KUWAIT: Environment Public Authority (EPA) Chairman and Managing Director Sheikh Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah announced that a new method to examine vehicles will be employed that mandates that a vehicle’s exhaust fumes must pass an environmental test to allow renewing its registration with the traffic department. Sheikh Abdullah said coordination with the Ministry of Interior (MoI) is currently in progress to find a way to examine vehicles and make sure they are environmentally safe prior to renewing their registration. He added that this system will take effect by the beginning of next year. In addition, he said hanging laundry to dry in the open will be penalized by a KD 500 fine as per the environment law. Sheikh Abdullah also said EPA will fight visual pollution, which he described as a ‘negative phenomenon’, such as using bizarre colors to paint the exterior of houses.

Separately, EPA deputy director for technical affairs Mohammed Al-Enezi stressed that the death of catfish in national waters is the result of pressure they become subjected to before approaching the shores, where the water is polluted by sewage and deadly weeds. Enezi added that it was normal that jellyfish increase worldwide at this time of the year, adding that jellyfish have so far only caused material losses by blocking water inlets of the southern power plants. Enezi strongly denied that the type of jellyfish spotted in Kuwaiti waters is poisonous or deadly.

International tourism

Visa International has issued a study on international tourism travel trends, including those within the GCC states. VISA’s Global Travel intentions study showed that travelers from UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait largely depend on online tools while travelling and that 97, 73 and 95 percent of them respectively stayed online during their trips abroad.

As far as spending during the entire trip is concerned, the study showed that travelers with the world’s top five spending rates came from Saudi Arabia, with an average of $4,800 per trip, China with an average of $4,034 per trip, Australia with $3,529 per trip, US with $3,500 per trip and Kuwait with an average of $3,474 per trip. The study also showed that travelers from UAE spend more than the global average of $2,443 by spending $3,430.

The study of travel plans and reviewing opinions from 27 countries showed that the average trip duration might decrease worldwide, but GCC travelers still prefer long trips. In addition, the study showed that the current global average trip is for eight nights, compared to 9.5 nights in 2015. The study showed that average trip duration for travelers from UAE is nine nights, 10 for Kuwaitis and 14 for Saudis.

“Technology helps travelers move around destinations in a better way,” the study added, noting that 88 percent of them stayed online while travelling and that 44 percent of them use transportation apps on arrival at their destinations, though 71 percent of UAE travelers, 11 percent of Saudi travelers and only 6 percent of Kuwaiti travelers use such applications.

By A Saleh