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In a time where countries are being impacted by the Covid-19 outbreak, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has launched a campaign to highlight the beauty of the kingdom in a bid to woo visitors post Covid-19.
The #WeWillMeet campaign will run over the span of a year, divided across three phases. The current first phase called ‘Inspirational’ will be followed by ‘Encouragement’ before finally moving to ‘Transformation’.
Reem Tawfiqi, BTEA’s head of tourism relations, said: “The tourism industry is one of the economic sectors that has taken a direct hit from Covid-19 as a result of various precautionary measures that were implemented in countries across the world to limit the spread of Covid-19, including lockdowns and travel restrictions.
“We launched this campaign as part of our efforts to increase the number of tourists coming to Bahrain, with a special focus on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) which is considered one of the largest tourism markets across the region.
“Visitors from KSA comprise a huge portion of tourists in Bahrain, holding 88 per cent of the market share.”
BTEA plans to attract even more visitors by promoting the kingdom as an ideal tourism destination by highlighting the unque experiences that can be enjoyed here which sets Bahrain apart from other destinations.
And, since many will be spending their summer in Bahrain this year rather than flying off to Europe, the BTEA believes this is a great opportunity for residents to explore more of the kingdom too.
The first phase aims to connect with its followers digitally through a series of interactive posts and live sessions @Bahrain.Ours.Yours.ar on Instagram.
The second phase will be unveiled soon and will focus on the promotion of activities and attractions.
The final phase will involve face-to-face interaction with visitors, once events are safe to host again.
Historical sites, pearl diving activities and new beaches are all part of the package nowadays.
“We will be focussing on promoting domestic tourism too through our social media channels,” explained Reem. “We believe that this is a great opportunity for Bahrainis to explore the kingdom’s hidden gems and all that the island has to offer.”
One of the latest efforts posted on BTEA’s Instagram account to help promote Bahrain is a photography contest which runs until the end of the month.
All Instagram users are eligible to take part and can do so by posting an image of the kingdom on their feeds, adding #ContestBH and tagging @Bahrain.Ours.Yours.ar on Instagram.
Reem said: “The aim is to attract tourists once the travel bans are lifted by showcasing Bahrain’s tourism attractions and the unique experiences it offers.
“We invite participants to showcase the beauty of the kingdom from their own perspectives, as a photograph is more than just a ‘click’ of the camera but a way to capture a moment in time forever.”
The images will be judged by the tourism marketing committee. The top 10 submissions will be posted on BTEA’s account.
Reem added: “During these challenging times, it is important to remain optimistic and hopeful.
“Although the tourism industry was the first to feel the direct impact of the pandemic, we believe that the Kingdom of Bahrain, known for the experiences it offers, will soon be welcoming visitors once again.”
For details, follow @Bahrain.Ours.Yours.ar on Instagram and scan the QR code to watch the campaign video.
