Bahrainguide: Exhibitions & Conferences

The Bahrain International Exhibition Centre

Bahrain is top Gulf venue for
exhibitions and conferences

Each year, some 2.5 million visitors come to Bahrain. Many come as tourists or for family reasons, but a substantial number arrive to conduct business, hold meetings, attend conferences or exhibitions.

In recent years, Bahrain has developed into the chosen venue for some of the Middle Easts most important conferences. These typically serve the oil, banking and finance, manufacturing, aluminium and healthcare sectors.

Bahrain has a selection of world-class conference facilities and a purpose built Exhibition Centre. Supported by five star hotels, it is an ideal location for the most sophisticated conferences and exhibitions.

Bahrain offers a comprehensive range of facilities, catering to all types of meetings and international conventions. These include the recently-expanded Bahrain International Exhibition Centre (BIEC). State of the art communications, audio-visual and mechanical installations make this the most modern facility in the region. With about 16,000 square metres of floor space, it offers optimum flexibility for exhibition use, receptions, sports, entertainment, social or civic events.

BIEC is ideally located, just 15-20 minutes drive from both the causeway to Saudi Arabia and the Bahrain Airport; 5-10 minutes from downtown Manama business and shopping areas, hotels and restaurants.

Another conference centre of considerable dimensions is the Gulf International Conference Centre situated within the grounds of the Gulf Hotel. The main hall accommodates upto 2,500 guests and 1,800 for a formal banquet. It also has the flexibility of being divided into four individual areas for smaller events, capable of holding 500 delegates each. Among theservices it offers are a retractable stage, catwalk facilities, translation facilities, pre-function areas, a dedicated kitchen and underground car park.

Situated near the BIEC, Le Meridien Hotel also offers extensive conference and banqueting facilities. It has three multi-purpose conference rooms with capacity for 20 to 1,200 people.

The Hilton Hotel, located in the heart of the commercial area, offers a wide range of business services including conference rooms and smaller private meeting rooms. Secretarial services are offered and a full range of audio-visual equipment is available for guest use.

The Bahrain Conference Centre at the Holiday Inn Hotel is the countrys first purpose built centre. It is an important venue for international and regional conventions and offers superb facilities which cater for any size of meetings, from small gatherings of 10 to delegations of 2,000 people.

The Diplomat Forte Grand Hotel is the perfect base for the business executive. It has four executive conference suites, seating individual meetings from six to 20, as well as the Grand Ambassador Suite which is truly magnificent for large banquets, congresses and exhibitions, being able to accommodate upto 1,500 guests.

The Regency Inter-Continental Hotel, located just minutes from the popular souk, offers meeting rooms and a business centre with a comprehensive range of secretarial services.

Boasting fully equipped business centres and conference rooms, Sheraton Bahrain Hotel also caters to a wide range of business travellers with varying tastes.

For more information on Bahrain as a centre for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), contact: Economic Development Board, PO Box 11299, Manama, Bahrain. Tel: (973) 533886, fax (973) 531117. E-mail: .

You can also visit their web site at www.bahrainedb.com.