A new plan to further promote Bahrain's tourist attractions internationally is being launched by the country's travel agents.
The effort will be carried out by the Association of Bahrain Travel and Tours Agents in co-ordination with the government.
The announcement of the newly elected chairman Mohammed Al A'ali, who succeeded Ebrahim Amin after he completed his two year term, was made at the association's recent annual general meeting at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Hisham Al Baradie was elected vice chairman, Hakim Al Aradi as secretary general and Isaac Mathew as treasurer.
Al A'ali had earlier served as the association's chairman for two terms.
'We shall work jointly with the Economic Development Board (EDB), the Tourism Affairs and other government bodies responsible for promoting Bahrain as a destination for international tourists,' he told the Gulf Daily News.
A detailed action plan to achieve this goal was to be drawn up after April’s first board meeting.
On a call made to the government by former chairman Ebrahim Amin to stamp out cowboy travel agencies which are allegedly mushrooming in Bahrain, Al A'ali said he also believed that only professionals should stay in the market.
Amin had said that many unprofessional agencies are being allowed to operate, some of them virtually out of suitcases.
He urged the government to stop issuing new licences for travel agencies, to bring the business back under control.
Amin wanted the association to be part of the licensing authority and its membership to be compulsory for all agents. Al A'ali said he did not want to comment on this issue until the board comes out with a decision.