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REGIONAL AVIATION HUB IN THE MAKING
April 19, 2010; MANAMA: Bahrain is aiming to become the transcontinental aviation hub of the Gulf and Middle East region in the next few years, it was declared yesterday. This would happen with more and more flights from the US beginning services to Bahrain and using the Bahrain International Airport for its operations, Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) chief executive officer Dr Osama Al Ali said.
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New Wonder of the World?
July 6, 2009: Bahrain's Tree of Life finds itself up against the likes of the Amazon Rain Forest in South America, Komodo National Park in Indonesia and Australia's Christmas Island in a race to become one of seven new wonders of the world.
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Bipex Accord Signed
July 1, 2009: Marina West has confirmed platinum sponsorship for the sixth Bahrain International Property Exhibition (Bipex 2009). The event will be held from October 14 to 16 at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.
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BD70m Resort in Budaiya
June 29, 2009: A BD70 million resort is expected to get the final go-ahead from councillors today. The Arabian Market Resort is planned for Bahrain's northeast coast near Budaiya, Northern Municipal Councillor Mubarak Al Dossari told the GDN yesterday.
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Bahrain is Set to Host International Air Show
June 23, 2009: After signing an agreement with British Farnborough Company, Civil Aviation Affairs Under-Secretary Captain Abdulrahman Al Gaoud announced plans for the first Bahrain International Air Show. Set to take place at Sakhir Airbase from January 21 to January 23, the Air Show will help to transform Bahrain into a global hub, holding high-profile exhibitions to attract foreign investments, explained Captain Al Gaoud.
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World Cup Dream Within our Grasp
June 19, 2009: After Bahrain's precious 1-0 win over Uzbekistan on Wednesday, even Saudis are backing our national team heroes to reach the World Cup finals - at their own team's expense.
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Bahrain is Set to Host International Air Show
June 18, 2009: The first Bahrain International Air Show will be held in January under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad. An agreement in this respect was signed yesterday with British Farnborough Company on the sidelines of Paris Air Show.
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Travelport Signs Key Deal with ITL
June 15, 2009: Travelport yesterday announced that it has signed a regional agreement in the Middle East with ITL Tours & Travel for Galileo, its air, car and hotel booking platform.
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Airline Opens Doha Office
June 9, 2009: Bahrain Air has expanded its sales, ticketing and customer services across Qatar with the opening of a second office in Doha.
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Major Travel Exhibition Wins International Praise
June 1, 2009: The fifth Bahrain International Travel Expo (BITE 2009) has won international praise.Overseas participants have expressed admiration at the way the event was organised and its great success.
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Durrat Marina on Fast Track
May 18, 2009 : Price drops of 30-40 percent in key construction supplies in the last year, including for steel, cement, and sand, are enabling developers to fast track the Durrat Marina project and complete it under budget. Developers are taking advantage of the global economic slowdown and lowered costs to speed up the project.
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Ritz-Carlton Among Top 10 Hotel Interiors
April 26, 2009: The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa (Ritz-Carlton) has been recognised as one of the “Top 10 Middle East hotel interiors” by HotelierMiddleEast.com, Middle East's largest hospitality portal.
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Hi-tech Vision by Mumtalakat
April 22, 2009: A massive project will be built next to the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).
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Big Plans for Bahrain Tourism
April 15, 2009: The Bahrain Ministry of Culture and Information has sketched out the Kingdom's plans to double the percentage of the country's GDP income from tourism.
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Bahrain-Qatar Causeway Project Work to Begin in Nine Months
April 7, 2009 : Construction on the Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Project, the "Friendship Bridge," is likely to start in nine months' time. Completion of the project is seen around 2013. The two-lane road bridge will have an added railway system.
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Marina West Presents at Bahrain City Centre “Shop Your Dream House”
March 30, 2009: Bahrain's first gated beachfront development will be exhibiting the first entertainment, shopping and leisure resort in Bahrain.
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Bahrain Gears Up for F1 Grand Prix
Bahrain and Formula One officials are in the final preparation stages for next month’s Bahrain Grand Prix, to be contested at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. This will be the sixth running of the Bahrain Grand Prix, which started in 2004. The Grand Prix is one of the highlights of the Bahrain cultural calendar, as it serves as an excellent opportunity to demonstrate Bahrain’s open society and enthusiasm for global institutions like Formula One.
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Bahrain Cruising into Tourism Boom
March 24, 2009: Tourists from around the world have been flooding to Bahrain as the country takes the Gulf's lucrative cruise ship market by storm, said a report.
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Bahrain City Centre Set to Buzz with Live Entertainment
March 18, 2009: Bahrain City Centre is adding a touch of glitz and glamour to its shopping experience this month with world class acts performing live on stage.
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First Bahrain Boat Show Positioned for Success
March 16, 2009: Supporting the biggest boat show network in the Middle East, Knotika Holding adds another event to its line-up.
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Sell-out Ball!
March 14, 2009: The Bahrain Irish Society's St Patrick's Day Ball is a complete sell-out, topping a string of activities marking the occasion.
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Bahrain to Host First GCC Games
March 4, 2009: Bahrain will host the first-ever GCC Games in 2011, it was announced yesterday after the 23rd GCC Sports Ministers' congress held in Muscat.
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Bahrain to Emerge as Culture Capital of the Gulf
March 2, 2009: Bahrain is to spend more than $100 million in a bid to position itself as the culture capital of the Gulf and attract more tourists from the region and beyond.
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Bahrain is Chosen for Asian Forum
February 24, 2009: Bahrain has been chosen as the venue for an international conference on human resources development (HRD), the first of its kind to be held in the kingdom.
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Bahrain Hosts Green Expo
February 18, 2009: Bahrain hosted the Natural Health Products and Green Expo 2009 from February 5-7 that brought representatives from around the globe including USA, Austria, UAE and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
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What's New in Bahrain?
February 17, 2009: Bahrain is forging ahead with a tourism plan that includes restoring its historical attributes while constructing modern developments to attract both business and leisure travellers.
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Conrad Hotel to Open in Bahrain
January 20, 2009 : Hilton Hotels Corporation announced last month that the first Conrad Hotel in Bahrain will open in 2011. Hilton has entered into a management contract with Bahrain-based Diyar al Bahrain to develop the property, the most recent in a line of luxury tourism ventures in the Kingdom.
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Bahrain 'Focus of Family Tourism'
January 15, 2009: Bahrain is well qualified to be a focus for family tourism and leisure in the Gulf, the Premier said yesterday, at the launching ceremony of Muharraq Land.
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Bahrain Celebrates National Day 2008
December 19, 2008: Thousands of Bahrainis celebrated the Kingdom's National Day this past Tuesday, 16 December, in celebrations throughout Bahrain and at Bahrain's embassies throughout the world.
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Bahrain 'Ideal for Top Regattas'
December 17, 2008: Team Pindar skipper and match racing double world champion Ian Williams arrived in the kingdom last night. Williams says that Bahrain's potential for hosting such events is endless. He believes that the kingdom's geographical characteristics as an island make it suitable to stage some of the world's best in the sport of sailing.
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Gulf Air in Biggest AA Codeshare Partnership
December 15, 2008: Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, on Saturday announced its biggest-ever expansion of a codeshare partnership with American Airlines.
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New Projects to Power Growth
December 15, 2008: The increase in commercial complexes in Bahrain will further provide job opportunities and strengthen the role of the services sector, Crown Prince and Economic Development Board chairman Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa said yesterday.
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Bahrain City Centre Puts Kingdom on World Shopping Map
December 14, 2008: Shopping and entertainment in Bahrain took a giant leap forward today with the “Grand Opening” of the Bahrain City Centre in the Kingdom’s capital, Manama.
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Porsche Center Bahrain Celebrates Another Successful Year
December 14, 2008: Celebrating the conclusion of another successful year, Porsche Center Bahrain treated Porsche Club members and loyal customers to a weekend of fun when they recently sponsored the Open Track Day at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) on 5th Dec, 2008.
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Expo Bringing the World to Bahrain
December 7, 2008: A panel of experts has been set up to ensure a Bahrain event further promotes the country's tourism industry. The Bahrain International Travel Expo executive committee is now moving ahead with plans for BITE 2009, which will be held for the fifth consecutive year.
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Welcome Home to the New Marriott Executive Apartments Manama, Bahrain
November 26, 2008: Marriott International, Inc announced on November 25 that the Marriott Executive Apartments Manama, Bahrain will welcome its first guests on 28th November 2008.
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Greener Bahrain
November 20, 2008: Municipalities and Agriculture minister Dr Juma Al Ka'abi last night revealed a 'one plan' initiative by his ministry saying it will be developed to 'integrate' all plans.
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Riffa Views Invitational Draws Top Golfers to Bahrain
November 6, 2008: The 13th to 15th November 2008 will see top golfing stars descend on the Middle East - as they head to Bahrain for the Riffa Views Invitational.
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Omega Bahrain Launches Island's First Travel Website
November 5, 2008: Omegabahrain.com is now fully functional with a pay and print ticket feature and a multi-leg feature for travel planners.
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Bahrain Poised to Commission Tourism Body
November 1, 2008: Mohammed Nass, chief executive, Tourism Marketing & Promotion Project, Bahrain, spoke to Shalu Chandran about Bahrain tourism.
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Bahrain City Center Opens
October 10, 2008 : On Wednesday, September 10th, after more than two years of construction, the long-awaited Bahrain City Center opened its doors to the citizens and tourists of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
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Bahrain Set for More V8 Action
October 1, 2008: Bahrain's future in hosting the V8 Supercars event remains secure.
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Saks Fifth Avenue to Open in Bahrain City Centre
September 22, 2008: New York's iconic retailer, Saks Fifth Avenue, is coming to Bahrain City Centre to set up its third outlet in the region, after Dubai and Riyadh.
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Bahrain City Centre Opens for Business
September 10, 2008: After two years in development, the main construction of Bahrain's biggest and brightest mall is now complete and the next phase of life at the Bahrain City Centre begins.
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Bahrain to Host Grand Prix of the Sea
August 29, 2008 : Bahrain is set to be the Middle East’s first host for the Powerboat P1 Grand Prix of the Sea.
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Bahrain Air orders six A320s for $450m
August 25, 2008: Bahrain Air, the first privately-owned premium class airline with affordable fares, has sealed an agreement with Airbus to buy six brand new A320-200s worth $450 million, taking the total number of planes owned by the company to 11.
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Bahrain City Centre Presents 25,000 Square Metres of Entertainment
August 19, 2008: The eagerly awaited Bahrain City Centre will not only offer an abundance of shopping, hospitality, food and beverage choices but also wholesome leisure and entertainment activities for the entire family.
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New date for Bahrain Powerboat P1 Grand Prix of the Sea
August 12, 2008: The final race of the 2008 Powerboat P1 World Championship has been re-scheduled for three weeks later than originally planned in a joint decision taken by the host venues and Powerboat P1.
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Bahrain Convention Center Set to House Cars and Health
August 7, 2008: Bahrain is fast developing a name for itself in the meetings and convention market on the global stage as it reveals that it has secured two lucrative meetings in months to come.
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Active Interest from Private Sector for Bahrain’s Business Tourism
July 28, 2008: Bahrain Exhibition & Convention Authority (BECA) has signed an agreement with Bahrain Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) confirming the commitment to supporting the growth of the country’s business tourism industry.
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Bahrain's Gulf Hotels Group H1 net profit up 55%
July 23, 2008 : Bahrain-based Gulf Hotels Group's (GHG) posted first half net profits up 55.4 percent to 5.4 million dinars ($14.3 million) compared with the same period in 2007, it was reported on Tuesday.
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Bahrain Hotel Industry Booming
July 21, 2008 : Bahrain's hotel industry is booming, with revenues topping BD40 million ($106 million). Taxes levied on the revenues also rose to BD2 million for the first quarter of this year, Bahrain's Tourism Directorate said in a report.
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Bahrain's Tourism Sector to Receive Boost
July 21, 2008: The Chief Executive Officer of the Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Authority (BECA) said that the authority has signed an agreement with the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Bahrain Tribune reported.
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Boost for Bahrain's Meetings and Tourism Industry
July 17, 2008: Private sector interest in Bahrain's business tourism sector has gained momentum with the signing of an agreement between Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Authority (BECA) and Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI).
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Bahrain's EWA to Construct New Hotel
July 15, 2008 : The Managing Director of Bahrain's Hospitality Management Holdings (HMH) announced the opening of EWA Hotel Apartments in Bahrain which is the group's first hotel in the Kingdom, Bahrain Tribune reported.
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Marriott to Enter Bahrain
July 11, 2008: Focusing on the business travel sector, hospitality major, Marriott International's BD43 million upscale Marriott Executive Apartments will open its doors in the Kingdom on October 1. Bahrain's Gulf Touristic Projects is the owning company while the upscale serviced apartment arm of Marriott International, Marriott Executive Apartments will manage the property.
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Tourism in Bahrain is Taking Off
July 7, 2008: Tourism in Bahrain is really taking off, along with house prices in the nation one expert has said this week.
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Middle East Tourism To Create Jobs Boom
In an exotic region brimming with economic prosperity, a new study predicts that travel and tourism in the Middle East will produce some four million jobs in the next decade.
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Guess Where Indians Love to Travel - Singapore, Bahrain!
June 24, 2008: If you thought most Indians travelling abroad would be headed for the US or Europe, think again. Singapore and Bahrain were their most favoured destinations in 2005, says a report.
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Domina Hotel Group signs New Hotel in Jordan and Bahrain
June 20, 2008 : Domina Hotel Group has signed two new hotels and confirmed plans to expand the Domina Prestige Resort, Spa & Casino in Coral Bay, Red Sea by 100 rooms. Domina Prestige Al Areem located in Manama, the Capital city of Bahrain, is scheduled to open by mid 2009 while the Domina Hotel Aqaba in Jordan, is scheduled to open in November 2008.
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Hub for Cruise Tourism
June 17, 2008: Bahrain hopes to land 100,000 extra tourists a year, as a cruise ship destination.The green light for the new initiative was given following a presentation by a Dubai cruise group at the InterContinental Regency Hotel yesterday.
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Bahrain Air Launches Syria Flights
June 10, 2008: Bahrain Air has celebrated the official opening of its two destinations in Syria, Damascus and Aleppo.
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Global Tourism Industry Boost with Green Benchmarking Initiative
June 5, 2008 : With demand for accreditation around the world increasing, EC3 Global, a subsidiary of the Sustainable Tourism Co-operative Research Centre - the world’s largest provider of travel and tourism research and managers of Green Globe - appointed Hyder Consulting as the first international company to be trained as auditors of the Green Globe Company Standard.
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Tourism to Create 4m Jobs by 2010
June 3, 2008: Nearly four million jobs could be created in the Middle East's travel and tourism industry between now and 2020, according a new study.
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Third Gulf Low Cost Airline Launches India Ops
May 29, 2008 : Bahrain’s low cost carrier Bahrain Air Monday launches its inaugural service to India with a non-stop flight from Bahrain to Kochi in Kerala. “Our service to the south Indian city of Kochi is our first step into the lucrative market of India, particularly the southern region,” media reports quoted Bahrain Air Managing Director Ibrahim Al Hamer as saying.
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Successful Bahrain Travel Show
May 27, 2008 : More than 20,000 visitors attended the fourth Bahrain International Travel Expo 2008 (BITE) last month. MEEM (Magnum Events & Exhibitions Management) organisers claimed the show held at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre was a great success, and recorded a particularly strong weekend crowd.
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Qatar Airways Increases Frequency to Bahrain
May 20, 2008 : Qatar Airways will increase its frequency to Bahrain with the addition of five flights a week, from June 1. The new early evening departures from the Bahraini capital Manama, will help offer connections via Qatar Airways' operational hub of Doha to various cities across the airline's global network covering Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Far East, the Indian subcontinent and North America.
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Bahrain Air Readies Fund to Buy 6 Planes
May 15, 2008 : Bahrain Air announced it is planning to launch a USD270 million fund to finance the acquisition of six new aircraft. The carrier is currently in negotiations with a number of financial institutions regarding the fund raising.
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BITE to Fetch $20M
May 12, 2008 : Bahrain International Travel Expo (BITE) 2008 is set to generate $20 million in revenues as the expo will attract record number of visitors this year, an official from the Ministry of Information said yesterday.
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Biggest Travel Expo Held in Bahrain
May 1, 2008 : This month heralds the arrival of the fourth Bahrain International Travel Expo, BITE 2008, in Manama, Bahrain.
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Kempinski Showcases Key Properties
May 1, 2008 : Senior Kempinski Hotel officials showcased their premier properties at a roadshow in Bahrain this week.
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Kempinski is Set to Introduce Ultra-Luxury Hospitality in Bahrain
April 24, 2008 : Europe's oldest luxury hotel group presence in Bahrain City Centre will further boost Kingdom's growing business & tourism profile.
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Free Rides!
April 22, 2008 : The BD15 million revamped Adhari Park threw open its gates with an offer of free rides for the next three days starting tonight.
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Bahrain Hub for Top Travel Industry Conferences
April 10, 2008 : Bahrain is one of the top destinantions to attract business for the Meetings Incentive Travel and Conference (MICE) industry, according to a survey.
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Downtown Al Areen Buzzing with Activity
April 8, 2008 : Located in one of Bahrain's emerging tourism destinations, the Al Areen Development, Downtown Al Areen has been conceived as the kingdom's first downtown district.
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$5 Billion Business Park in the Making
April 3, 2008: Bahrain will have a $5 billion business park as part of a strategic move aimed at promoting Bahrain as destination of a choice for foreign investors, a top government official said.
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Royal Jet Wins Unprecedented New Business With Bahrain Grand Prix
April 3, 2008: Demand for Royal Jet’s private jet charter have dramatically increased in the run up to the Formula One Grand Prix event in Bahrain this weekend – from April 4th to 6th.
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Bahrain Grand Prix Ticket to Tourism and Real Estate Success
The effect of the Bahrain Grand Prix on the real estate fortunes of Bahrain has been two-fold, not only putting Bahrain firmly in the world spotlight but also increasing tourism revenues to the kingdom. This April's 2008 Bahrain F1 Grand Prix should be no exception.
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Bank to Invest $1 Billion in Bahrain Leisure Project
February 19, 2008 : Khaleeji Commercial Bank is looking to invest $1 billion in a leisure project in Bahrain. Speaking after the bank's annual general meeting yesterday, chairman Dr Fuad Al Omar said a major new project could be on the horizon.
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Bahrain to Take Part in Jeddah Gitfe
February 14, 2008 : The Ministry of Information will take part in the Gulf Investment 8 Tourism Forum and Exhibition which will be held at the Hilton Hotel in jJdah, Saudi Arabia from 15 to 19 February under the patronage of Bahrain delegation comprises Head of Tourism Control Ali Abdulla Saeed and First Tourism Relations Specialist Samiya Al Jowder.
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Royal welcome for Bahrain Air
February 2, 2008: Bahrain Air's first aircraft received a royal welcome when it arrived at the Bahrain International Airport yesterday.
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Tourism Grows 15%, Spurs Hotel Investment
January 28, 2008 : According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), tourism is one of the most dynamic economic sectors in the Middle East, a trend that holds true for Bahrain. In 2007, the Kingdom’s tourism sector generated a record $17 billion (USD), a 15 percent increase over 2006.
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BD15m Landmark Project on Way
January 4, 2008: A scheme o turn the Manama Central Market into a modern shopping, residential and commercial complex could cost up to BD15 million, it has been revealed.
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Tourism Vow
December 28, 2007: Bahrain is to co-operate with the state of Kerala, India in tourism and infrastructure development.
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Bahrain: Tourism Sector Expands
December 18, 2007: The tourism sector in Bahrain generated BD6.5 million (over US$17 million) this year, marking a 15 per cent increase over 2006.
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Bahrain Acclaimed as a Tourism Destination
November 20, 2007: Bahrain was successfully promoted as a tourism destination at the World Travel Market (WTM), held in London last week. This year's event was the most successful for Bahrain because of the participation of a record number of 26 delegates.
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Nuzul All Set to Tap Hospitality Sector
September 18, 2007 : In line with the projections of 69 million tourists to visit the Middle East region by the year 2020, Nuzul Holding company - registered and based in Bahrain - with an authorised capital of $500 million and a paid up capital of $100 million announced the launch of its operations last week.
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Built for Speed: Race Weekend in an Arab Kingdom
September 11, 2007: When compared with Melbourne, Monaco or Magny-Cours, the tiny Middle Eastern island of Bahrain doesn’t seem like the most obvious place for a Formula One race...
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Boom Spurs Bahrain to Plan New Expo Venues
September 6, 2007 : Bahrain plans to build new exhibition venues as the number of events related to the industry has more than tripled in the last year and is set to expand further, a senior government official said yesterday.
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Bahrain Airport Expands To Meet Demands Of Booming Trade
August 29, 2007: In 2008, a $212.2 million expansion of the passenger terminal at Bahrain International Airport will begin.
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All eyes on Bahrain’s aviation sector
August 3, 2007: The change of leadership at Gulf Air has put the spotlight very firmly on Bahrain, which seemed to be the centre of all aviation industry talk last month.
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Bahrain keen to host NASCAR Championship
June 19, 2007: Motor racing enthusiasts in Bahrain may soon get to see the popular NASCAR Championship at the Bahrain International Circuit, it was revealed yesterday.
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Tourism Industry Set for Growth
May 14, 2007 : Tourism in Bahrain is developing into a vibrant industry and the government is working on several initiatives to support that growth, says Deputy King Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
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Bahrain says Grand Prix will accelerate growth in the Gulf
April 27, 2007 : Bahrain moved into the global spotlight last week as millions of motor-racing fans from across the world focused on the tiny desert kingdom's showcase event of the year - the Formula One Grand Prix.
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Bahrain: Growing Tourism Appeal
March 16, 2007 : A recent report revealed that Bahrain has emerged as one of the fastest growing destinations for meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) tourism in the region with more than 50% of events held in the kingdom attracting international interest.
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US Travel Group to Promote Bahrain
February 22, 2007 : A world-renowned US travel group yesterday pledged to promote Bahrain as a tourism, conference and business destination.
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Ten New Hotels to Open in Bahrain
December 28, 2007 : Ten new five, three and two-star hotels are due to open in Bahrain in 2008-2009, reflecting the rapid growth of tourism in the kingdom, Gulf Hotel marketing and sales manager Robert Overend told our sister paper Akhbar Al Khaleej.
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Tourism Booms in Bahrain
October 31, 2006 : Visitors to Bahrain during the recent Eid holidays reached remarkable levels with figures released this week revealing that at the peak of the celebrations 50,000 visitors per day were pouring into the Kingdom.
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Bahrain Airport Receives Award
October 10, 2006 : The Bahrain International Airport has been named the second best airport in the world.
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Bahrain Airport Launches New Guide
August 5, 2006 : A handy and easy-to-use airport guide and timetable has been launched by Bahrain’s Civil Aviations Affairs.
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