Bahrain: Tourism Industry Loses $2.65 Billion Due to COVID19

Bahrain: Tourism Industry Loses $2.65 Billion Due to COVID19

Bahrain's tourism industry suffered an estimated BD1 billion blow as a result of the outbreak of Covid-19 and the restrictions put in place to help prevent its spread.

The various sectors have suffered a daily loss of BD4 million amounting to BD108m per month over the last nine months revealed Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed Alzayani.

Figures were revealed by the minister, who added that the kingdom had lost 29,000 visitors per day, in a written statement to Parliament's foreign affairs, defence and national security committee vice-chairman Isa Al Dossary.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in massive losses in the tourism industry across the globe to around $460bn which is five times the losses recorded during the 2009 financial crisis,” he stated.

“The number of tourists around the world has dropped by 65 per cent in the first half of 2020 because of border closures and quarantine rules in several countries.

“Bahrain has lost around BD4m on a daily basis – amounting to around BD108m per month – resulting in over BD1bn in nine months due to a loss of 29,000 visitors per day.”

Mr Alzayani revealed that Cabinet directives to exempt annual tourism levies on struggling facilities for the last three quarters of 2020