THE World Travel and Tourism Council annual report indicates that Oman may lead the Middle East in terms of growth in the travel and tourism sector this year. There is an increase in the number of new airports in the country, world-class hotels and resorts, and infrastructural projects in aviation, road, rail and the maritime sectors.
This growth in Oman’s tourism industry expects to attract 12 million visitors to Oman by 2020, highlighting strong potential for investment in this sector. Oman’s Ministry of Tourism has designated 22 locations for investment in the tourism sector. The country is attracting favourable foreign investment from retailers, who are encouraged by the spending power of the population and shift in customer shopping trends. ITHSHighlighting these key developments in Oman’s emerging tourism sector, the International Travel and Hospitality Show (ITHS) 2014 will connect visitors to multiple investment opportunities from December 14 to 16 this year at the Oman International Exhibition Centre. ITHS, organised by OITE Trade Fairs, was launched in 2013 to highlight the trends in the travel and tourism industry in Oman. ITHS will present investment and development opportunities present in key sectors related to Oman’s tourism industry such as hotel and accommodation, retail and franchise, architectural engineering, entertainment and attractions, and transportation infrastructure. It will bring together government officials, inbound and outbound travel agents, hotel operators and developers, as well as high-end buyers. ITHS presents various networking opportunities with these key sector representatives through initiatives such as the ITHS Business Matchmaking platform. OMAN TOURISM SUMMITAdditionally, the Oman Tourism Summit will be held alongside the ITHS 2014 Expo from 10am to 2pm. The conference is aimed at attracting domestic and foreign investment; facilitating strategic economic development partnerships resulting in growth, competitiveness and job creation; enhancing the favourable tourism investment profile of Oman; and attracting large-scale, long-term investments. This forum will also serve as a platform for industry stakeholders to discuss various challenges, identify developments and examine responses regarding the appropriate business planning and management practices needed.