Bahrain for your leisure

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Bahrain’s latest leisure attraction to open its doors is Lost Paradise of Dilmun — the Middle East’s biggest water park.

Bahrain led the way when the Middle East was making a name for itself as a business travel destination back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but as neighbouring countries caught up, Bahrain was somewhat sidelined.

Dubai grew up overnight, leaving Bahrain as a necessary stopover for business travellers heading to the region, with little to offer leisure-seeking travellers.

But with the opening of the new Banyan Tree Desert Resort and Spa Al Areen earlier this year, and the splash currently being caused by the Lost Paradise of Dilmun water park, the balance is starting to shift.

New luxury hotels in the Al Areen development and the offshore Bahrain Bay project will continue to change the business mix in the Kingdom, winning over high-end leisure visitors who might usually choose Dubai for their short breaks.

There has been speculation about the formation of a new Bahrain tourism promotion board for the last 12 months, but to date, nothing has emerged.

The Ministry of Information however says the topic is currently under discussion and that big changes are likely to be made before the end of 2008.

"With the many new projects currently under development, the Kingdom's tourism infrastructure is maturing and the island will continue to attract regional and international visitors," says Fawzi Tolefat, acting undersecretary of tourism, Bahrain Tourism Affairs (BTA).

"Bahrain recently commissioned the development of a tourism master plan, which has now been completed. The requirement for an effective tourism marketing department is key to driving the future development of inbound tourism."

This role would be fulfilled either by BTA itself or "through another body to be established over the next twelve months", he added.

Bahrain's USPs include the island's rich history and architectural remains of the ancient Dilmun civilisation, as well as other forts and burial grounds dotted around the kingdom.

The island is also home to the ancient pearl diving industry, but today it is purely a tourist attraction, with excursions where visitors can go diving for pearls available.

"Bahrain attracts visitors for a number of reasons. One of them is the warm and friendly welcome they receive; Bahraini people are renowned for being some of the most hospitable in the region," Tolefat explains.

Visitors to Bahrain are likely to feel more like they are in Arabia when they visit Bahrain than rival Dubai, thanks to the fact that Bahraini nationals can be seen everywhere, and are warm and welcoming to visitors, he adds.

Tolefat also points out that because it is a small island, it is easier to get around in Bahrain than in Dubai.

The main economy driving growth in Bahrain is commerce; the Kingdom is a hive of activity for offshore banking and insurance services.

"With new projects such as the Bahrain Financial Harbour, The Bahrain World Trade Centre and Bahrain Bay, commerce will continue to flourish along with the infrastructure development," explains Tolefat.

"Hotels and resorts in Manama are benefiting heavily from this growth in corporate business with high levels of occupancy even during traditional low periods and good average room rates."

Other projects in the pipeline include a Thalasso Resort, hotels from Kempinski and Renaissance and a project that will convert traditional Bahraini houses into boutique hotels, he adds.

Meetings and incentives business is also on the rise, with attractive new hotels offering original venues for events, and facilities like the water park and the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) providing plenty of scope for incentives groups. A new convention centre is also in the pipeline.

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