Tourism Minister meets SGB executives
Manama, Oct. 18 (BNA): Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism and Chairperson of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), received the executive management of Singapore Gulf Bank (SGB) to discuss means of strengthening strategic cooperation and exchanging expertise on promising opportunities in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector, and its key role in supporting the Kingdom’s sustainable economic growth.
The meeting was attended by Ali Moosa, Executive Vice Chairman; Justin Han, Chief Executive Officer; and Saleh Al Zayani, Vice President, along with representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and the BTEA.
The Minister of Tourism highlighted opportunities for cooperation between the tourism and financial sectors in hosting and organising international events. She noted that the Kingdom of Bahrain possesses integrated capabilities that make it an ideal destination for financial and technological conferences and exhibitions, supported by advanced infrastructure and world-class hospitality facilities.
She explained that business tourism represents a central component of the national tourism strategy, serving as a main driver of sustainable development by increasing hotel occupancy rates, attracting investments, and creating quality job opportunities for citizens in the hospitality and events management sectors. She underlined the importance of partnership with leading financial institutions in advancing this vital sector.
On their part, the SGB executives reviewed the bank’s vision for digital banking services, emphasising Bahrain’s pivotal role as a prominent regional financial hub and a platform connecting Asian markets with those of the Middle East and North Africa.
The meeting also discussed areas of integration between the tourism and financial sectors, and the potential to attract major financial events, conferences, and exhibitions to the Kingdom, further enhancing Bahrain’s position as a preferred destination for the international business community, supported by an innovation-driven environment and world-class regulatory standards.
In conclusion, the minister underscored that strategic partnerships between the public and private sectors are essential to building an integrated and sustainable ecosystem for business tourism. This, she said, enables the Kingdom to offer an exceptional experience to visitors and investors by combining professional events with unique cultural and leisure attractions. She noted that the meeting reflected the ministry’s commitment to strengthening cross-sector cooperation and consolidating Bahrain’s status as a destination that unites financial innovation with tourism excellence.
