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Kuwait unveils new tourism master plan

DUBAI - Kuwait stands poised at the threshold of a new era of tourism and development, a 20-year tourism plan and United Nations Development Programme, is to be implemented by next year and will include major development projects in the country's hotels and resorts, according to Nabila Al Anjari, Assistant Under-secretary for Tourism in Kuwait.

From March 2004, visitors from North America, most of Western Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand will obtain entry visas upon arrival in Kuwait. In the previous procedure, all visitors were required to obtain a visa, weeks prior to any travel to the country.

Rashid Al Tabtabaee, Under-secretary of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Commerce and Industry, spoke about the Foreign Investment Law, which is a significant step towards the promotion of foreign investment and capital entering the Kuwait economy.

In addition to changes in immigration and investment regulations, booming development plans for business travellers include private sector investments in 20 new hotel projects and an increase in the number of meeting incentive travel packages.

Speaking on the sidelines of the ATM, Ms Al Anjari said, "Tourism is now a strategic objective in order to diversify the national income and create new jobs for Kuwaitis. Kuwaiti nationals spend about $3 billion on tourism outside the country and the government is keen to see a high proportion of this revenue to boost Kuwait's GDP".

The government of Kuwait is launching an extensive tourism development plan for developing and improving the domestic tourism sector," she explained, observing that statistical studies have shown that 79 per cent of Kuwaitis travel abroad for vacations.

"According to the studies, the same percentage would prefer to spend their prime vacation time in Kuwait if enough domestic tourism facilities were available," she explained.

Kuwait is positioning itself as an inbound AGCC tourist destination with a strong emphasis on business traveller meetings and exhibits and as an excellent family holiday destination for AGCC residents.

In early 2004, Kuwait took ground-breaking steps to promote visitor travel and business investment in the country, which will in turn promote diversification of the domestic economy, providing another source of foreign capital and creating more employment for Kuwait's citizens.