The Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) recently revealed investment in Bahrain’s tourism infrastructure has reached over $13 billion. The figure covers 14 prominent projects that will further boost growth in the Kingdom’s tourism and leisure sector.
The sector witnessed rapid growth over the past year, with the total number of tourists visiting the Kingdom increasing by 12.8 percent in the first nine months of 2017. The Kingdom is also witnessing further enhancement to its tourism infrastructure to support this growth, which plays a significant role in Bahrain’s economic diversification efforts.
“The total number of tourists visiting Bahrain reached 8.7 million during the first nine months of this year, a significant number considering our resident population of only 1.5 million people,” said Dr. Simon Galpin, managing director of Bahrain EDB.
“The tourism sector is one of the key investment sectors we recognize as having a strong competitive advantage for Bahrain. It contributes 6.3 percent to the country’s GDP, and is set to grow significantly, as the number of visitors and leisure activities increase. Bahrain continues to reaffirm its position as a tourism destination of choice with a number of new hotels, retail and leisure developments currently underway.”
The tourism investment projects are part of Bahrain’s large-scale infrastructure development across a wide range of sectors and are valued at over $32 billion. This public-private sector investment consists of $10 billion of government funding, $7.5 billion under the GCC Development Fund, and $15 billion worth of investment in the private sector.
As part of these developments, the Bahrain International Airport is undergoing a $1.1 billion modernization program, set to increase passenger capacity from nine to 14 million per year by 2020. This will go hand in hand with the new five- and four-star hotels and resorts in the tourism development pipeline that will cater to current and future demand.
Other infrastructure investment projects include the development of a number of shopping malls such as Dilmunia Mall and the Marassi Galleria shopping complex, to join the recently-opened $159-million Avenues Mall at Bahrain Bay.
Furthermore, Bahrain’s tourism strategy also extends to medical-tourism projects through King Abdullah Medical City, and mixed-use real estate projects such as Bahrain Bay, Bahrain Marina, Diyar Al-Muharraq, Water Garden City, Dilmunia, and Marassi Al-Bahrain where Emaar Hospitality brands such as The Address Hotel and Vida are under construction.
Investment in Bahrain’s tourism projects exceeds $13 billion
Investment in Bahrain’s tourism projects exceeds $13 billion
Schneider Electric launches academy in Saudi Arabia to build future-ready talent
Schneider Electric has announced the launch of the Energy Tech Academy Middle East and Africa in Saudi Arabia, a regional capability platform dedicated to skilling, upskilling, and knowledge sharing.
The launch comes at a critical moment as the Kingdom accelerates energy transition, industrial localization, and human capability development under Vision 2030. The academy reinforces the Kingdom’s leadership role in building future-ready talent while supporting industrial and energy transformation across the wider Middle East and Africa region.
The Energy Tech Academy Middle East and Africa is not a traditional training center; it is a regional platform translating Schneider Electric’s global energy technology expertise into applied capability for Saudi Arabia and the broader region. Anchored in Riyadh, the academy is designed to serve as a benchmark for skills development and enablement across the MEA.
The launch reflects Schneider Electric’s long-term commitment to investing in people and capabilities, and to supporting national priorities across energy, industry, and digital infrastructure.
Mohamed Shaheen, cluster president of Schneider Electric Saudi Arabia and Yemen, said: “This launch reflects our long-term commitment to Saudi Arabia and to building capability that lasts. After more than 40 years in the Kingdom, we continue to invest where impact matters most: in people. Launching the Energy Tech Academy Middle East and Africa from Riyadh underscores our belief that sustainable transformation is built on local capability and trusted partnerships.”
The academy directly supports Saudi Arabia’s focus on human capability development, localization, and Saudi-made outcomes by enabling the skills behind advanced energy systems, industrial automation, and digital infrastructure. Capabilities developed through the academy will support Saudi manufacturing, national projects, and resilient supply chains, while also strengthening regional industrial ecosystems.
“The Energy Tech Academy Middle East and Africa is designed to enable real outcomes,” said Walid Sheta, zone president for the MEA at Schneider Electric. “By equipping talent with future-ready skills across electrification, automation, and digital intelligence, we are strengthening Saudi and regional capability to design, operate, and lead the energy and industrial systems of the future.”
The launch event in Riyadh brought together senior government representatives, industry partners, customers, and Schneider Electric’s leadership, highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration in aligning education, skills development, and labor market needs.
Designed as a long-term platform, the Energy Tech Academy Middle East and Africa will continue to evolve through partnerships, programs, and continuous capability development, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s role as a regional hub for skills, knowledge, and industrial enablement.
