Bahrain Tourism Minister Fatima Al Sairafi participated in Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, held at Dubai World Trade Centre from September 14 to 17 under the theme "Travel 2040: New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology".

The event brings together tourism and travel specialists, decision-makers, industry leaders, international institutions and companies to discuss developments and opportunities shaping the sector.

Al Sairafi said ATM is a leading global platform for travel and tourism, offering opportunities to strengthen international cooperation, showcase emerging trends, build partnerships and exchange expertise.

She said these efforts support sustainable tourism growth and enhance the competitiveness of tourism destinations.

She stressed Bahrain’s commitment to active participation in the event, highlighting the importance of engaging directly with tourism partners and international markets.

The Kingdom is using the platform to promote its diverse tourism offerings, advanced infrastructure and major projects, with the aim of attracting investment and visitors and strengthening Bahrain’s position on the regional and global tourism map.

Bahrain’s participation features a 420-square-metre pavilion representing 28 public- and private-sector entities, including the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, national carrier Gulf Air and Exhibition World Bahrain, as well as luxury hotels, resorts and destination management companies.

The pavilion showcases Bahrain’s tourism attractions, projects and initiatives while providing visitors and industry participants with information about the Kingdom’s latest developments.

The programme also includes bilateral meetings with tourism representatives from various countries to explore cooperation opportunities and exchange best practices in sustainable tourism, supporting the objectives of the Tourism Sector Strategy 2022–2026.

As part of ATM’s programme, Al Sairafi participated in a high-level ministerial session organised by United Nations Tourism under the theme "Building a Resilient Tourism Sector Through Cooperation".

The session brought together Abdullah Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism of the United Arab Emirates, Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary General of UN Tourism, and other ministers, officials and industry representatives.

Discussions focused on strengthening tourism resilience, traveller confidence, government-private sector cooperation, air connectivity and investment to support sustainable regional growth.

Al Sairafi said the integration of Gulf Cooperation Council countries provides a successful model for building resilience in tourism.

She noted that Gulf partnerships and coordination have strengthened traveller confidence, supported travel flows and reinforced the region’s position as an integrated destination capable of responding to regional and international changes.

She also highlighted the importance of continued investment in infrastructure, innovation and human capital to advance sustainable tourism and promote the GCC as an integrated global destination.

On the sidelines of ATM, Al Sairafi held bilateral talks with Al Marri to discuss strengthening tourism cooperation between Bahrain and the UAE.

The meeting also covered issues of mutual interest and potential initiatives to support tourism growth and strengthen shared interests. -TradeArabia News Service