Dubai : Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the Kingdom of Bahrain will host the International Tourism Investment Forum (ITIF) from January 10-12, 2027, as part of the efforts exerted to strengthen the Kingdom’s presence on the global tourism investment map.
Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism, and Shaikha Nasser Al Nuwais, Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism), signed the agreement for the Kingdom to host the Forum on the sidelines of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s participation in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026 in Dubai.
Bahrain’s hosting of the Forum for the first time comes as part of its continued efforts to strengthen its position as an attractive destination for tourism investment, showcase the promising investment opportunities and projects available across the Kingdom, and enhance direct channels of communication between investors, decision-makers, and public- and private-sector entities. These efforts are aimed at attracting high-quality investments and supporting the growth and competitiveness of the tourism sector.
Minister Al Sairafi affirmed that signing the agreement with UN Tourism represents an important milestone in the development of Bahrain’s tourism sector and in strengthening its investment appeal internationally. She noted that hosting the ITIF reflects growing confidence in the Kingdom’s capabilities, opportunities and infrastructure, which are well positioned to support further high-quality tourism investments.
She said that signing the agreement with UN Tourism represents an important step towards further consolidating the Kingdom of Bahrain’s position as a regional and international destination for tourism investment.
She added that hosting the International Tourism Investment Forum in 2027 will provide a global platform bringing together investors, decision-makers, experts and relevant stakeholders to explore new opportunities and develop high-quality partnerships that contribute to the growth of the tourism sector.
She noted that the forum will also provide an important opportunity to showcase the Kingdom’s attractive investment environment, advanced infrastructure, strategic location and diverse tourism offerings, while highlighting projects and opportunities available to international investors.
She further said that hosting the event will contribute to opening new channels for cooperation and partnership with investors and specialised institutions across global markets.
Al Nuwais said that UN Tourism was pleased to collaborate with Bahrain in hosting the international event next year, at a time when the tourism sector is undergoing rapid transformation, and investment is playing an increasingly important role in supporting tourism growth and enhancing its ability to generate sustainable economic and social impact.
She noted that Bahrain possesses important strengths that make it an attractive platform for tourism investment. He added that hosting the Forum will provide a significant opportunity to present the Kingdom’s projects and investment opportunities to a broad base of international investors, strengthen engagement between the public and private sectors, and highlight best practices in developing and financing tourism projects.
The ITIF is expected to attract broad participation from senior officials, investors, decision-makers, representatives of the public and private sectors, and international organisations. It will provide a specialised international platform for exploring investment opportunities and partnerships in the tourism sector, exchanging expertise and experiences, and examining key global trends and future opportunities in tourism investment.
The Forum will also feature specialised sessions and discussions addressing the latest developments in tourism investment, as well as key trends and investment opportunities across the sector. Particular emphasis will be placed on showcasing the Kingdom of Bahrain as a key hub for tourism investment opportunities and introducing international investors to its tourism assets, advanced infrastructure, projects and investment prospects.
The agreement signed with UN Tourism reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to expanding international cooperation in tourism investment and benefiting from global expertise and knowledge in developing the investment environment and enhancing the sector’s competitiveness. Hosting the Forum also represents an opportunity to strengthen Bahrain’s presence at specialised international tourism investment platforms and bring Bahraini tourism projects and opportunities before the global investment community, supporting efforts to attract new investments and develop long-term partnerships.
