Bahrain Tourism Minister Fatima Al Sairafi participated in Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, held at Dubai World Trade Centre from September 14 to 17 under the theme "Travel 2040: New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology".
The event brings together tourism and travel specialists,
decision-makers, industry leaders, international institutions and companies to
discuss developments and opportunities shaping the sector.
Al Sairafi said ATM is a leading global platform for travel
and tourism, offering opportunities to strengthen international cooperation,
showcase emerging trends, build partnerships and exchange expertise.
She said these efforts support sustainable tourism growth
and enhance the competitiveness of tourism destinations.
She stressed Bahrain’s commitment to active participation in
the event, highlighting the importance of engaging directly with tourism
partners and international markets.
The Kingdom is using the platform to promote its diverse
tourism offerings, advanced infrastructure and major projects, with the aim of
attracting investment and visitors and strengthening Bahrain’s position on the
regional and global tourism map.
Bahrain’s participation features a 420-square-metre pavilion
representing 28 public- and private-sector entities, including the Bahrain
Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, national carrier Gulf Air and Exhibition
World Bahrain, as well as luxury hotels, resorts and destination management
companies.
The pavilion showcases Bahrain’s tourism attractions,
projects and initiatives while providing visitors and industry participants
with information about the Kingdom’s latest developments.
The programme also includes bilateral meetings with tourism
representatives from various countries to explore cooperation opportunities and
exchange best practices in sustainable tourism, supporting the objectives of
the Tourism Sector Strategy 2022–2026.
As part of ATM’s programme, Al Sairafi participated in a
high-level ministerial session organised by United Nations Tourism under the
theme "Building a Resilient Tourism Sector Through Cooperation".
The session brought together Abdullah Al Marri, Minister of
Economy and Tourism of the United Arab Emirates, Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary
General of UN Tourism, and other ministers, officials and industry
representatives.
Discussions focused on strengthening tourism resilience,
traveller confidence, government-private sector cooperation, air connectivity
and investment to support sustainable regional growth.
Al Sairafi said the integration of Gulf Cooperation Council
countries provides a successful model for building resilience in tourism.
She noted that Gulf partnerships and coordination have
strengthened traveller confidence, supported travel flows and reinforced the
region’s position as an integrated destination capable of responding to
regional and international changes.
She also highlighted the importance of continued investment
in infrastructure, innovation and human capital to advance sustainable tourism
and promote the GCC as an integrated global destination.
On the sidelines of ATM, Al Sairafi held bilateral talks
with Al Marri to discuss strengthening tourism cooperation between Bahrain and
the UAE.
The meeting also covered issues of mutual interest and
potential initiatives to support tourism growth and strengthen shared
interests. -TradeArabia News Service