The new Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB), a landmark development located in Sakhir, was yesterday (November 21) opened on behalf of His Majesty King Hamad by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

 

His Royal Highness extended his congratulations to His Majesty the King on the launch of the new state-of-the-art convention centre, noting that this achievement is a culmination of steps taken by the Kingdom's forefather, HH the late Amir Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and the efforts of the late premier HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, said a Bahrain News Agency report.

 

The exhibition and convention centre sits on a 309,000-sq-m plot of land. The 149,000-sq-m main building includes 10 exhibition areas, totalling 95,000 sq m, along with dedicated areas for retail and events. 

 

His Royal Highness Prince Salman highlighted the importance of competitiveness as a fundamental element of the Kingdom’s economy, which has bolstered investments, promoted economic progress, and created quality opportunities for citizens.

 

He noted that tourism remains a leading economic sector, adding that the sector's growth has been a key driver of the kingdom’s comprehensive development, led by His Majesty the King.

 

HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister paid tribute to Team Bahrain’s efforts and determination to achieve the Kingdom’s wide-ranging economic goals that aim to further current and future development endeavors.

 

He said the launch of the EWB is a further milestone in the Kingdom’s economic development, emphasising its role in advancing economic competitiveness and positioning the kingdom as a major global destination for regional and global conventions.

 

A presentation was then given in which HRH Prince Salman was briefed on the EWB halls and amenities, as well as the innovative and world-class services it will provide to users, event organisers and visitors.

 

Minister of Tourism Fatima bint Jaffer Al Sairafi extended her gratitude for His Royal Highness’s ongoing support to the kingdom’s tourism sector, highlighting the kingdom’s longstanding history in being a destination linking the East and West for trade, which has furthered its position as a global tourist destination.

 

Al Sairafi noted that the inauguration of the EWB reflects the kingdom’s commitment to expanding cross-sector development in line with Bahrain's sustainable development goals.

 

The EWB’s conference centre features a main hall that can accommodate approximately 4,000 people, and can be divided into three separate halls equipped with the latest technical services to host international conferences and events. It also consists of a number of other halls for medium and small-scale conferences and meetings.