo Museum represents a pioneering national model that reflects the contributions of the private sector in preserving Manama's cultural and historical heritage. This, in turn, stimulates tourism and economic activity in the capital, contributing to the diversification of the tourism offering and the enhancement of cultural tourism as one of the key pillars of the Tourism Sector Strategy 2022 - 2026.
Minister Al Sairafi emphasised that this partnership aims to highlight an important era in the history of the capital. It seeks to enhance the experience of visitors and tourists by linking the past with the present and enriching the historic market through narrating cultural and economic history. The Museum serves as a distinctive destination for cultural tourism in the heart of the old Manama Souq, Minister Al Sairafi said.
On his part, Fawzi Ahmed Kanoo, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yusuf bin Ahmed Kanoo Group, noted that the memorandum will further enhance cooperation in the fields of training, cultural promotion, and joint events that strengthen Bahraini identity and support the sustainability of the tourism sector in the Kingdom.
The MoC includes the implementation of joint frameworks and projects between the Ministry of Tourism and the museum. This includes listing the Kanoo Museum as a main destination within visitor and tourist programs and utilizing its spatial and architectural facilities to host various events, activities, and tourism programmes. It also covers enhancing the visitor experience in the old Manama Souq and building cooperation with tour operators to include the museum among approved destinations and launch programmes dedicated to cultural and artistic tourism.