Manama, Dec. 22 (BNA): Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed R. Al Zayani announced that October 18 of each year will be the Tourist Guides Day.

He made the announcement as he patronised the graduation ceremony of the first batch of tourist guides at the Capital Club.

The event was attended by Undersecretary of Tourism Shaikh Khalid bin Hamood Al Khalifa.

The minister expressed his pride in graduating the first batch, which comes within ministry’s strategy to enhance tourism sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain as being an important economic sector especially in light of the historical, cultural and commercial diversity in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The minister stated that “the tourist guides is the most important element in tourist attraction and a landmark in tourism development that we seek to develop it qualify human cadres working in this sector; the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism within its orientations to enhance the economic sector in the Kingdom, put developing tourism sector at the forefront of its priorities and working to develop plans and programs to upgrade this vital sector.”

This graduation comes in the framework to implement Tourism strategy 2015-2018 which aims to develop tourism product through the presence of qualified tourist guides.

Bahrain Authority for Tourism and Exhibitions in cooperation with DNATA Company held workshop for tourist guides to train them in tourism field and in the framework of international and global standards.

The graduation comprises 26 tourist guides who have successfully completed their training and passed their tests. The Authority will send one of the tourist guides abroad to be trained with the World Tourism Organization course.

(Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry)

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BNA 1418 GMT 2015/12/22