In 2004, Kuwait embarked on a twenty year tourism master plan with the number one priority being to develop and improve domestic tourism.  What is your general assessment of the tourism sector in Kuwait and how does it compare to the other neighboring countries?

Since Independence Day, which took place in 1961, Kuwait has somewhat struggled to achieve a sufficient position in its tourism activity.  The tourism concept is new in this area but in Kuwait it was always an issue.  The master plans that government and top executives have set objectives to turn Kuwait into one of the most attractive countries in the region.  The UAE has already achieved a lot of success in this realm and now since 2004, Kuwait has achieved a lot and made strides towards the long term objectives for the next twenty years.  Other GCC citizens in the area have come to Kuwait and created a new infrastructure for tourism in Kuwait that didn’t exist before.  The government has facilitated tourism for all sector concerns by easing entry visas into the GCC region and for airlines to access the airports here.  Where do we stand in terms of tourism activity in the Gulf?  Kuwait definitely contributes and what is unique is that there is so much potential in Kuwait that has not been tapped.  For example, Kuwait has nine islands and four or five of these have great potential for tourism.  Our weather is also an asset even though it is quite hot here, it is also dry.  There are over 300 days here that are sunny and humidity is fairly low.  Sahara Kuwait Resort wants to attract people from Europe, especially in the winter months.

 

In your opinion what measures should be adopted by the government in order to improve tourism?

I feel that experts should lend a hand to the government when it comes to long term planning.  Tourism has become an industry and industries need specialists to help guide its vision. 

Open since 2005 and designed by world class architect Peter Harradine, Sahara Resort Kuwait is the only premier golf resort with a comprehensive appeal owned by two public Kuwaiti real estate companies and two individual owners.  Can you give us a brief history and background information about the club?

Kuwait produces oil so most of the oil company’s top executives from abroad started to come to Kuwait, starting in the 1940s.  These executives brought with them a lot of sports, like soccer, cricket, and golf.  A Kuwait Oil Company executive brought golf here with a primitive sand course in the 1960s and later Kuwaitis traveling to other countries were introduced to golf and the sport took off.  Kuwaiti expats also brought golf back to Kuwait and also wanted a place in country to play golf and this is how we came up with the concept for a golf course in Kuwait to meet the needs of the community.  It was important for this to be a profitable project.  In 2005 we started the project and we built the course according to PGA standards, it has eighteen holes, and 450,000 square meters, and we have luxurious villas, dining facilities, and catering.  We are also neighbors with the Hunting and Equestrian Club and this allows all of our activities a chance to interact and we exploit synergies between the operations. This is a unique operation because water is very important to maintain the grass all year round and Kuwait has the highest temperature in the GCC.  During July and August the temperature can be up to 50 degrees centigrade in the shadows and this has an effect on the grass.  Our sprinkler systems cool down the grass and help retain its quality.  The water tank we use to do this utilizes recycled water and that makes us environmentally friendly- this is important for a golf course.  Our 100 golf carts are also green because they don't use fuel and in our day to day operations we use recycled materials.  We are proud of our efforts to be environmentally friendly.

 

Many say that most members of the club are diplomats, executives, or general managers of the largest companies.  To what extent to you agree with this statement and can you name a few of your most important members of the golf club?

Part of this is definitely true and represents a part of the big picture of our golf course.  Our resort is like a rainbow and has all of the colors, not only top executives, but also several different segments in order to fulfill the needs of the golfers.  We have academic professors, general managers, CEOs, chairmen, engineers, and people from all sectors in general.  The new trend is Kuwaitis who are now approaching the sport of golf which is a big step from the beginnings of golf where it was an exclusively upper class sport from Scotland.  Tiger Woods helped revolutionize the sport in this way by making it more accessible and well known to people from all classes and backgrounds, it has even reached the Olympics.

How does Kuwait embrace golfing culture?

There is an increasing trend for Kuwaitis turning to golf.  At the Sahara Kuwait Resort we are able to fulfill the needs of this sport both locally and in the region.  We are frequently visited by international travelers at our resort who come to play golf.

You have an agreement with Burgan Bank that allows premier account card holders to receive exclusive discounts of up to 20%.  Do you have any other special relationships with any other institutions in Kuwait?

We have plenty of sponsors and we give them special benefits regarding their activities with us.  Our sponsorships were earned because golf has an important impact on certain sectors in the region and locally.  A lot of activities happen around here and people like to be seen where the action takes place to advertise themselves.

What kind of successful events have you been able to attract?

For example, today we are hosting and supporting the Childhood Charity Organization that is supported by the Queen of Sweden in cooperation with the Radisson Blue.  Whatever we are able to earn from that will be donated to the Charity. 

How would you characterize your communication strategy?

We have to do it on four levels- locally, regionally, continentally, and globally.  We always have an interest in achieving our vision. 

How would you define your biggest challenge?

Our biggest challenges are environmentally related.  When you run a golf course in a country like Kuwait with such high temperatures it presents a number of challenges in order to fulfill the needs of the landscape and keep the grass alive.  Also, other environmental challenges require manpower to help relieve the problems and this puts pressure on our resources to maintain the green on the golf course.  However, we are proud that we are able to maintain our grounds the way we do.  Other challenges include attracting not only the locals, but also neighboring GCC countries to the Sahara Kuwait Resort.  We also want to expand and attract international clientele.  I am optimistic that slowly but surely we will be able to do this.  The hotel industry in Kuwait has grown considerably in the last decade and I believe the future will be prosperous.

You mentioned that one of your most prominent guests was Juan La Porta, president of BC Barcelona Sports Club. What was his feedback about the Sahara Kuwait Resort?

He stayed here on an official visit to Kuwait and stayed in one of our luxurious villas overlooking the green.  He couldn’t believe that so much greenery could exist in Kuwait and he even mentioned this in our guest book as one of the most striking features of the Sahara Kuwait Resort.  Sahara Kuwait Resort is becoming a flagship location representing Kuwait that people want to come and see- greenery in the middle of the desert is a unique sight.

What are your plans looking ahead to the two or three years for this operation?

We are working on building a mall near the golf course that will attract international brands.  I am also proud to say that we are now building the biggest multipurpose ballroom that is 3000 square meters in size.  It is a part of the Sahara Kuwait Resort and it overlooks the golf course.  This will enhance our activity and attract international business activities as well.