Kuwait Airport experiences a decline in passenger traffic during the Eid al-Adha holiday period
Kuwait Airport Eid Slump: A 56.4% Drop in Travelers
The vibes at Kuwait International Airport during Eid al-Adha this year? More laid-back than the Mardi Gras parade. Passenger traffic took a nosedive, plummeting a whopping 56.4% compared to the same period in 2022.
Let's get down to brass tacks. Instead of half a million travelers, only 236,000 made the trip, according to our insider sources. Here's why the travel industry felt more like a ghost town this Eid.
Fistfuls of cash for a holiday? No thank you. Soaring inflation, both locally and worldwide, is jacking up airfare and hotel prices in many destinations. Just another reason to stay home and save.
School's out... for the vacation. But not for exams. The Eid celebrations coincided with high school exams, leaving families with a tough choice between pencils and passport stamps.
It's a bird, it's a plane... actually, it's not. Several airlines have taken flight from the Kuwaiti market, slashing the number of available options for weary travelers.
The Eid travel trend is as sensitive as a hungover college student after a mid-morning keg stand. These factors can drastically impact booking patterns. But don't worry; our sources are hopeful that air travel will bounce back in July once the exams are over and summer vacations kick into gear.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) estimated that 236,000 passengers would pass through Kuwait Airport across 1,737 flights during the Eid period, a stark contrast from their expectations from last year, when they were anticipating a whopping 542,000 passengers.
Popular destinations remained steady, but the heatwave in Kuwait has brought attention to an "urgent need to invest in infrastructure to make the country more appealing for both local and Gulf tourists." Topping the list? Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Doha, and Istanbul, all offer climates eerily reminiscent of a fiery Middle Eastern summer.
Oh, how the tables have turned. During Eid al-Adha in June 2022, the DGCA had projected a much more active travel season, with passenger numbers projected to reach a hefty 542,000. Looks like this year's Eid was more about staying in and saving the shekels.
Although the travel industry appeared more like a deserted town during Eid al-Adha this year, the directorate's projections in 2022 anticipated a surge in air travelers, reaching 542,000. On the contrary, politics, such as high school exams and inflation, influencing lifestyle decisions, led to a significant drop in travelers, with only 236,000 making the journey.
Amidst the decrease in travelers, general news unfolded involving the urgent need for infrastructure investment in Kuwait to make it more attractive for local and Gulf tourists. Meanwhile, popular destinations like Dubai, Cairo, Jeddah, Doha, and Istanbul remained steady, offering a respite from the scorching heatwave in Kuwait.
