OMAN’s Ministry of Tourism recently set up a committee, representing the local tourism industry, aimed at enhancing the sultanate’s tourism strategy and laying down an effective action plan to maintain and grow the healthy numbers of tourist arrivals.
The committee brings together airline, hotel, tour operator and tourism investment representatives who will work with the ministry to create co-ordinated communications with key international markets.
“An enhanced marketing strategy for Oman’s tourism sector will ensure that tourist arrivals in the country remain high over the coming months,” said Salem Al Mamari, the ministry’s director general of tourism promotions.
“This should be done on two levels; the delivery to international markets and media of an accurate, clear and effective message about Oman remaining as safe and welcoming to tourists as ever and by drawing attention to a number of completed or ongoing projects and activities which bring the experience of natural beauty and indigenous culture in the sultanate to new heights.”
Salalah is the latest destination in Oman to witness an influx of hotel operators with impressive tourism projects. Among those in the pipeline are a Mövenpick and Club Med resort and a Rotana hotel. Salalah currently has a Hilton, a Crowne Plaza and the Salalah Marriott, which opened last year.
There are also plans for the Salalah Beach project, built by Orascom Development in a joint venture with Omran, the Omani government’s tourism development and investment agency, as well as a new terminal scheduled for completion at Salalah Airport by 2014, taking passenger capacity to one million.
The recently completed Khareef Festival is one of many local events celebrating the historical, cultural and environmental beauty of Oman which the Global Peace Index, published recently by the Institute for Economics and Peace, ranked as the fourth most peaceful place in the Arab region.
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This year, Oman’s Dhofar province celebrated its monsoon (khareef) season with the Salalah Tourism (or khareef) Festival, for a month from July 1 for 30 days, which saw visitors from neighbouring Arab countries and around the world taking advantage of the cool khareef months which last from June to September.
Almost 99 per cent of the travellers visiting the festival are generally from the GCC and this year the ministry expects to record a five per cent increase in tourist arrivals.
Salalah is often referred to as the ‘Perfume Capital of Arabia’ due to the abundance of frankincense trees in the area. During the khareef season the accompanying rain and fog transform the city into a fragrant green paradise forming an added attraction.
This year’s festival featured a wide range of artistic and cultural activities and stage shows, with local and international programmes. Events included a landscape art show, the Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum fair, an exhibition organised by the National Documents and Archives Authority and another by the Royal Oman Police. A key event was the Heritage Village which showcased Omani folk bands and live displays of handicrafts.
Outdoor activities included Al Hisn Market, Al Mughsail beach event and an open day in Dhofar Wilayat, in addition to international events such as the Italian Circus and the African Show.
Sports events included shooting and football championships and a camel beauty contest.
“Salalah’s Khareef Festival is one of Oman’s longest-running promotional platforms and a vital component in our plans to grow the tourism sector’s GDP contribution to at least three per cent. So far we have witnessed a strong influx of tourists to the country, particularly to Salalah, so we are confident of achieving record numbers this year with the diverse line-up of family-friendly events,” said Al Mamari.