Verbal instructions hinder single Kuwaiti citizens from booking hotel rooms

Have Kuwait hotels ended their restrictions on receiving unmarried Kuwaiti guests, regardless of gender, without requiring them to be accompanied by their spouses, following years of prohibition?

Recent discussions among hotel officials suggest a potential shift in the prevailing hotel norms, allowing single Kuwaiti citizens, both male and female, to reserve rooms without the need to demonstrate marital status, reports Al-Rai daily.

While legally there are no barriers for unmarried or married individuals to book hotel accommodations independently, practical constraints have long hindered citizens from doing so, often citing verbal directives from the Ministry of Interior.

Despite the absence of new security directives contradicting this practice, Fahd Abu Shaar, the General Manager of St. Regis and Sheraton Kuwait hotels, affirmed that their establishments welcome guests in accordance with existing regulations and laws. Abu Shaar emphasized that there are no legal impediments preventing citizens or residents from booking hotel rooms without the presence of a spouse, underlining the hotels’ commitment to abide by general laws.

Regarding claims of certain hotels upholding restrictions based on security directives, Abu Shaar clarified that such measures are not enforced at the St. Regis and Sheraton Kuwait Hotel Complex. He highlighted the importance of promoting domestic tourism, emphasizing Kuwait’s untapped potential in this regard.

Hoteliers echoed the sentiment that allowing room reservations in compliance with general laws for all individuals, irrespective of marital status, would invigorate the hospitality sector, especially considering the limited local tourism options.

They welcomed the potential shift in policy, attributing it to the recent decisions made by Acting Minister of Interior, Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef, including the reinstatement of various visa categories, which have injected dynamism into the stagnant economy and aligned Kuwait with regional measures.

These decisions, they argued, not only bolster commercial and tourism activities but also enhance the operational revenues of Kuwaiti businesses and hotels, thereby fostering increased employment opportunities for nationals and bolstering economic returns.