Bahrain’s first surf park is set to open with more than 120 jobs for Bahraini nationals, one of a string of deals announced at the Gateway Gulf 2026 investment forum that also took in Gulf Air, Visa and a new hospital.
The Labour Fund, Tamkeen, agreed to support the jobs at Club Hawaii @ Bahrain Surf Park, a 52,000 sq m project at Bilaj Al Jazayer on the kingdom’s southwest coast, according to Asharq Al-Awsat and the Daily Tribune. The park is being developed by Edamah, the real estate arm of sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat, with GFH Financial Group, and is expected to open this year and draw around 300,000 visitors a year.
It will be the first surf park in the region to use Wavegarden Cove technology from Spain’s Wavegarden, which can generate up to 1,000 waves an hour for around 90 surfers at a time. Club Hawaii reported in September that the surf lagoon had been filled. The site will include a surf academy, restaurants, private cabanas and event space, and plans to host international surfing competitions.
The jobs will span hospitality, destination management, event management and sports tourism. Tamkeen Chief Executive Maha Abdulhameed Mofeez said the agreement supported strategic investments that create jobs and career paths for Bahrainis, while Club Hawaii Chairman Khaled A. Rahman AlMajed said bringing in international operators would help transfer skills to local staff.
Gulf Air Group signed a five-year master services agreement with Batelco, part of Beyon Group, covering more than 1,000 employees. Visa said it would open an office in Bahrain in 2027, and Britain’s Lexness Technologies launched operations in the kingdom focused on AI, automation and cybersecurity.
Tamkeen also signed an agreement with Mubadala Health Bahrain for a multidisciplinary medical facility developed by M42 Group and HealthVision, with 20 specialties and more than 200 jobs. Other announcements included Bahrain’s first electrical power transformer factory, from Amiri Industries in Hidd, a Shariah-compliant liquidity fund from ASB Capital and a 32,000 sq m school from Britain’s Repton Schools Group, its 13th.
The second day of the forum, organised by the Bahrain Economic Development Board under the theme “Redefining Global Partnerships and Driving Sustainable Growth”, followed the opening day’s award of Golden Licences to $3.89bn of projects, including three aviation ventures led by AirAsia parent Capital A and a Meliá hotel in Amwaj.
The surf park adds to Bahrain’s push into leisure attractions after Dive Bahrain’s underwater theme park, as Gulf states compete on entertainment, with Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya developer now looking at a theme park near Paris.
