Bahrain records 984% surge in tourist arrivals

Bahrain records 984% surge in tourist arrivals

Bahrain - There has been a staggering 984 per cent increase in the number of tourists arriving in Bahrain in the first quarter of this year, compared with the same period last year.

According to the Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA), the kingdom received nearly 1.7 million visitors in Q1 2022, against 152,000 in Q1 2021.

The quantum jump follows the easing of Covid-19 related travel restrictions as global passenger movement picks up in an effort to reach the 2019 levels.

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) also affirmed yesterday that tourism revenues also rose to BD292 million ($774m) during the first three months of this year compared with BD30m ($80m) during the same period last year – an increase of 875pc.

According to the latest iGA statistics more than 1.483m tourists entered Bahrain through King Fahad Causeway in Q1 2022 compared with about 84,000 in Q1 2021, reflecting an increase of 1,666pc.

The number of tourists arriving through Bahrain International Airport (BIA) also rose by 147pc, from 67,000 (Q1 2021) to 166,000 (Q1 2022).

During the same period, the number of licensed tourist facilities, such as hotels, apartments, restaurants and tour companies, climbed from 721 to 922, and the number of tourist nights increased