KUWAIT: The four-day New Year holiday prompted people to travel this year to new destinations that were not common in previous years. According to Kuwait TV, Jeddah ranked as the top destination for travelers from Kuwait. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, over 255,000 people travelled through Kuwait International Airport (departures and arrivals), flying on 1,725 flights during from Wednesday to Saturday. In addition, thousands of holidaymakers also travelled by car, especially to Saudi Arabia.

Some people extended their vacation and traveled for over a week to enjoy far-flung destinations. London, Paris, Istanbul, Malaysia, and Dubai were the top travel destinations during this holiday, according to Saleh Al-Ruwayih, tourism and travel expert at Travel Mate agency. "The demand during this vacation was for destinations that are popular for New Year's celebrations, such as London, Eiffel Tower in Paris, Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Burj Khalifa in Dubai and so on. Also, Istanbul and Thailand were among the most sought-after destinations," he told Kuwait Times.

Early promotions were behind the marketing of faraway destinations. "We attracted clients to book their tickets early through promotions held in June. In September, hotels around the world increase their tariffs, so when my clients booked their trips in June, they got an around 50 percent cheaper price. For instance, instead of paying KD 80 per night, they only paid KD 40," explained Ruwayih. "The promotion first only included the European destinations, but more customers were asking for offers for cheaper destinations in Asia. So we included Malaysia and Thailand, as these are popular destinations during summer as well," he added.

Although Saudi Arabia has become a very popular destination, it's not on the top of the list of travel agencies. "Most Kuwaitis traveling to Saudi Arabia prefer to stay in residential apartments rather than hotels, so they usually don't buy packages from our agency. Also, they travel by car, especially if they are a group. Furthermore, our agency doesn't have deals with the organizers of events taking place in Saudi Arabia the same way we have with European countries, such as for football matches, as we market their events," Ruwayih pointed out.

February is also a travel season for travelers from Kuwait for short holidays. "During February, we have more promotions for destinations that include winter activities such as skiing, exhibitions, shopping and more. These winter activities take place in European countries, and we offer special promotions," concluded Ruwayih.

By Nawara Fattahova