As part of its efforts aimed at supporting Bahrain’s evolution as a leading global travel destination, Rotana, one of the leading hotel management companies in the region with hotels across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Turkey, has bolstered its collaboration with Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) and Gulf Air. Together with its partners, Rotana will undertake new initiatives to promote the Kingdom’s tourism and investment opportunities in key international markets, Guy Hutchinson, Acting CEO of Rotana, said at the ‘Rotana Hotels 2019 GCC Roadshow’.

With its strong portfolio of operating hotels, Rotana has remained at the forefront of efforts to improve local tourism and hospitality infrastructure in Bahrain. Featuring more than 680 keys and offering unparalleled guest experiences, Majestic Arjaan by Rotana, ART Rotana, and Downtown Rotana have boosted the draw of the Kingdom as a go-to destination for leisure and business travellers alike. Since their inception, the hotels have consistently showcased robust trading performance.

Guy Hutchinson, Acting CEO of Rotana, said: “Bahrain has established itself as a leading tourism destination in the Middle East with its unique cultural, heritage and touristic attractions. Thanks to its reputation as a key banking and financial hub in the region, the Kingdom has also been frequented by corporate travellers. Reflecting its strong business and leisure travel credentials, the country posted a six per cent growth in visitor arrivals in 2018, as compared to the previous year. We expect to see a sharp rise in international overnight visitation in the coming years on the back of new initiatives by both the public and private sectors to promote the Kingdom’s tourism. Furthermore, the country’s thriving meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry and fast-growing FinTech ecosystem will further energize the travel and tourism sector, attracting new investments and visitors.”

“With its positive outlook and growth prospects, the travel and tourism sector in Bahrain presents a brighter future for the hospitality sector. For Rotana, the Kingdom has always remained as a key growth market and we have been promoting its tourism through our global sales offices in Europe in collaboration with Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority and Gulf Air. We remain committed to deepening our cooperation to pursue our shared vision of promoting the country’s tourism, business and investment opportunities to help it meet the objectives of the Economic Vision 2030,” concluded Hutchinson.

Bahrain welcomed 10.3 million tourists in 2018, up from 9.7 million the previous year and experienced a 22.3 percent increase in the number of tourism nights spent in the country to reach 9.8 million, compared with 8 million in 2017. Similarly, the Kingdom’s hospitality sector saw positive growth in the average length of stay per tourist, which increased by 18.9 percent, from 2.4 nights in 2017 to 2.8 last year.

The BTEA has introduced a number of initiatives, including roadshows, to promote Bahrain’s tourism. It has also launched a new campaign, titled ‘Ours. Yours’, to increase the number of visitors coming into the Kingdom, focusing on four pillars of ‘awareness, attraction, access and accommodation’.