Promotion of domestic tourism during Ramadan "necessity" - report

KUNA

Tourism is an important source of income for many countries and an essential factor for economic stability and achievement of development.

In addition, tourism contributes to finding a recreational atmosphere that meets the needs of those families and individuals seeking rest and recreation, especially in holiday seasons where many spend their leisure time in Kuwait or abroad.
The concept of tourism as defined by the World Tourism Organization means activities exercised by travelers who reside in places outside the usual environment for a period ranging from one day to less than a year in order to spend leisure time, shopping, trade, treatment or other.

According to statistics from the Organization, the tourism sector is the fastest economic sector in terms of growth rate of eight percent per annum and contributes about 11 percent of GDP at the global level, as well as it provides job opportunities by 10 percent of the total workforce and accounts for nine percent of the total investments.

These statistics show that the Gulf citizen is the highest in terms of spending during the tour standing at about USD 1,500 for the trip, which is equivalent to twice as much spent by European tourists, thus, paying more attention to the tourism sector in the GCC is becoming a must.

Kuwait, according to its vision of future development plan, seeks to be a regional tourism hub benefiting the citizens through the promotion of indigenous traditions and a distinct culture.

The interest in recreational activities for Ramadan is also a necessity sought by the country to attract the attention of a major segment of readers, making it a nucleus Kuwait could depend on to find a tourist atmosphere for Ramadan to attract Kuwaiti and other nationalities, especially in light of Ramadan coinciding with the summer holiday.

On this issue, a number of citizens called on state officials concerned to increase local entertainment and recreational activities during the fasting month in order to meet needs of citizens and residents who wish to enjoy the unique atmosphere of Ramadan.

They agreed in separate interviews with Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that this summer is witnessing a number of changes that have affected those wishing to travel abroad to spend their vacation, making the local tourism a "suitable alternative" for them.

Salman Al-Fadhli, an employee in the Ministry of Information, said that the state of instability experienced by some countries forced them to look for other alternatives or spend the summer vacation in Kuwait or even seek nearby countries for a short vacation.

He believed that other factors that could affect those who want to travel during the summer season is high prices of airline tickets and hotels because of such unusual circumstances.

For her part, Nadia Al-Hatem, a college student, stressed the need for paying more attention to domestic tourism as being the most important feature of countries seeking to develop their tourism industry.

She also called for the organization of a summer festivals like (Hala February) to promote domestic tourism and for the revitalization of this sector, so as to enhance the national economy and satisfy the needs of citizens. ou