Tourism
From The Report: Oman 2017
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Having welcomed record numbers of tourists in 2015, Oman’s government looked to build on this momentum a year later by unveiling plans to double international arrivals by 2040 and develop strategic tourism clusters across the country. The sultanate is eager to shed its reputation as a luxury destination and boost the performance of other segments in the coming years. The Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre is one development that can help broaden the sector’s reach, by firmly establishing the country as a major destination for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. Meanwhile, the ecotourism and adventure travel subsectors are seen as ripe for development and promotion by the government. With a significant increase in hotel rooms in recent years and flagship development projects under construction across the country, Oman may soon emerge as a major destination, not just for regional tourists, but also for travellers from further afield. This chapter contains an interview with James Wilson, CEO, Oman Tourism Development Company

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

One niche at a time: The sultanate is aiming to diversify its tourism offering
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Having welcomed record numbers of tourists in 2015, Oman’s government looked to build on this positive momentum a year later by unveiling plans to double international arrivals by 2040 and develop strategic tourism clusters across the country. The sultanate is eager to shed its reputation as a luxury destination and boost the performance of other segments in the coming years. The Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) is one development that can help broaden the sector’s reach by firmly…

Interview

On the map: James Wilson, CEO, Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran), on encouraging growth and building a reputation
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Interview: James Wilson What role do you see for the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) segment in boosting the growth of tourism in Oman? JAMES WILSON: The opening of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) is a huge step for the country. The convention centre, which is on par with any other across the globe, will be able to host 3200 people, with conference and banqueting facilities that have space for 4000. This has truly put Oman on the map. However, a MICE industry…

Analysis

Framing the narrative: The government has launched a 25-year strategy for the sector
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In early 2016 Oman launched its National Tourism Strategy (NTS), with the primary aim to increase international arrivals to 11.7m visitors per year by 2040, up from 2.6m arrivals in 2015. The initiative also seeks to boost tourism’s contribution to GDP to more than 6%, from 2.6% today. To achieve these goals, the new plan has been designed in phases: preparation, growth and stability. “The announcement of the 2040 tourism strategy for Oman provides us with a clearly defined and structured roadmap…

Analysis

Key growth areas: Development efforts to focus on 14 tourism clusters
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As part of its aim to make Oman a year-round tourist destination with a host of offerings, Oman’s Ministry of Tourism (MoT) identified 14 locations to be developed as clusters. These cultural, natural and urban sites are expected to help shape the success of the government’s National Tourism Strategy (NTS), which was unveiled in early 2016, and help the sultanate compete with its regional neighbours. Strategic Thinking Starting from around 2.6m visitors in 2015, the NTS aims to attract 5m…

Analysis

Making room: Hotel construction to complement other tourism initiatives
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Three new hotels under construction in Muscat are expected to bring 900 additional rooms to Oman’s total capacity by 2018. With other hotels planned or being built nationwide, there are signs of confidence in the sultanate’s ability to attract higher tourist numbers across various budget classes in the future. Hotel Growth Over the last decade Oman has seen rapid growth in the number of three-, four- and five-star hotels. According to data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information…