BAHRAIN will host the world’s largest gastronomy tourism event next year.

The kingdom has been given the opportunity, by the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), to host the 9th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in 2024.

The announcement was made on the sidelines of the 8th World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism, held in San Sebastian, Spain, that ended on Saturday.

This year’s forum was organised by the UNWTO and the Basque Culinary Centre (BCC), with the support of the Spanish government.

Next year’s forum will be the first time the event will be held in the Middle East as Bahrain will host the culinary tourism event that is characterised by visitor experience linked with food and related products and activities while travelling.

The forum may also involve other related activities such as visiting the local producers, participating in food festivals and attending cooking classes.

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) will organise the forum at Exhibition World Bahrain, Sakhir.

“We are very happy to bring the forum to the Middle East for the first time,” said UNWTO secretary general Zurab Pololikashvili.

“As this region experiences rapid development in tourism, we are thrilled to showcase Bahrain’s rich heritage and the unique spirit of sharing embedded in its gastronomy – a driver of inclusive tourism development.”

The outstanding international recognition reflects the insightful vision of the Tourism Ministry and the BTEA in pursuing innovation and excellence in gastronomy tourism on a global scale, enhancing Bahrain’s competitiveness in various worldwide conventions and exhibitions.

This direction is well aligned with the Tourism Strategy 2022-2026 objectives to turn Bahrain into a leading regional and global tourism hub.

“We are greatly honoured by UNWTO’s notable recognition to host the 9th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in the kingdom,” said BTEA chief executive Dr Nasser Qaedi.

“Bahrain is proud to have such a varied combination of culinary tastes that reflects its rich legacy and its appealing spotlight for gastronomists and culinary tourists.

“This prominent event will serve as an ideal platform to offer the best innovative solutions to elevate gastronomy tourism, highlighting the kingdom’s outstanding gourmet and culinary experience based on its rich legacy, intersection of civilisations and cultures, local cuisine diversity, and its fame for diverse tastes.”

Dr Qaedi said the forum will positively support tourism product diversity and increase inbound tourism influx.

The GDN reported last Friday that Manama was selected as the ‘Capital of Gulf Tourism’ for 2024 that is expected to feature the launch of several high-quality tourism initiatives and an array of exclusive travel packages tailored for GCC citizens and residents.

Bahrain welcomed approximately 10 million tourists, surpassing the targeted numbers by an impressive 20 per cent, as reported in the GDN.

The number of inbound tourists increased by 51 per cent in the first six months of this year, reaching 5.9 million visitors, up from 3.9m in the same period in 2022.

Total inbound tourism receipts exceeded BD924 million for the period, up by 48pc from BD623m over the same period the previous year.

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