KUWAIT:
Kuwait is taking agile strides on the path toward substantial development of the tourism sector as part of the broad development strategy. Relevant authorities, already developing the tourist facilities, plan new projects of promising investments, in addition to updating the sector’s infrastructure and working out policies to back up the businesses of travel, entertainment and culture.
Kuwait has recently established partnerships with local and foreign tourist and entertainment companies, some fruits of which materialized with the launch of the Winter Wonderland entertainment complex, opening Al-Sabahiya Park and developing “Shatea Al-Blajat” (the beach area) in the Salmiya district. Authorities are preparing to diversify activities during the coming national occasions to draw tourists from the Gulf region.
For example, the “Ya Hala” shopping festival that kicked off on January 21 (due until March 31) had been planned as part of the new approach to boost the sector, along with the commercial sphere. The Permanent Committee for Celebrating Eids and National Occasions plans to increase tourist expenditures during the festival by 15-25 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2024, when it reached KD 170.1 million. The festival is also aimed at serving other objectives at this level: trimming spending on travel and external tourism that had soared to KD 4.39 billion in 2023.
In tandem with the approach for tourism development, Kuwait has also drawn up schemes to improve the business environment and the service economy competitiveness in the Gulf. Kuwait posted a 41.9 percent growth of international tourism (foreign tourists) in 2019 with a value estimated at $1.7 billion, while the number of tourists from the GCC countries reached 20,000. The third “mekashat” (leisure sites), inaugurated on November 16, drew some 150,000 visitors, including GCC countries’ citizens.
In line with guidelines by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the government has placed the file of developing the heritage sites among the urgent priorities. His Highness the Amir had also ordered establishing popular markets in Jahra and Ahmadi reminiscent of the Al-Mubarakiya bazaar. Kuwait, among the concrete steps on this path, signed the executive agreement for tourist cooperation with Bahrain for the years 2024, 2025 and 2026 for exchanging expertise and information, organizing joint activities and boosting promotion.
An agreement signed with Tunisia late last year included the launch of the executive program for tourism cooperation between 2025 and 2027. Those recently inked with Tajikistan featured an identical program for the 2024-2026 period. At the Gulf level, it is seeking to draw more tourists to the region through the Gulf Tourism Strategy (2023-30).
Signaling increasing international interest in Kuwait’s unique tourist potentials, the Middle East committee of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) elected it as the deputy chair and member of the designation documents committee for the first time since its establishment. Zurab Pololikashvili, its Secretary-General, in an interview with Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), commended Kuwait’s initiative to promote tourism and develop the sector as part of the 2033 new Kuwait vision, primarily aimed at diversifying the economy and the income resources. Affirming that Kuwait has significant potential, he indicated that the cultural festivals in the country proved to be instrumental in boosting interaction among local communities and the visitors.
Kuwait, the UNWTO chief added, could turn into a Makkah for recreational seekers, considering its rich culture, history, and good infrastructure. The Touristic Enterprises Company is in charge of a list of ventures, namely the South Nuwaiseeb resting compound, the park in South Al-Sabahiya, another in Al-Mangaf (to open in 2026), in addition to Messila Beach and the renovation of the seaside areas. Moreover, the company is executing the Egaila venture featuring various entertainment and sports compounds and water games’ compounds.
It had finalized examining the feasibility of Khairan resort, which stretches for 600,000 square meters. The Gulf Cup tournament, organized in Kuwait between December 21 and January 4, proved to be an opportunity to broaden the associated activities and benefit the tourist and recreation sectors, where the hotels were occupied by 100 percent, while spending on restaurants and cafes increased by 30 percent in December 2024 compared to the same month of the previous year.
The sector was established in 1962 when the Kuwaiti Hotels Company was established. In the 70s, it grew with the establishment of the tourism department that launched a series of attractive activities. There are various lucrative landmarks in Kuwait, namely the popular Al-Mubarakiya market, the developed seaside areas, the towers and Souq Sharq, along with a series of other shopping malls. Kuwait is also famous for the Grand Mosque, historic sites, the islands, the Al-Ahmar (Red) Palace, and natural reserves. — KUNA
