Issues concerning the tourism cooperation between Greece and Kuwait and possible opportunities for developing tourism flows between the two countries were discussed by the President of FedHATTA, Lysandros Tsilidis, and lead executives of the Union of Travel and Tourism of Kuwait (KTTAA), at a meeting on Friday, September 6, at the offices of FedHATTA in Athens.

The meeting was initiated by the travel agency The Travel Company. Specifically, the preferences of travelers from both countries, air connections, points of mutual interest, and ways to approach tourism professionals from Greece and Kuwait were discussed.

A significant issue that emerged from the meeting, which does not exclusively pertain to Greece-Kuwait relations, is the matter of obtaining visas. It has been observed since 2015, continuing with increasing rates in 2019, that 36% of tourist visa applications from travelers from Kuwait are denied annually, while the same percentage for France is around 3% and for Spain around 8% (Schengen Visa Statistics).

FedHATTA raises the alarm, as the statistics reflect a significant obstacle to travel that must be addressed immediately. The refusal to issue visas costs Greece in terms of tourist flows from this country, while the problem also highlights a broader difficulty: the application and approval processes are particularly time-consuming and discouraging, and, without discernible reason, applications from travelers who already have approval to visit other countries, e.g., Schengen countries or the USA, are rejected.

As stated by the President of FedHATTA, Lysandros Tsilidis, “We believe that the adoption of a national visa is ideal for such cases. Visa issuance is the Alpha and Omega of tourist movement. We cannot undermine such an important process with bureaucratic excuses. We are ready to discuss with the competent authorities, as long as a solution is found immediately.”

Executives from KTTAA participated in the discussion, as well as Ayesha Rafiq Parkar, Senior Sales Executive of Gulf Air. KTTAA and FedHATTA renewed their appointment to discuss again the scheduling of joint actions that will promote tourism relations between the two countries.

Travelers from Kuwait prefer to travel between June and August, although an increasing percentage visit our country for weekend getaways and during the Christmas and New Year holiday period. These figures position the Kuwaiti market as an “emerging tourist market” for Greece – which is why the collaboration of HATTA, a member of FedHATTA, had already begun efforts for engagement years ago.