53% growth seen in Bahrain’s tourism sector

53% growth seen in Bahrain’s tourism sector

Bahrain's tourism sector is expected to register a 53 per cent growth this year compared with last year, according to an industry expert. The sector is among the hardest hit by the ongoing global pandemic with a loss of between $1.7 trillion and $2.4 trillion in 2021, compared with 2019 levels, according to the latest report by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). However, the latest market trends indicate an uptick in the hospitality and tourism sector, with four- and five-star properties doing decent business in Manama this year compared with 2020. “The announcement (by Bahrain) of new entry restrictions on an additional 19 countries has had a significant impact on inbound tourism recovery,” Colliers International, Middle East and North Africa (Mena) associate director James Wrenn told the GDN. “However, the market is still expected to achieve a year-on-year improvement of 53pc in 2021 compared with 2020. “This results in an expected occupancy rate of 43pc across the Manama market.” A GDN report last month said Bahrain’s hotels witnessed high occupancy levels in May 2021 beating the performance of some countries in the Middle East. Staycations, re-opening of the King Fahad Causeway and the quarantine business continued to