My flight was the last to land at Kuwait’s airport before its runways were shut down. A desert sandstorm that would engulf the Arab state for the night was creeping in and the air felt heavy.
“You’re lucky you made it tonight – so many flights were turned back. It is the time of the year when the sand takes over,” cautioned the immigration officer as he checked over my e-visa, raising a curious eyebrow. “We don’t see many Western tourists to Kuwait. What are you planning on doing here?” he asked with genuine interest, rather than the interrogative tone you might expect. As I outlined my plans for the next few days to his amusement, he stamped my passport before imparting one last local piece of advice: “Don’t forget to go to The Avenues mall – it’s the greatest!”
This seldom-visited Arab State is perhaps best known for its vast oil fields, desert landscapes and the Iraqi invasion of 1990. Developing international tourism hasn’t so far been a priority, and the country lacks both a tourism board and any clear plan in attracting visitor attention. Neighbouring Saudis make up the bulk of foreign visitors, with many coming primarily for the shopping and the beaches. Yet I wasn’t there to visit any malls, but rather to explore the many new cultural institutions that had opened their doors over the last few years and to understand a little more about Kuwait’s unique history.
“Over the last decade,
