Bahrain is to link up with Saudi Arabia to link the two Kingdoms into a single tourism destination.
The countries have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate in attracting visitors, a move that is likely to mean more traffic for their respective national airlines.
Any growth in tourism to Bahrain is likely to bring benefits to national carrier Gulf Air.
The new agreement with Saudi Arabia gives it the opportunity to tap into what is expected to be a surging flow of tourists to the home of Islam in the next few years. Marketing the two countries as a single destination will give Gulf Air the opportunity to fly tourists from Saudi to Bahrain as part of two-centre holidays.
The MoU will also enable Bahrain to benefit from the huge sums that Saudi Arabia is pumping into its tourist industry in its efforts to make the Kingdom a major attraction for visitors. The agreement sets the scene for the two countries to experience an exponential surge in their…