Media Center

The Ministry of Culture has made continuous efforts to inform and clarify the general public in Bahrain and outside about confusing news with regard to drawing a curtain on entertainment outlets at twenty-eight 4-star hotels. The tourism authorities have defended their decision to suspend the licenses of four-star hotels and ban them from hiring musical bands. These decisions stem from the Ministry’s responsibility to organize and monitor the hotel accommodation and entertainment businesses in accordance with its vision to develop the tourism sector.

The Ministry of Culture has issued decisions only with regard to tourism facilities in violation of Decree resolutions No 15 (1986), concerning Tourism Regulations, which was modified by Decree Law No 12 (1994) and the regulatory ministry implemented decisions. H.E the Minister of Culture said that there is no resolution to close 4-star hotels, only violating hotels will be penalized by one month suspension of licensure. "The decision was taken after surveying 154 violations at 28 four-star hotels despite repeated warnings since 2013", Culture Ministry Assistant Undersecretary for Tourism Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al-Khalifa said.

These breaches of the mentioned-above law decrees include:

Transforming the nature of the annexed entertainment businesses
Not abiding by the defined and determined working hours of the annexed entertainment facilities
No respect of declared number of the male and female artists working and bringing others forms outside the country without obtaining the Ministry’s approval.
H.E Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al-Khalifa said that 155 violations had been reported in April-May 2013 at 28 four-star hotels, which prompted the tourism directorate to issue a circular in July 2013. H.E pointed out that 12 other four-star hotels did not flout the rules and regulations governing the tourism sector, while 28 others violated the law.

H.E Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al-Khalifa revealed that hotels, which were found in breach of the law, had transformed restaurants and cafes into discos and dancing floors, hired singers without licenses and exceeded the legal work timing which represented an affront to the Bahrain’s social traditions. He revealed that bids relating to Bahrain’s new tourism identity and plans to set up an investment company were part of the efforts to promote the quality of Bahrain’s tourism products.

H.E Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al-Khalifa announced that the new categorization of hotels and apartment hotels would be approved with a few days as part of the new tourism identity. Citing updated official figures, he said that the revenues generated by the tourism sector soared to BD200 million this year, up from BD180 million last year.