Wednesday, August 28, 2024 In a decisive move, Bahrain’s Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) recently took action against a travel agency in Sanabis for conducting unauthorized tourism activities. This intervention followed a series of complaints from citizens, bringing to light the dire consequences of engaging with unlicensed travel services. The agency in question was involved in organizing an unauthorized Arbaeen pilgrimage to Karbala, Iraq, which left 140 Bahrainis stranded after the tour operator disappeared without settling hotel fees amounting to BD15,000.
The situation unfolded when the stranded individuals’ passports were confiscated by a hotel owner in Karbala as collateral for the unpaid debts. The BTEA, upon receiving the complaints, swiftly coordinated with the Bahraini Embassy, the Foreign Ministry, and Iraq’s Interior Ministry to recover the passports and ensure the safe return of the affected citizens to Bahrain. The travel agency’s license did not authorize it to arrange travel, and it was only permitted to offer visitor assistance services and make reservations for recreational activities, excluding air transportation.
As a result, the BTEA has shut down the agency and referred the case to the Public Prosecution for further investigation. This incident has underscored the critical importance of ensuring that travel agencies are fully licensed and authorized to provide the services they offer. The BTEA is committed to ongoing monitoring of trave.