Rummana: Putting the spotlight on Jabal Akhdhar’s pomegranates
Published: 04:08 PM,Aug 12,2023 | EDITED : 08:08 PM,Aug 12,2023
The first agritourism experience in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar, Rummana is a pomegranate-focused experience that promises to delight, educate and leave visitors with cherished memories of Al Jabal Al Akhdhar’s bountiful offerings, allowing visitors to indulge their senses in the rich flavours, vibrant colours and secrets of the pomegranates.
“People will come to discover the secrets of pomegranate through interactive workshops, art installations and guided hikes amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Al Jabal Al Akhdhar. During the pomegranate picking season, the farm will allow visitors to pick the fruits and buy them,” shared Umayma al Hinai, the co-founder of Teepee, a pop-up experience company that encourages cultural immersion, reconnecting with nature and igniting a sense of adventure, one of the driving forces of the event.
Founded in 2020 and the brainchild of Al Amjaad al Maawali, Teepee started as a pop-up glamping experience.
“The temporary structure of the tents gives us the flexibility to move our inventory around with the tourism cycle, which means adding and relocating rooms where needed. We use pop-up activations as a means of marketing our service and networking with potential vendors, activity providers and camp managers for our main service,” Al Hinai explained.
Rummana, which translates to pomegranate in Arabic, is located on a pomegranate farm in a town called Saiq at the top of the mountains, in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar. The initiative is a collaboration between Teepee, ABS Group and Janaen.
“Janaen (the land owners) gave us the green light to activate the farm at the end of April, and we hit the ground running by May. It’s a fast-track project that took two months to design and implement,” Al Hinai said.
Al Hinai’s architectural background plays a crucial role in shaping the technical and aesthetic aspects of Rummana. “My architectural background certainly helped when dealing with the technical and aesthetic aspects, but we cannot deny the help from our sponsors, Nuqta, a creative platform that specializes in designing innovative business identities and creative concepts, who were behind the visual identity and branding of Rummana”, says Al Hinai. From merchandise design to art installations, the pomegranate theme weaved its way throughout, creating a cohesive and captivating environment for visitors.
“The main challenge was the logistics of bringing items to the mountain. We had to build most of the items in Muscat and transport them all the way to Al Jabal Al Akhdhar. Rummana’s implementation took merely two months from the design phase to its official launch, marking a remarkable achievement in bringing the project to life,” added Al Hinai.
“The team had a clear vision of what we wanted the experience to look like. Other than the help from Nuqta, we also worked with Hama Design, who helped in making the masterplan layout more efficient,” Al Hinai said.
Looking ahead, Teepee envisions expanding its service regionally, introducing more pop-up activations in diverse settings across Oman, like beaches or deserts.
Al Hinai further extends her gratitude to their partners in this remarkable journey of making the project come to life. Janaen, a joint venture between Oman Food Investment Holding Co. (NITAJ) and Oman Tourism Development Co. (OMRAN), has been instrumental in developing and promoting agritourism in Oman.
ABS Group, an Omani food conglomerate, contributed through its culinary expertise to creating an unforgettable dining experience.
“Special recognition goes to Nuqta for their outstanding branding work, Hama for masterplan layout assistance, Jotus for paint provisions, and Al Hilali Industrial Group for their contributions to restroom facilities and floral adornments,” added Al Hinai.
Sustainability and social responsibility have always been the pillars of Teepee by ensuring that they offer low carbon footprint tents and a service run with the help of locals, Teepee ensures that their offering is both environmentally and socially sustainable. Rummana is more than just a pomegranate paradise; it is a testament to the power of collaboration, art and sustainability, concluded Al Hinai.
Key Facts: The official opening of Rummana was on August 3, 2023. The event will last up until September 23, 2023, opening from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, and 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Kids under the age of 6 are free of charge, while the rest pays an entry fee of RO 1.
“People will come to discover the secrets of pomegranate through interactive workshops, art installations and guided hikes amidst the breathtaking landscapes of Al Jabal Al Akhdhar. During the pomegranate picking season, the farm will allow visitors to pick the fruits and buy them,” shared Umayma al Hinai, the co-founder of Teepee, a pop-up experience company that encourages cultural immersion, reconnecting with nature and igniting a sense of adventure, one of the driving forces of the event.
Founded in 2020 and the brainchild of Al Amjaad al Maawali, Teepee started as a pop-up glamping experience.
“The temporary structure of the tents gives us the flexibility to move our inventory around with the tourism cycle, which means adding and relocating rooms where needed. We use pop-up activations as a means of marketing our service and networking with potential vendors, activity providers and camp managers for our main service,” Al Hinai explained.
Rummana, which translates to pomegranate in Arabic, is located on a pomegranate farm in a town called Saiq at the top of the mountains, in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar. The initiative is a collaboration between Teepee, ABS Group and Janaen.
“Janaen (the land owners) gave us the green light to activate the farm at the end of April, and we hit the ground running by May. It’s a fast-track project that took two months to design and implement,” Al Hinai said.
Al Hinai’s architectural background plays a crucial role in shaping the technical and aesthetic aspects of Rummana. “My architectural background certainly helped when dealing with the technical and aesthetic aspects, but we cannot deny the help from our sponsors, Nuqta, a creative platform that specializes in designing innovative business identities and creative concepts, who were behind the visual identity and branding of Rummana”, says Al Hinai. From merchandise design to art installations, the pomegranate theme weaved its way throughout, creating a cohesive and captivating environment for visitors.
“The main challenge was the logistics of bringing items to the mountain. We had to build most of the items in Muscat and transport them all the way to Al Jabal Al Akhdhar. Rummana’s implementation took merely two months from the design phase to its official launch, marking a remarkable achievement in bringing the project to life,” added Al Hinai.
“The team had a clear vision of what we wanted the experience to look like. Other than the help from Nuqta, we also worked with Hama Design, who helped in making the masterplan layout more efficient,” Al Hinai said.
Looking ahead, Teepee envisions expanding its service regionally, introducing more pop-up activations in diverse settings across Oman, like beaches or deserts.
Al Hinai further extends her gratitude to their partners in this remarkable journey of making the project come to life. Janaen, a joint venture between Oman Food Investment Holding Co. (NITAJ) and Oman Tourism Development Co. (OMRAN), has been instrumental in developing and promoting agritourism in Oman.
ABS Group, an Omani food conglomerate, contributed through its culinary expertise to creating an unforgettable dining experience.
“Special recognition goes to Nuqta for their outstanding branding work, Hama for masterplan layout assistance, Jotus for paint provisions, and Al Hilali Industrial Group for their contributions to restroom facilities and floral adornments,” added Al Hinai.
Sustainability and social responsibility have always been the pillars of Teepee by ensuring that they offer low carbon footprint tents and a service run with the help of locals, Teepee ensures that their offering is both environmentally and socially sustainable. Rummana is more than just a pomegranate paradise; it is a testament to the power of collaboration, art and sustainability, concluded Al Hinai.
Key Facts: The official opening of Rummana was on August 3, 2023. The event will last up until September 23, 2023, opening from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon, and 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Kids under the age of 6 are free of charge, while the rest pays an entry fee of RO 1.