Bahrain's hosting of its first ICCA Middle East Summit is helping to showcase the country's competitiveness, and the key role of venues like Exhibition World Bahrain in its growth strategy. Sara Ahmed Buhiji, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, and chairperson of Exhibition World Bahrain, shares more.
Bahrain recently hosted the ICCA Middle East Summit. How did you ensure that the event was a success
Hosting the ICCA Middle East Summit 2025 in Bahrain (September 1-2, 2025) underscored our commitment to positioning the Kingdom as a leading hub for global business events and knowledge exchange.
This summit not only highlighted Bahrain’s growing competitiveness in the global MICE sector but also reflects our ambition to embrace innovation, foster collaboration and drive the future of tourism and business events in the region.
The ICCA Middle East Summit brought together the most influential association leaders, giving them firsthand experience of Bahrain’s capabilities.
Our expectation is two-fold: to position Bahrain on the international stage as a dynamic host for major international events, and to give our local industry stakeholders a platform to connect with global peers.
We worked closely with ICCA to design content-rich programmes, seamless logistics and cultural experiences that showcase the very best of Bahrain. The summit’s focus on AI cannot be timelier. AI is reshaping how we connect with the audience, how we tell our stories and how we create experiences that truly resonate with travellers.
How is Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB) helping to project Bahrain as a leading international MICE destination?
EWB is our flagship venue and one of the most advanced exhibition and convention centres in the Middle East. It is a symbol of Bahrain’s ambition to lead the region’s MICE industry. It combines state-of-the-art facilities with our strengths – easy access, a welcoming environment and a culture of hospitality which helps us to deliver an experience that stands out in the region.
We have been actively promoting our business tourism sector globally, focusing on events such as internationally acclaimed congresses, association summits and UN-oriented conventions including the 9th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism in 2024, which is the world’s largest gastronomy tourism event. Thanks to EWB, today we have a beautiful venue which can host both smaller events as well as big large-scale conferences and congresses.
Which are the key industry verticals that you are focusing on to attract international association events
As we are looking to diversify our economy, industry segments like healthcare, fintech, manufacturing, education and technology are our focus areas to drive association meetings to Bahrain.
These align closely with our national development priorities, creating opportunities for meaningful legacy outcomes beyond the event itself. In terms of source markets, we are attracting strong interest from Europe, Asia and the wider world, leveraging Bahrain’s strategic position as a gateway between East and West. We also actively engage with international bodies such as ICCA, UFI and AIPCO to raise Bahrain’s profile within the global association community.
Can you explain the role of the business events sector in attracting international visitors to Bahrain?
The MICE sector is one of the most resilient and high-value segments of our Tourism Strategy (2022-2026). Business travellers stay longer, spend more and often extend their visits for leisure, which we can call the “Bleisure effect”.
While exact figures vary year to year, MICE visitors account for an increasing share of inbound arrivals with association meetings contributing significantly because they attract international delegates from multiple markets at once. This aligns perfectly with our tourism strategy to diversify visitor segments and drive year-round arrivals.
Which are the key international markets you are looking to tap onto, and what is your strategy to reach out to these markets?
We are seeking to attract international events from Europe, Asia and Africa. Delegates from emerging markets such as China, India and South-east Asia are being increasingly targeted due to Bahrain’s strategic position as a gateway to the broader Arab Gulf region. Our outreach includes participation in global trade shows, hosting fam trips and building strong partnerships with international associations.
Last year, we witnessed new travel and tourism horizons between Bahrain and China as Gulf Air – the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain – commenced scheduled flights to two prominent Chinese destinations including Shanghai and Guangzhou.
As such, BTEA has signed agreements with some of the largest travel and tour operators in China to develop special tourism packages for Chinese tourists coming to Bahrain. BTEA also initiated a promotional roadshow in Shanghai and Guangzhou which involved prominent travel, DMCs, aviation and hotel stakeholders.
We have recently launched an incentive programme to attract major international organisers and associations. This incentive programme is flexible and designed to accommodate different types of events. It follows two forms of incentive built on a full or partial exemption from venue hire fees.
Any other future plans?
Looking ahead, our focus will be on sustainability, technology integration and legacy outcomes. We want every event hosted in Bahrain to be remembered not just for its success on site but also for the long-term value it creates for both the organisers and the Kingdom.
