Sara Ahmed Buheji, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), announced that Bahrain will receive 12 cruise ships in December as part of the Bahrain Festive Season 2024 celebrations. This initiative aligns with the ongoing efforts to bolster the maritime tourism sector and achieve the goals of the Tourism Strategy 2022–2026.
Buheji highlighted the arrival of luxury cruise ships, including the Greek vessel Celestyal Journey on its inaugural visit to the Gulf, the French ship Le Bougainville, and ships from the German AIDA and Swiss-Italian MSC Cruises fleets. These visits underscore Bahrain’s status as a leading regional tourist destination, offering diverse attractions to international visitors.
The CEO said that the cruise tourists will be able to enjoy Bahrain Festive Season 2024 activities, winter beach tourism, and organised tours to heritage sites, markets, and shopping centres, showcasing Bahrain’s distinctive cultural identity.
Buheji emphasised that these visits contribute to economic activity, benefiting key sectors such as retail, transport, and services, thereby enhancing tourism’s contribution to Bahrain’s GDP.
She commended the efforts of the Cruise Arabia Alliance, which includes Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Oman, in promoting the Gulf as a unified destination for international tourists and strengthening inter-Gulf tourism. Buheji noted that the alliance has been instrumental in attracting major global cruise operators to the region.
She added that the 2024–2025 cruise season, running from November to April, is expected to witness 40 cruise ship visits and receive approximately 100,000 tourists from across the globe, particularly from European countries.
The Bahrain Festive Season 2024 features a variety of entertainment activities throughout December, organised in collaboration with the private sector, reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a premier regional and international tourist destination.
BNA(R)
