Bahrain attends UNWTO Regional Conference

Manama, May 10 (BNA): The Chief Executive Officer of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa was a key speaker in the UNWTO Regional Conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.  The BTEA’s participation comes in line with its strategy to develop the tourism sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain, which is one of the leading sectors that contribute to the GDP. The tourism sector also plays a vital role in increasing employment rates, supporting the overall growth of the national economy while achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030. During the conference held on May 8 and 9, Shaikh Khalid took part in a ministerial discussion which focused on the policies and strategies to address key issues in the region such as the creation of job opportunities in the tourism sector. He also stressed on the importance of the strategies implemented by the Kingdom of Bahrain to develop the workforce in the tourism sector and provide them with the skills necessary to contribute towards a sustainable industry. In addition, Shaikh Khalid highlighted the role of women in supporting the tourism market and the growth of the small to medium enterprises. He also highlighted BTEA’s strategy which focuses on developing unique tourism products and experiences through the utilization of the Kingdom of Bahrain offerings. The key objective of the conference is to set the framework for a comprehensive and regular monitoring mechanism of tourism labour market performance in the Middle East and North Africa region. The Conference brought together ministers, high-level policy makers, industry leaders and prominent academicians to lay the policy and strategic groundwork and identify innovative solutions for the development of human capital in tourism in the Middle East and North Africa region and advance the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 8 on economic growth and jobs, in the region.