Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has joined the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), as a Destination Partner, providing new opportunities for the Gulf kingdom to help increase its international tourism presence, boost industry collaboration, and promote sustainable tourism development.
BTEA was one of the participants in the 26th Global Summit of WTTC in Valletta, Malta, which took place on 11 October 2026. The partnership with WTTC enables the BTEA to engage wider international networks of travel and tourism leaders, as well as international institutions and decision-makers. Through enhanced WTTC collaboration, Bahrain can further capitalise on industry research, experience and expertise to diversify and promote its tourism offerings, improve visitor experience and increase international competitiveness in the travel and tourism market.
Bahrain Strengthens Global Presence
The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority is the governmental agency tasked with developing and promoting the Kingdom of Bahrain as a premier leisure and business destination through the enhancement of its product offerings and destination image, as well as by collaborating with industry partners and stakeholders at both national and international levels.
By joining the WTTC as a Destination Partner, the organisation expects to generate additional opportunities to actively engage with international stakeholders in greater length and breadth, as well as to build on specialised tourism-related initiatives. The partnership also offers prospects for increased international knowledge exchange and cooperation, supporting Bahrain to accelerate the development of competitive and integrated tourism.
Heritage, Culture and Events
Bahrain’s tourism appeal is largely boosted by the country’s 5,000-year history and its close connections to the ancient Dilmun civilisation, as well as the three UNESCO World Heritage Sites found in the country, and its vibrant cultural life. Additionally, the nation boasts well-established hospitality traditions and modern infrastructure to host international events and exhibitions. This wide range of tourism-related attractions and services enables the country to cater to a diverse range of tourism segments while building on its historical heritage and contemporary business-event-related offerings to promote itself as an international destination with varied leisure and business travel offerings.
WTTC collaboration is expected to contribute to achieving this goal by enabling the country to better utilise the opportunities of international expertise and cooperation, as well as benefiting from tourism research, data and relevant specialisation to increase the level of sustainability and competitiveness of its tourism industry.
WTTC President and CEO Comments
Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of WTTC, welcomed BTEA’s membership, noting that Bahrain’s tourism appeal is enhanced by its cultural heritage, as well as the rising profile of international events and exhibitions hosted in the country, as well as the government’s commitment to fostering tourism-related public-private partnerships. Ms. Guevara also expressed WTTC’s desire to cooperate with Bahrain to further develop the nation’s sustainable tourism sector and increase its international competitiveness.
She noted that the collaboration with Bahrain builds on the engagement fostered during the 26th Global Summit of WTTC in Valletta, Malta, where the Minister of Tourism of Bahrain and the local WTTC delegation were present. Ms. Guevara pointed to Bahrain’s unique combination of cultural heritage, hospitality and event infrastructure as a valuable contribution to the network of WTTC Destination Partners.
Membership Seen as Step Toward Increased Competitiveness
Her Excellency Fatima bint Jaffar Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism and Chairperson of BTEA, commented on the membership to WTTC as an important step toward enhancing the international presence of the kingdom’s travel and tourism industry. HH Fatima pointed to the opportunities of engaging with international tourism leaders, decision-makers and institutions, as well as benefiting from international expertise, data and industry practices.
According to HH Fatima, these opportunities can contribute to continuous improvement and competitiveness of Bahrain’s tourism industry, as well as to building on the nation’s strong international reputation to become a preferred international destination. The nation’s ambitions to enhance its international presence and competitiveness in the increasingly competitive international tourism market are being supported by the opportunity to join WTTC. Through its new Destination Partner membership with WTTC, Bahrain can foster international collaboration and leverage international expertise and opportunities to increase the level of competitiveness of its tourism industry.
