Manama: Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism, and Chairman of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), Zayed AlZayani received Hagop Khajirian, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Regional Director for Asia, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, Vice President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, and Dr. Nasser Qaedi, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority.
Minister Al Zayani discussed with Khajirian the development of joint cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and FIBA in line with the pillar of sports tourism in Bahrain’s tourism strategy 2022-2026, highlighting the BTEA’s keen interest in the revitalization of sports tourism in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in light of Bahraini sports’ progress and the recognition it receives from local, regional, and even worldwide audiences.
The Minister expressed the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority’s willingness to discuss all ideas and initiatives related to supporting sports tourism with various regional and international sports federations and organizations, noting that the tourism and sports sectors intersect in many areas and complement each other in the context of accelerating the progress of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s prosperity and development.
He explained that the Kingdom of Bahrain has established itself as a significant destination for attracting and hosting numerous continental and worldwide events and championships, bolstering efforts to strengthen the sports system, and contributing to the Kingdom’s economic growth. He highlighted the Kingdom’s success in hosting major sporting events, such as Formula 1, which resulted an over 50% increase in foreign visitors compared to 2019.
FIBA Regional Director applauded Bahrain’s progress in various sports, including basketball, expressing his admiration for the progress and development of sports teams and sports infrastructure in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and pointing to Bahrain’s success in turning the sport into a profitable industry.
Khajirian praised BTEA’s efforts in successfully integrating the sports and tourism industries, promoting the Bahraini tourism sector in regional and international markets, and involving private tourism sector facilities in major sporting events, all of which contribute to the achievement of economic gains in the sports sectors and tourism and promote sustainable development goals in societies.
