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.
The minister said the meetings provide an important platform for strengthening cooperation among Arab states and supporting the development of the tourism sector as a contributor to economic growth. She emphasised Bahrain’s support for joint Arab initiatives aimed at improving tourism services and encouraging innovation in the sector.
Al Sairafi noted that Bahrain’s participation reflects the outcomes of the 33rd Arab Summit hosted by the Kingdom in 2024, which highlighted the importance of coordinating Arab efforts in tourism, supporting investment, promoting sustainable destinations and diversifying tourism products. She said Bahrain continues to back joint Arab decisions in line with the Tourism Strategy 2022 – 2026 and Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.
The 28th session reviewed several agenda items, including the development of the Arab tourism sector, enhancing cooperation among member states, exchanging expertise and best practices and strengthening regional tourism competitiveness.
Discussions covered tourism innovation, smart tourism, product diversification and medical tourism. The meetings also addressed digital transformation in tourism, opportunities to develop 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 discussed.
Bahrain’s delegation reiterated the Kingdom’s commitment to joint Arab efforts to support tourism development and sustainability. The delegation outlined progress in implementing previously adopted initiatives, including the smart tourism facility and efforts to advance tourism product diversification within the Arab Tourism Strategy.
The delegation also reviewed Bahrain’s achievements 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 increase the sector’s contribution to the national economy.
