Kuwait has intensified its crackdown on journey agent violations after receiving 3,012 complaints in 2025, imposing new penalties on places of work and brokers discovered chargeable for fraud, misconduct and breaches of licensing guidelines.
The measures kind a part of a wider effort by the Public Authority for Civil Aviation to guard travellers’ rights and restore confidence within the nation’s journey market.
The authority’s criticism and arbitration committee reported important motion all through 2025. On October 22, 2025, penalties have been issued for 66 violations involving journey brokers that breached social media licensing guidelines and associated tips, whereas two people have been prosecuted for breaking enterprise licence laws.
Kuwait journey fines
On November 13, new penalties have been imposed in opposition to eight journey brokers and one aviation agency for additional violations.
In accordance with Abdullah Al-Rajhi, Director of the Air Transport Division at PACI and head of the committee, the authority maintains an up to date database of 890 places of work and corporations, comprising 728 journey places of work, 89 transport places of work and 73 airways, all below its regulatory oversight.
Al-Rajhi mentioned PACI performs a holistic management position in monitoring licensed places of work and detecting violations. He emphasised the authority’s dedication to safeguarding travellers and stopping fraud by regulatory measures and energetic market supervision.
Between January 1 and September 2025, PACI’s grievance division acquired 3,012 complaints, highlighting the dimensions of shopper issues relating to travel-related misconduct.
Cyber scams and fraud below scrutiny
Al-Rajhi famous that the authority is carefully monitoring new types of cyber fraud in cooperation with the Communication and Data Expertise Regulatory Authority (CITRA). These embrace:
- Faux ticket gross sales
- Unlawful brokers
- Unlicensed places of work
- Illegal further charges
- False promotional affords on social media
Trying forward, Al-Rajhi mentioned PACI is growing a future plan to strengthen monitoring techniques, improve cooperation with safety and commerce businesses, and launch public consciousness campaigns to fight fraud and promote safe bookings.
Trade requires continued motion
Mohammad Al-Mutairi, Chairman of the Kuwait Journey and Tourism Companies Affiliation, criticised unlicensed brokers and rogue journey brokers for damaging the status of the nation’s journey sector and eroding shopper belief.
He mentioned licensed journey places of work function inside official laws and bear authorized {and professional} duty towards their prospects.
Key grievances, he famous, embrace pretend tickets, cancellations with out discover and deceptive tourism promotions by pretend social media accounts.
Al-Mutairi added that coordinated efforts between the affiliation, the Ministry of Commerce and Trade and PACI have led to a major decline in complaints in contrast with final 12 months — proof that stricter enforcement and public consciousness are starting to yield constructive outcomes.
