Tourism in Bahrain is expected to contribute $1 billion to the country’s economy by the end of the decade. Tourism in Bahrain is expected to contribute $1 billion to the country’s economy by the end of the decade.

According to official statistics, tourism in Bahrain is expected to contribute US $1 billion (AED3.7 billion) to the country’s economy by the end of the decade, reports sister publication Arabian Business.

An increase of 10 million tourists was reported in figures from the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) , showing an 11% increase in visitor numbers between 2014 and 2015. 

The countries tourism sector is forecast to grow even further over coming years, EDB said, with 3,000 hotel rooms reportedly in the development pipeline at the present moment

For example, US-based hotel chain Wyndham Hotel Group has four properties under construction and scheduled to open within the next 12-18 months, while Emaar Hospitality Group has announced plans to open four hotels in Bahrain under its Address and Vida brands by 2018.

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Luxury Asian brand Anantara is also scheduled to open a hotel in the Kingdom of Bahrain, on Durrat Al Bahrain in 2018.

The EDB is exhibiting at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) industry show in Dubai this year. ATM exhibition manager Nadege Noblet-Segers said in a statement this week: “Bahrain is making significant investment into its tourism-related infrastructure, including a much needed $1.1 billion airport expansion, and also has plans to expand its current exhibition centre to accommodate large-scale events across all categories, so this year’s ATM will provide an excellent platform for the kingdom’s tourism and hospitality community to highlight its future vision.”

Meanwhile Bahrain Authority for Tourism and Exhibitions (BATE) acting CEO Sheikh Khalid bin Hamoud Al Khalifa has pledged to implement the national tourism strategy adopted by the kingdom’s tourism executive committee to promote the economy, according to state news agency BNA.