BTEA Makes Waves in “Seatrade Cruise Global 2024” Exhibition and Conference in Florida
A delegation from the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) took part in Seatrade Cruise Global 2024 in Florida, USA. This four-day event stands as the largest gathering within the cruise ship industry worldwide, drawing in senior industry professionals and decision-makers from various corners of the globe. Alongside over 600 leading exhibitors, more than 10,000 visitors from 120 countries converged at the event.
BTEA, along with several prominent Bahraini companies, entities, tourism offices, and marine vessel sector facilities, participated in the official “Cruise Arabia” pavilion at the exhibition. This pavilion featured exhibitors and companies engaged in port operations, airlines, and tourist destination management in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the Sultanate of Oman. The objective was to bolster partnerships and collaboration with GCC states in marine tourism, and to forge memorandums of understanding to foster joint Gulf projects supporting the burgeoning cruise ship industry development in these nations. Furthermore, the endeavor sought to attract a greater number of ships and cruise liners to the Kingdom of Bahrain, positioning it as a premier destination for cruise ships on the global stage.
The exhibition provided the Authority with an exceptional platform to spotlight Bahrain’s significant prowess in marine tourism. It showcased the robustness of the tourism and maritime sector while highlighting the considerable demand for the Gulf region by colossal cruise ships worldwide. Moreover, it served as a prime opportunity to underscore the available docking opportunities for cruise ships and yachts in Bahrain, along with discussing unique itineraries that position the Kingdom as a standout destination and gateway to the entire region.
Her Excellency Mrs. Sarah Buhijji, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority expressed her delight at participating in this prestigious exhibition, which Her Excellency deemed as a crucial opportunity to accomplish several objectives outlined in BTEA’s tourism and promotional strategies. Foremost among these goals is gearing up for the upcoming cruise ship season of 2024-2025 by forging new partnerships.
The CEO of BTEA commented: “The exhibition offered us a significant opportunity to showcase the remarkable achievements of the 2023-2024 season and to underscore the Kingdom of Bahrain’s prominent status as a key player in the global marine tourism scene. It emphasized Bahrain’s exceptional appeal as a marine destination, offering a plethora of options for tourists, thanks to its ability to attract various types of ships, including tourist vessels, luxury liners, and giant cruise ships.”
BTEA’s participation aimed to facilitate meetings with representatives of international cruise ship companies to explore collaboration opportunities and showcase the incentives and facilities provided by the Kingdom to attract more cruise ships, and sought to improve communication between the Authority, other relevant authorities, and international maritime transport companies.
Furthermore, the delegation members gained valuable insights into the latest trends shaping the global marine tourism market, as this participation marks a significant stride towards realizing the Authority’s goals of advancing the marine tourism sector and increasing tourist arrivals from diverse nations, aligning with Bahrain’s tourism strategy for 2022-2026.
