The Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) introduced an optional deferral of first-quarter fees for tourism businesses, including hotels, serviced and furnished apartments, and licensed tourist restaurants.
The move aims to support business continuity while strengthening the tourism sector’s resilience in partnership with private sector stakeholders.
Moody’s Investors Service downgraded its outlook for Bahrain from stable to negative, attributing the change to the adverse effects of regional conflicts on trade and energy flows over the weekend.
The IMF downgraded MENAP growth to 1.3%: a downgrade of 2.3% from October 2025.
Bahrain also saw a downgrade for FY26 as the IMF forecasts a contraction of 0.5% in FY26.
BTEA efforts aim to support the national economy, advance sustainable development, and diversify Bahrain’s revenue streams amidst financial strain owing to the Iran war.
The BTEA said it will continue to assess industry needs and roll out targeted initiatives to drive the sector’s development and sustain tourism activity.
Further details are forecast to be announced via official channels in due course.
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