Bahrain’s Amlak Real Estate has appointed the local Al-Hedaya Contracting Company to carry out work on its Souq al-Buhair renovation project.

The project will involves the contractor building a new mixed-use building as well as renovate and expand existing retail space at the market. It is understood that 30 new retail units will be added to the market.

The project is set for completion by mid-2017. The local Aref Sadeq Design Consultants is the lead consultant on the scheme.

As Bahrain sets itself an ambitious target to reach 11 million visitors a year by 2020, a number of tourism projects have pressed ahead.

The non-oil economy has allowed Bahrain to manage the slump in the price of hydrocarbons and the government is now looking at tourism as a way to further diversify an already broad economy.

The building of the second causeway between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia also provides the authorities with the confidence that tourist numbers will inevitably go up as more and more Saudi nationals flock to Bahrain for short breaks.