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Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism, opened the meeting by underlining the private sector's role as a core partner in building Bahrain's position as a regional and international destination. "Continued cooperation between the public and private sectors supports the creation of new tourism initiatives and opportunities that help achieve the objectives of Bahrain Tourism Strategy 2022-2026 and consolidate the Kingdom's competitive position," she said.

Minister Al Sairafi stressed the importance of aligning government and private sector efforts to expand tourism opportunities and attract more visitors. She commended the BCCI's engagement with the Ministry and the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), saying it directly supports private sector growth and economic development.

The meeting reviewed recent sector developments and covered proposals to develop joint tourism initiatives, widen public-private cooperation and grow tourism's contribution to the national economy.

BCCI Chairman Nabeel Khalid Kanoo thanked the Minister for engaging directly with the private sector, noting that tourism's commercial, service and investment activities make it a key driver of economic growth, income diversification and investment opportunity creation in the Kingdom.

Kanoo highlighted Manama Souq and Bahrain's traditional markets as major assets and a real opportunity to improve the visitor experience and generate stronger economic returns through Bahraini identity and heritage. He called for continued support of MICE tourism, marine and coastal tourism, and investment in high-quality projects that strengthen Bahrain's appeal to visitors and investors.

Kanoo reaffirmed the BCCI's commitment to working with all relevant entities, noting that Bahrain's strong asset base and closer government-private sector collaboration are key to maximising tourism growth, strengthening the investment climate and supporting the Kingdom's long-term standing as a destination.