Distribution Channels ⁽¹⁾

Bahrain benefits from good road infrastructure, providing the ability to transport throughout the region with easy access to other Gulf markets. The much larger economy of Saudi Arabia is located just a 25 km drive away across the King Fahd Causeway.

Most goods enter Bahrain through Khalifa bin Salman Port (Mina Khalifa) in the Hidd Industrial Area, Bahrain’s main import/export hub. The port is located in northeast Bahrain, approximately 13 km from Bahrain International Airport and 55 km from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Since beginning operations in 2009, the Khalifa Bin Salman Port has established itself as a leading transshipment hub in the region.

The adjacent Bahrain Logistics Zone has the potential to make the Kingdom a major air-sea cargo hub and a center for industrial development. The Government offers several incentives to attract foreign direct investment to this customs-free zone.

The Bahrain retail sector has been experiencing strong growth in the last decade.

The sector is still dominated by traditional markets (souks) and corner shops, many of which sell traditional goods and services such as gold, textiles and sweets. Modern distribution channels are nevertheless becoming more prominent, with the appearance of large malls, supermarkets, and hypermarkets.

^{(1) International Trade Administration – US Department of commerce – Bahrain Guide.}