Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Tourism Ahmed bin Aqeel Al Khateeb and Bahrain’s Minister of Tourism Fatima Al Sairafi held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Gateway Gulf Investment Forum 2025 in Manama, it has been reported.
The discussion focused on intensifying cooperation between the two countries’ tourism sectors and activating an existing memorandum of understanding aimed at marketing Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as a unified regional and global tourism destination.
During the meeting, the ministers explored ways to facilitate closer coordination on joint marketing campaigns, streamline cross‑border tourism flows, and enhance the contribution of tourism to both nations’ economic development agendas.
Minister Al Sairafi underlined Bahrain’s commitment to greater Gulf cooperation and joint visitor‑attraction strategies, positioning the Gulf Cooperation Council region as a high‑value global tourism cluster.
Minister Al Khateeb praised Bahrain’s progress in tourism infrastructure and major event hosting, and reaffirmed Saudi readiness to deepen joint initiatives and accelerate practical collaboration within the tourism sector.
This meeting forms part of a broader push among Gulf states to integrate their tourism offerings, open up cross‑border travel, and attract higher international visitor flows. Industry analysts suggest such bilateral efforts strengthen the region’s competitiveness in a shifting global tourism landscape.
As both countries look to increase the tourism sector’s role in diversifying their economies, the activation of the joint‑destination strategy marks a key step in forging closer tourism ties between the two neighbouring Gulf states.
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