Saturday, November 30, 2024 The Philippines is actively working to deepen its ties with Bahrain in the tourism and hospitality sectors, an initiative led by Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco . By focusing on collaboration to boost tourism flows, improve service standards, and enhance connectivity between the two nations, this partnership promises significant growth for both countries. Bahrain, set to open its first embassy in Manila later this year, is poised to expand its engagement with the Philippines in these sectors.
While Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have historically been popular destinations for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), Bahrain’s tourism relationship with the Philippines has only recently begun to grow. During a visit to Manama, Frasco engaged in discussions with Bahrain’s Tourism Minister, Fatima Al-Sairafi , focusing on how both nations could benefit from increasing tourist exchanges and promoting cultural understanding. Frasco highlighted Bahrain’s interest in learning from the globally recognized Filipino brand of hospitality and service excellence.
She also emphasized the potential for collaboration in areas such as meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) , which could further enhance tourism ties between the two countries. Although there is already a Filipino population of 57,000 residing in Bahrain, the tourism relationship remains underdeveloped. Most Filipinos in Bahrain work in fields such as engineeri.