Over 40 Bahraini Tourists Return Home After Being Stranded in Iraq

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

Report by H Naser

Over 40 Bahraini tourists have returned to Bahrain after being stranded in Iraq due to a travel agency scam. The tourists, part of a group of 140, were left stranded when the unlicensed travel agency owner fled after failing to pay hotel bills amounting to 15,000 dinars.

The stranded tourists had their passports confiscated by the hotels, but swift intervention by the Bahraini Embassy in Iraq, in coordination with the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Iraqi Ministry of Interior, led to the recovery of the passports. The tourists were then able to arrange their return home, with a group of over 40 departing by land via buses and cars yesterday. The remaining tourists are expected to return via flights on September 1st and 4th.

The incident has highlighted the dangers of booking trips through unlicensed travel agencies. The Bahraini Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) has closed down the office of the unlicensed agency and referred the case to the Public Prosecution. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement warning citizens against dealing with unlicensed travel agencies and urging them to verify the licenses of all travel operators before booking trips. The statement emphasised the importance of ensuring that all payments and bookings are made through legitimate channels to avoid falling victim to scams and potential risks.