05/01/2026
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05/01/2026
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KUWAIT CITY, Jan 5: Although 2025 recorded only marginal growth in the number of Kuwaiti travelers compared to 2024, the year witnessed notable shifts in travel patterns—particularly in destination choices. Europe emerged as the leading region, alongside the rise of new and unconventional destinations. At the same time, local travel agencies continued to maintain strong consumer confidence, outperforming online booking platforms.
According to statistics from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Kuwait International Airport handled approximately 14.93 million passengers in 2025. Of these, 7.64 million were departing passengers, averaging about 644,400 per month, while 7.295 million were arriving passengers, with a monthly average of 628,600.
Expansion of Electronic Services
Muhammad Al-Mutairi, Head of the Federation of Tourism and Travel Offices, told Al-Rai that the number of travelers in 2025 was broadly in line with 2024 levels, registering an increase of nearly 1 percent. He noted that Kuwaiti travel agencies have successfully embraced digital platforms and travel applications amid growing demand for comprehensive travel packages and intensified competition in bookings.
Al-Mutairi added that the Kuwaiti travel market saw a significant rise in the number of licensed travel agencies during 2025, ending the year with 590 registered agencies under the DGCA, compared with 370 agencies at the close of the COVID-19 period.
DGCA data further show that August recorded the highest passenger traffic at Kuwait International Airport, with 926,400 travelers, followed by September with 775,400. January also saw strong activity with 720,900 passengers, while November was the least active month, recording 498,900 passengers.
New Destinations Gain Popularity
Abdullah Al-Mansouri, a partner at Elite Holidays, said that the 2025 travel seasons witnessed a surge in demand driven by emerging destinations. Northern Italy—particularly the Dolomites—featured prominently, followed by Madrid, which attracted a large share of Kuwaiti travelers.
He added that the Czech Republic emerged as a distinctive destination, while Russia continued to record steady growth. Traditional European destinations such as France, London, and Switzerland also remained popular.
In Asia, Kuwaiti travelers displayed changing preferences, with Vietnam emerging as a new destination, often accessed via Thailand as a transit point. Regional travel remained strong, with continued demand for Dubai, Beirut, and Egypt, particularly the North Coast. Al-Mansouri noted that Abu Dhabi was the preferred family destination for Kuwaiti travelers.
He explained that the average travel budget per person for high-demand destinations ranged between KD 500 and KD 1,300, covering airfare and hotel accommodation. Travelers increasingly opted for additional services such as ground transportation, train travel, domestic flights, and other value-added arrangements to enhance their travel experience.
Al-Mansouri also observed a renewed reliance on local travel agencies, with bookings through agents increasing nearly threefold compared to the post-COVID period. He attributed this trend to frequent errors associated with online bookings, which prompted many travelers to return to professional travel consultants.
Search Trends and Flight Data
According to travel platform Wego, Paris and London topped the list of the most searched destinations from Kuwait in 2025. Searches for Barcelona and Vienna also rose significantly.
In Asia, Southeast Asian cities dominated search activity, with Manila recording the highest number of flight searches, followed by Guangzhou in China and Thailand.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed that Dubai remained the top destination for travelers from Kuwait, with 113 flights per week, followed by Jeddah (89 flights), Cairo (85), and Riyadh (56).
Doha ranked fifth with 48 weekly flights, followed by Bahrain (45) and Abu Dhabi (44), while Madinah, Mumbai, and Amman also featured prominently among the most frequented destinations.
