“Hotel stayers in Kuwait have become sophisticated guests looking for only the best in the market. Both business and leisure guests are well-travelled, well-informed and generally seek a value for money experience,” says Petek whose hotel has had a presence in the country since 2013.
Value-for-money is a key factor among guests. Millenial guests — whether travelling for business or pleasure — are looking to get the most bang for their buck. With its new offering, Hilton is looking to capitalise on the crowds drawn in by “affordable accommodation”.
The future does appear bright for the Kuwaiti hospitality industry, agree experts. With the rise in passenger traffic expected from the airport expansion, and a number of projects in line with the country’s development plan which will boost job opportunities across the country, as well as more things to do and see for leisure visitors, hotel operators have much to look forward to.
“On an annual basis we confidently forecast this [tourism growth rate] will potentially increase to 3.9% by 2019,” says Sona.
Petek adds the remainder of 2016 for the country’s hospitality industry is forecast to be positive.
“There is already optimism within the corporate sector with increasing numbers of international companies looking to establish a firm base in the country,” he says.
And though there are a number of competitors about to hit the market, Petek remains unnerved.
“Kuwait is continually growing as a destination for business and leisure travellers in the region and with the expected increase in visitors over the coming years, more international operators are looking into investing in the hospitality sector due to the lucrative nature of this industry.
“We welcome competition; at the same time we will continue pushing the boundaries of what guests expect when they visit us.”
| Advertisement |
Search our database of more than 2,700 industry companies
