‘The opportunity outweighs the challenge’: Bahrain leads drive to restore tourism in the Gulf after eight months of conflict and collapsing visitor numbers 

Gulf states are preparing to launch a joint global tourism campaign as the region seeks to rebuild traveler confidence following months of conflict with Iran. 

Bahrain’s minister of tourism, H.E. Fatima bint Jaffar Al Sairafi, told Fortune that the campaign would encourage international visitors to travel across several Gulf countries on one vacation. Bahrain proposed the initiative at a Gulf tourism meeting in Manama, the kingdom’s capital, in September, where it secured approval.  

“All the countries are on board and the plan will be implemented very soon.” Al Sairafi said at the Gulf Gateway investment forum in Bahrain. Tourism in the Gulf states generated nearly $131.9 billion in 2025. But since the war began, the World Travel & Tourism Council estimated in March that the region was losing around $600 million per day in tourism revenues. 

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“[We want to] promote our countries in terms of multi-destination itineraries rather than solo itineraries,........

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