Tourism Minister: Bahrain Ready to Receive Saudi Visitors

An official online media campaign welcomes Saudis to Bahrain.
An official online media campaign welcomes Saudis to Bahrain.
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Tourism Minister: Bahrain Ready to Receive Saudi Visitors

An official online media campaign welcomes Saudis to Bahrain.
An official online media campaign welcomes Saudis to Bahrain.

Bahrain’s Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed bin Rashid al-Zayani said the kingdom is ready to welcome Saudi tourists and visitors once the King Fahd Causeway re-opens later this month.

The bridge, which links Saudi Arabia to Bahrain, was closed on March 7, 2020 as part of the precautionary measures taken by Saudi Arabia to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) launched a social media campaign earlier this year to boost communication, promote Manama as a preferred tourist destination and highlight the various tourism activities organized amid strict health protocols due to the pandemic.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Zayani pointed to the great interaction among social media users, especially Saudis, who constitute the vast majority of visitors.

The 25 km-long King Fahd Causeway links the Saudi eastern coast to Bahrain’s western coast.

Zayani stressed the Causeway will be reopened after comprehensive improvements and maintenance operations are made.

Over 382 million travelers, or an average of 74,000 per day, crossed the bridge since its inauguration in 1986 and until January 2019, he added.

Moreover, he hailed the development in the Saudi tourism sector in accordance with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, noting that his country is working to implement a similar ambitious national program.

“The two visions will transform the region into a global tourism hub within a few years,” he stated.

Furthermore, the minister pointed to the agreement between the two brotherly countries to establish the King Hamad Causeway that will connect Riyadh to Manama and that will help maximize tourism and economic gains.

Bahrain is moving forward in its plans to revitalize its tourism sector by relying on its geographical location, infrastructure and transportation and advanced communications network, he remarked.



GASTAT Announces 1,673,230 Pilgrims for Hajj

GASTAT announces total of 1,673,230 pilgrims are performing Hajj 1446 AH - SPA
GASTAT announces total of 1,673,230 pilgrims are performing Hajj 1446 AH - SPA
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GASTAT Announces 1,673,230 Pilgrims for Hajj

GASTAT announces total of 1,673,230 pilgrims are performing Hajj 1446 AH - SPA
GASTAT announces total of 1,673,230 pilgrims are performing Hajj 1446 AH - SPA

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) announced on Thursday that a total of 1,673,230 pilgrims are performing Hajj.

Of these, 1,506,576 arrived from abroad, while 166,654 are from within the Kingdom, including both citizens and residents.

According to a GASTAT press release, male pilgrims, both internal and external, totaled 877,841, while female pilgrims numbered 795,389. GASTAT also revealed that 1,435,017 pilgrims arrived in the Kingdom via airports, 66,465 through land border crossings, and 5,094 via seaports.

GASTAT's methodology for these statistics relies primarily on administrative records from the Ministry of Interior. This approach, which has been consistently adopted over the past five years, aims to provide high-accuracy and reliable register-based data for Hajj statistics, utilizing a standardized model with several key components.

As the Kingdom's official statistical authority, GASTAT is the exclusive provider of official statistics in Saudi Arabia and is entrusted with overseeing all national statistical activities, including technical supervision, conducting field surveys and research, data analysis, and managing the documentation, preservation, and tabulation of statistical information across all sectors of life in the Kingdom.

On this occasion, GASTAT President Dr. Fahad Aldossari extended his sincere appreciation to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their unwavering support and comprehensive care provided to the pilgrims.