COVID-19: Kuwait travel agencies losing KD 8 million per month
Only 1,000 passengers are currently permitted to enter the country per day
Kuwait City: Since the COVID-19 pandemic began around a year ago, the average operating loss of 459 travel offices each is around KD 8 million a month, the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federations of Tourism and Travel Offices, Muhammad Al Mutairi stated.
The recent travel restrictions that went into effect on Sunday, could impact travel agencies even further as non-Kuwaiti are barred from entering Kuwait for two weeks, meaning less tickets booked.
Part of the new restrictions requires that all travelers, citizens and residents, that enter the country after February 21 quarantine in a hotel for seven days.
Al Mutairi stated, “we demand that institutional quarantine hotel reservations for those coming to Kuwait be through travel offices in an attempt to provide them relief from their accumulated losses.”
Decline of travel offices
Furthermore, the reduction of incoming passengers has also had an effect on travel offices as only 1,000 passengers are permitted to enter Kuwait per day. When the decision was first announced on January 24, around 60,000 airline reservations were cancelled.
Travel bureaus in Kuwait are not alone, as the worldwide travel industry saw a decline of 42 per cent in 2020, Investopedia reported.
With the ongoing travel restrictions and decline of tourism around the world, travel offices are struggling to pay rent and salaries, let alone make a profit.