Traveling abroad is considered almost routine by Kuwaiti citizens on various holidays and occasions, as there are many travel destinations and different goals for trips and destination countries in light of the high tourist culture that Kuwaiti citizens enjoy as a result of frequent travel and their constant passion for seasonal migration.
When important holidays arrive, the most important of which is the summer, citizens start booking tickets for travel abroad on tourist trips to escape from the hot summer season in Kuwait and seek to spend enjoyable periods in a family atmosphere in countries that provide the required luxury, which may not exist in the country such as nature and mountains resorts, reports a local Arabic daily.
The mechanisms for choosing the intended destination vary according to various factors, including:
• Preferred and safe destination
• The appropriate economic cost
• Advice from friends and campaigns of tourism offices
• Airline offers and hotel discounts
This is followed by the process of completing travel procedures which begins through the specialized programs on the Internet or through travel offices, tourism and airline agents.
Kuwaitis’ travel destinations vary and differ during the holiday season, and if we exclude the trips designated for treatment, which are governed by special circumstances, the most important destinations appear to us, which becomes clear after follow-up and analysis of tourism performance over the past years and citizens’ surveys about upcoming destinations, the change of priorities in them, which can be separated for two phases, the pre-epidemic “Corona” and the “post-epidemic” phase, without neglecting the intermediate phase during the outbreak of the epidemic, which witnessed some travel trips – though few – when conditions allowed at that time.
In 2019, we find that travelers headed towards nearby countries, and Lebanon, Egypt and Dubai were among the most prominent destinations during quick holidays, while they go to farther regions during summer holidays, so Turkey, London, Georgia and America emerged for us.
While the previous years witnessed a clear fluctuation among Kuwaitis, with the emergence of sudden new destinations such as Bosnia, Georgia and Bulgaria, according to what was confirmed by one of the reservations officials of the “eva” airline in media statements about the reservations for the summer of 2017, as destinations that the Kuwaiti traveler was not accustomed to.
According to the statistics of Mubasher, which provides more than 600,000 hotels around the world, in 2017, the most important destinations were:
— Dubai which accounts for 29% of Kuwaiti flights
— London which is considered a preferred destination for historical and cultural reasons
— Paris, which contains fashion markets, restaurants and theaters
— Barcelona with a passion for football and attending matches
— Munich is one of the favorite cities for Kuwaitis, and it is close to Austria, without forgetting that Germany is a preferred destination for treatment
— New York is unique to Kuwaitis, and is reserved for businessmen and politicians
— Istanbul is a tourist city with a distinctive atmosphere and a special location
— Rome, which captures a large share of the Kuwaiti market
— Los Angeles, which is a good outlet to other US states
— Bangkok, which is one of the best cities in the world, for its cheapness and distinctive activities.
— Germany leads them all
In media statements, Wael Al-Hassawi, Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations Department at Kuwait Airways, confirmed that the price of travel tickets that were put up for sale during the Eid Al-Fitr holiday was carefully studied, so Al-Hassawi announced that the demand for travel during the last holiday reached unprecedented levels, and a decision was taken to add several additional flights to accommodate the expected increase in travel movements.
He explained in the same statements that the Kuwaitis’ desired destinations are diverse in Europe, including London, Paris, Rome, Milan, Amsterdam and Manchester, with Turkey, New York, Bangkok, the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the Middle East.
Notes on tourism in Kuwait
• There is no integrated and clear government vision for upgrading the sector
• The need to provide good and attractive recreational areas for citizens
• The country received only 182,000 international tourists in 2017, with average revenue per tourist of approximately $2,739
However, in the latest reading of the citizens’ poll about travel destinations this summer, we find the most prominent travel destinations for Kuwaitis this summer:
• Turkey
• London
• Bodrum
• Cairo
• Europe
In addition, we must point out to a permanent, stable, and enduring destination, which is the Saudi neighbor to which Kuwaitis travel during the Hajj and Umrah seasons and the holy month of Ramadan, where occupancy rates in Makkah and Madinah hotels rise during the month, and Kuwaitis contribute to this occupancy.
• Kuwaitis spent about seven billion dollars in 2014 on travel
• 20% of spending goes to hotels and the rest goes to airline tickets, entertainment and food
• The volume of spending on travel and tourism among citizens is increasing
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