Kuwait travel, tourism ticket sales hit 23.87 million dinars

Tourism and travel offices in Kuwait reported a slight increase in ticket sales for July 2024, reaching 23.87 million dinars, up 3.7 percent from June’s 23 million dinars.

This rise contrasts with the overall trend for the first seven months of the year, where total sales amounted to approximately 150.79 million dinars, a 1.7 percent decline compared to the 153.15 million dinars recorded during the same period in 2023.

The initial months of 2024 saw significant drops in sales, with a 10 percent decline in January, followed by 5 percent in February, and 2 percent in March.

However, sales began to rebound from April through July, coinciding with the start of the travel season.

It’s important to note that these figures reflect bookings made through the Bank Settlement Plan (BSP) system for traditional airlines and do not include sales from low-cost carriers, which have gained a larger market share and contributed to the decline in sales through traditional offices.

The number of travel offices in Kuwait has also increased, growing from 400 to around 550.

This expansion is partly due to employees from larger agencies opening their own home-based offices, reducing operating costs and heightening market competition.

Passenger traffic at Kuwait International Airport was robust in June, with a total of approximately 1.35 million passengers, including 580,718 arrivals and 770,255 departures.