Kuwait Introduces Non-Stop Flights to Sharm El Sheikh in Effort to Boost Egyptian Tourism

Kuwait will launch non-stop direct flights to Sharm El Sheikh as part of its initiative to support Egypt’s tourism sector, head of the Higher Committee for Tourism Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah announced at a press conference on Sunday.

Kuwait currently offers direct flights to the Red Sea resort on a seasonal basis but is now seeking to establish a continuous plane route to boost tourism and soften the blow of its forecasted drop in revenues.

The monarchy’s gesture comes at the heel of Russia’s Federal Security Service announcing that last month’s plane crash over Sinai was caused by a self-made explosive device, “unambiguously” making it a terrorist act.

According to the Kuwaiti News Agency (KUNA), the announcement came after Sheikh Salman met with Egypt’s Minister of Tourism Hesham Zaazou in Cairo to reaffirm Kuwait’s permanent support for Egypt through a “host of initiatives” to boost the country’s tourism sector.

Sheikh Salman also expressed Kuwait’s “full confidence” in Egypt’s economy, security and stability

Kuwait has long been one of Egypt’s main political and economic supporters in the region.

Following the ouster of former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, Kuwait pledged a USD 1 billion grant, in addition to a five-year USD 2 billion deposit to the Central Bank in Egypt.

In December of last year, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development agreed to a USD 102 million loan to finance a power planet project west of Cairo.

Kuwait also pledged USD 4 billion worth of investment projects at the Economic Development Conference, which took place in March of this year as part of Egypt’s quest to revive its ailing economy.