Two more natural reserves will be transferred to the private sector as part of eco-tourism promotion in the Sultanate.
“As a follow-up to the Tanfeedh initiative, two more nature reserves will be handed over to the private sector investors to make them tourist attractions,” said a tweet from the Ministry of Tourism.
According to the ministry, investors are showing interest in developing the Al Saleel Wildlife Reserve in South Al Sharqiyah and Rock Garden in Duqm, Al Wusta Governorate.
“The handing over of the project to the private sector investors is being done in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs,” the ministry tweeted.
The Tanfeedh initiative aims at entrusting the management of nature reserves and sites to private investors in accordance with a specific regulatory framework aimed at turning these sites into tourist hotspots.
An announcement by the ministry in the last quarter of the previous year said that investments in Al Saleel and Rock Garden would be among the first private sector involvement in a nature reserve and an area of geological importance.
According to the ministry, an investor has already evinced interest to develop the Rock Garden with an aim of preserving its unique rocks and geological history.
The privatisation move is aimed at enhancing tourist infrastructure and exploiting its true potential for maximum return by attracting tourists from around the world.
Statistics reveal the number of tourists who visited Wadi Bani Khalid, Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve and Jabal Al Akhdar in 2015 stood at 307,000, which represents 16 per cent of the total number of tourists.
The Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Heritage and Culture have already outlined programmes for privatising the management of natural and protected sites as well as heritage sites.
These include Al Dimaniyat Islands Nature Reserve, Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve, Jabal Samhan Nature Reserve, Al Saleel Natural Park, Al Wusta Wildlife Sanctuary, Jabal Al Akhdar Scenic Reserve, Al Wusta Wetland Reserve, Jabal Qahwan Nature Reserve, Qurm Nature Reserve and the nine khawrs of Dhofar reserves.
Earlier as part of the Tanfeedh initiative, two pilot project sites were identified.
The first being the Qurum Nature Reserve, and the Qurum Natural Park as a complementary site, designating them as natural tourist sites that will include activities such as bird-watching, health activities such as natural treatments and yoga classes, and recreational and educational activities aimed at children.
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