Kuwait’s tourism project to attract 100,000 foreign visitors annually
With an estimated cost of KD 12 million, the project is set for completion by 2028, currently in its preparatory phase, and expected to generate about 1,830 job opportunities for Kuwaiti professionals upon operation.
• The tourism project aims to repurpose 25 heritage buildings into cultural and enlightenment centers, support twenty annual cultural youth initiatives, and create a smart cultural heritage tourism platform (cultural map) to engage and connect citizens.
Investment in cultural tourism is now a key pillar of the country’s development plan, which includes the “Al-Ahmadi Cultural Platform,” an interactive cultural tourism initiative.
The platform serves as a model for cultural and urban heritage, fostering sustainable cultural policies and strategies. It features projects under the Smart Interactive Cultural Tourism Initiative, integrating a cultural map, a cultural bus, and community engagement.
According to sources from Al-Qabas newspaper, the project promotes investment in cultural tourism by engaging the private sector, developing networks to stimulate intellectual, cultural, and community creativity, and linking urban facilities with heritage urbanization to enhance sustainable development and preserve culture, cities, and identity.
Attracting Tourists
The sources stated that the project aims to increase citizen and resident engagement with Kuwaiti heritage while attracting 100,000 foreign tourists annually.
Additionally, the project seeks to study 500 previously unexamined heritage buildings, register 500 buildings in the national registry, and restore 500 registered buildings.
In a tourism-driven initiative, the project plans to establish ten bus stations for cultural tourism, develop 50 squares and rest areas around archaeological sites, and construct 50 restaurants and cafés dedicated to serving cultural tourism centers.
Engaging and connecting citizens
According to sources, the project aims to repurpose 25 heritage buildings into cultural and enlightenment centers, support twenty annual cultural youth initiatives, and create a smart cultural heritage tourism platform (cultural map) to engage and connect citizens.
Additionally, the project focuses on global marketing of cultural tourism by raising awareness among international heritage and cultural organizations about Kuwait’s role and significance. It aims to drive positive change in Kuwait’s cultural, artistic, economic, tourism, and educational sectors by integrating the cultural landscape with its social, political, and spatial elements. The initiative also seeks to encourage private sector investment and strengthen public-private partnerships in the sector.
The sources concluded that the project is scheduled for completion by 2028, with its current phase focused on preparation. The project, with an estimated cost of twelvemillion Kuwaiti dinars, is expected to create approximately 1,830 job opportunities for Kuwaiti professionals once operational.
