MICE
Bahrain's MICE (Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conferences and Exhibitions) sector has seen a 35 percent increase in demand, resulting in Bahrain Exhibition & Convention Authority (BECA) achieving a record bottom line in the fourth quarter of 2008. This was revealed at the fourth quarter 2008 BECA board of directors presentation chaired by His Excellency Dr. Hassan Abdulla Fakhro, Minister of Industry & Commerce (Source: BECA).
Conference Centers
It’s easy to understand why Bahrain is a perfect location for event organizers and MICE. For starters, Bahrain has numerous 5-star hotels with ample spaces that could be readjusted based on the size of attendees for spacious events, exhibitions and gatherings. The fact that hotels house these functions means that the catering is of high standards and so guests do not have to be far away from the convention centers to attend the events. All these hotels have business centers and are Wi-Fi equipped, providing a business friendly environment for both visitors and organizers.
In addition to hotel venues, the Bahrain International Exhibition & Conference Centre operated by the Bahrain Exhibition & Convention Authority (BECA) is the largest convention centre in Bahrain. BECA owns and produces international B2B and B2C shows. It is represented in Union des Foires Internationales (France), International Congress & Convention Association (Netherlands), Association of Event Venues (UK), Society of Incentive Travel Executives (USA), Asian Federation of Exhibition & Convention Association (Singapore) and the AIPC – International Association of Congress Centres (Belgium).
Currently in development, @bahrain is a unique commercial, educational and entertainment destination that is strategically located on 1 million square meters next to the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), ‘The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East’. @bahrain provides rich, cutting edge experiences that span 10 interconnected industry sectors: Exhibition & Convention Facility; Hotels; Multi-Purpose Indoor Arena; Lifestyle Plaza incorporating Retail & Leisure and Techtainment; Auto Club and Engineering Facility; Research Institute; Technopark; Light Industry; and Education and Training.
@bahrain will be home to the Middle East’s premier Exhibition and Convention Facility, designed to hold national, regional and international events simultaneously. The facility offers 100,000 square meters of flexible exhibition and convention space. With the capacity to hold roughly 5,000 plus delegates and up to 30,000 visitors daily, the design will allow for potential future expansion to meet growing demand.
Expo@bahrain offers proximity to the BIC and allows event organizers to facilitate unique entertainment and leisure options incorporating the Formula 1 track. Accommodation, dining and entertainment services are provided on site to complement the state-of-the-art exhibition and convention facilities. Expo@bahrain conventions will be environmentally conscious, and will contribute to reducing the carbon footprint by providing an environmentally friendly infrastructure for event participants and visitors.
@bahrain will contain three hotel facilities for all tastes and budgets, with 5-star, 4-star and 3-star hotels, all of which will meet or exceed international standards. The hotel sector will offer @bahrain the opportunity to partner with top international hotel names, adding global name recognition to the onsite accommodations.
Together the hotels will offer 1,200 rooms with a convenient onsite location and allow for extra capacity to meet Bahrain’s wider tourism potential. The proximity to Expo@bahrain will support the demand for large-scale international conferences in Bahrain. Hotels@bahrain will accommodate a variety of guests and clients, including VIPs expecting the highest standards of luxury; Formula 1 spectators who want to stay near the heart of the action; delegates and visitors to Expo@bahrain; and individuals attending entertainment at the Arena@bahrain. For more information, visit www.atbahrain.com.bh.
Corporate Gifts, ID Cards & Name Tags
Bahrain does exceptionally well when it comes to offering services catered for business communities and professionals. Event organizers from abroad need not ship large amounts of conference bags and corporate gifts from abroad. Instead, agencies specialized in corporate gifts can provide high quality items ranging from leather binders to electronic gadgets offered at competitive prices with your organization’s or company’s brand.
Event organizers can create tags and lanyards prepared for guests prior to their arrival on a very short notice. Office equipment, desks, computers and printers can also be rented and be preassembled prior to your exhibit or convention and cleared right on schedule before the next event.
Recommended Vendors:
Media Express >
Vahid Associates >
Miracle Graphics >
Communication & Events Management
If you ever feel the need to have additional support by local events management organizations, Bahrain has a host of very active and specialized event managers with local connections and experience that can make it happen for you if you ever feel the need of further assistance.Effective communications is vital in your local market. Public Relations and communication agencies with both local and international experience can help you communicate your messages to a local audience. Billboards, outdoors and print ads are also handled by agencies that can both book, mount and design any advertisements to promote your event.
World renowned event organizers and contractors can build expos, exhibition stands or stages based on your event’s needs. Regardless of the size and scale of your event, these contractors can transform banquet and exhibition halls into ideal venues that best suit your event.
Recommended vendors:
Cityneon >
Eventscom >
KHP Consulting >
Pico >
Bookings & Travel
Local travel agents can help your guests book or re-just their bookings locally without having to deal with the hassle of dialing to an overseas travel agent or having to worry about time zone differences. Alternatively, they can pre-book all your flights prior to your event and provide you with a feasible corporate rate. If your guests feel like traveling around the region after the event, Bahrain has the most frequent flights and has great connections to and around the region. Local travel agents can always offer good rates and packages for a guaranteed memorable getaway.
Click here for contact information >
Transportation
Local transportation is extremely easy. Metered taxis are available in all central and major locations, with many taxi agencies operating throughout the major cities. Some taxi agents have 24 hour call centers so cabs can be dispatched at all times.
Click here for contact information >
Telecommunications
Local mobile providers Batelco and Zain prepaid SIM cards can be bought at many outlets around the Kingdom at very low costs with enough minutes that could last for your entire trip. That way your visitors can dial both locally and overseas easily without having to worry about international roaming charges.
Batelco >
Zain >