By: Eman Ghaly

Mubasher: Kuwait has achieved a 69.4% surge in tourism returns during the first half (H1) of the year, as shown by a Mubasher survey.

Tourism revenues amounted to KWD 108.4 million ($357.48 million) in the six-month period ended 30 June, compared with KWD 64 million ($211.06 million) in H1-18.

The first quarter (Q1) of 2019 saw tourism revenues reach KWD 53.2 million, while returns in Q2-19 amounted to KWD 55.2 million in Q1-19, according to data by the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK).

Data recently showed that Kuwaitis have spent 31.38% more on tourism abroad during H1-19.

Spending on tourism reached KWD 2.818 billion ($9.304 billion) by the end of H1-19, compared with KWD 2.145 billion ($7.082 billion) for the same period last year, and distributed over Q1-19 and Q2-19 at KWD 1.44 billion and 1.378 billion, respectively.

In 2018, spending on tourism abroad by Kuwaiti nationals amounted to KWD 4.03 billion, rising by 17.6%, compared with KWD 3.43 billion in 2017.

Kuwait’s residents reached 4.82 million, of which 1.42 million are Kuwaiti nationals and 3.4 million are expatriates.