The World Travel Awards (WTA), the travel industry’s most comprehensive and prestigious awards programme, has confirmed that its highly anticipated Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2025 will be hosted in the Kingdom of Bahrain on 6 December.
The red-carpet event, which recognizes and celebrates the world’s leading travel, tourism, and hospitality organizations, will take place at the landmark Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB). The ceremony is being organized in partnership with the Official Host Destination, Bahrain, and is set to bring together travel and tourism leaders from around the globe.
The Grand Final Gala Ceremony marks the triumphant climax of WTA’s year-long Grand Tour 2025, a global search for excellence that saw regional ceremonies held in Tanzania, Cancun (Mexico), Saint Lucia, Hong Kong, Sardinia (Italy), and Dubai. The Grand Final will see the regional winners compete for the ultimate ‘World’ categories, the highest accolades in the industry, spanning all sectors from luxury hotels and resorts to top airlines and tour operators.
Bahrain, an archipelago of 33 islands linking East and West, provides a historically rich and dynamic setting for the event. The capital, Manama, offers a gateway to Bahraini culture, history, and commerce, building on a heritage as a major hub for trade.
The choice of Exhibition World Bahrain underscores the Kingdom’s strategic growth in the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) sector. As Bahrain’s premier venue, EWB is a strategic catalyst for economic diversification, playing a pivotal role in positioning the Kingdom as a leading hub for business, networking, and global engagement in the region.
Graham Cooke, Founder of World Travel Awards, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration: “Excitement is building for our Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2025 in Bahrain, and I look forward to joining travel industry figureheads from across the world for what promises to be a fabulous event that will live long in everyone’s memory. This will be our first ceremony in Bahrain, reflecting the Kingdom’s incredible tourism potential, and we look much forward to welcoming leaders from across the global travel industry to experience its many charms and opportunities.”
Sara Ahmed Buhiji, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism & Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), highlighted the significance of the event for the host country:
“Hosting the World Travel Awards Grand Final at Exhibition World Bahrain (EWB) marks a milestone moment for EWB, showcasing our country’s world-class hospitality and rich cultural heritage. The event underscores Bahrain’s rise as a premier MICE and tourism destination in the region, opening doors for international networking, collaboration, and business excellence, and positioning it as a hub for global engagement.”
The Grand Final Gala Ceremony will celebrate the resilience and innovation of the world’s leading travel and tourism organizations, providing an exclusive and sophisticated environment for industry leaders to connect, network, and share crucial insights on the future trajectory of global travel.
