Baghdad: Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism, led the Kingdom of Bahrain's delegation to the 28th session of the Arab Ministerial Council for Tourism and the 36th meeting of its Executive Office, held in Baghdad from December 8 to 10. The meetings were organised by the General Secretariat of the Arab League's Economic Affairs Sector - Transport and Tourism Department, and attended by Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, Prime Minister of the Republic of Iraq.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the minister stated that the meetings offer a crucial platform for enhancing cooperation among Arab states and advancing the tourism sector's role in economic growth. She underlined Bahrain's support for collaborative Arab initiatives aimed at improving tourism services and fostering innovation within the sector.
Al Sairafi mentioned that Bahrain's involvement is a continuation of the outcomes of the 33rd Arab Summit hosted by the Kingdom in 2024, which stressed the importance of synchronizing Arab efforts in tourism, supporting investments, promoting sustainable destinations, and diversifying tourism products. She affirmed Bahrain's ongoing support for joint Arab resolutions aligned with the Tourism Strategy 2022 - 2026 and Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.
The 28th session examined several agenda items, including the development of the Arab tourism sector, enhancing cooperation among member states, sharing expertise and best practices, and boosting regional tourism competitiveness.
Discussions encompassed tourism innovation, smart tourism, product diversification, and medical tourism. The meetings also tackled digital transformation in tourism, opportunities for developing a shared regional tourism product, inclusivity in modern destinations, climate change impacts, and updates on the Arab Tourism Observatory and the Arab Tourism Innovation Observatory. The selection of the Arab Tourism Capital for 2026 was also on the agenda.
Bahrain's delegation reiterated the Kingdom's commitment to joint Arab efforts in supporting tourism development and sustainability. The delegation highlighted progress in executing previously adopted initiatives, such as the smart tourism facility and efforts to advance tourism product diversification within the framework of the Arab Tourism Strategy.
The delegation further reviewed Bahrain's accomplishments under the Tourism Strategy 2022 - 2026, including diversifying and developing tourism offerings, advancing the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) sector, strengthening destination management, enhancing cultural and entertainment experiences, and promoting investment in tourism infrastructure to elevate the sector's contribution to the national economy.