Bahrain participates in UNWTO/UNESCO conference

Manama, Dec. 4 (BNA): The Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa, participated in the 3rd UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture themed ‘For the Benefit of All’ being held in Istanbul, Turkey. Shaikh Khaled took part in discussions focused on strengthening collaboration between tourism and culture stakeholders. The session brought together Ministers of tourism and culture to share good practice examples on how policies can be aligned to accelerate the transformation towards sustainable development, how countries around the world are supporting public-private partnerships (PPP) and ways of strengthening tripartite collaboration between tourism, culture and community. "His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has highlighted the importance of instilling national identity through the preservation of Bahraini Arabian horse breeds, the revival of the pearl industry and the restoration of historical sites in the Kingdom. This has further positioned the Kingdom of Bahrain as an ideal tourist destination characterized by its unique traits," said Shaikh Khaled. "The tourism sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain is viewed as one of the leading economic sectors and has great potential for further growth and development. The BTEA’s strategy focuses on developing the tourism sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain which is viewed as one of the leading economic sectors, contributing 6.9% of the Kingdom's GDP, further increasing employment rates and supporting the national economy. The Authority also plays an integral role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030," he added. The conference held on December 3-5 will address different approaches of creative and sustainable cities in supporting tourism, building capacity of culture and tourism stakeholders to preserve cultural diversity, engaging host communities, promoting social inclusion and accessibility in tourism development, as well as the technological innovation in managing increasing visitor numbers.