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KUWAIT: Ten Arab countries earned nearly $57.586 billion in international tourism revenue during 2015, and this represents 3.8 percent of the total international tourism revenue of $1.5 trillion during 2015.

The annual report of the World Tourism Organization said at the global level, 10 countries earned $655.9 billion in 2015, which is 43.73 percent of the total revenues. As for Arab countries, UAE topped the list during 2015 with $16.038 billion, which is 27.8 percent of the total Arab countries’ tourism revenue. Saudi Arabia was second with $10.130 billion, Lebanon third with $6.857 billion, Egypt fourth with $6.065 billion, Morocco fifth with $6.003 billion, Qatar sixth with $5.035 billion, Jordan seventh with $4.065 billion, Oman eighth with $1.540 billion, Tunisia ninth with $1.354 billion and Kuwait tenth with $499 million.

Refunds

The Ministry of Higher Education has kept the files of 5,000 Kuwaiti students open to reclaim its money from them, which is estimated in the thousands, after they did not complete their studies abroad. The ministry had sent these students abroad as it does every year, but they failed to complete their studies and returned after two or three years, although the state paid their fees, housing and airline tickets, apart from monthly stipends.

By A Saleh