Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Focus on flexible labour market, adventure tourism

Oman Vision 2040
Jebel Shams Summit
Jebel Shams Summit
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Muscat: The Follow-up Unit for the Implementation of Oman Vision 2040 says that the labour market and employment are the key sectors and the main objectives. It added that over the past year, the Ministry of Labour’s policy has changed from “Omanisation as a target to Omanisation as a rule, and expatriates as an exception of the rule.”


The annual report issued on Monday identifies the sectors which are key to promote economic diversification and projects under the Tanfeedh programme, which was launched in 2016.


The key initiatives highlighted by the report include providing part-time work opportunities in the private sector for Omani employees and job-seekers.



It also seeks to enhance the flexibility in movement of non-Omani workforce among establishments registered under the same entity.



"There are plans to allow recruitment of non-Omani workforce with temporary licenses in some specialised professions," the report added.


Also, the former Implementation Support and Follow-up Unit (ISFU), in cooperation with the former Ministry of Labour, worked on providing solutions in line with the economic situation, such as activating the former National Centre for Employment and establishing the Job Security Fund. In addition, it supported the growth of SMEs through an initiative that lists the job-seekers in logistics sector, and finding entrepreneurship opportunities.


The 2020 report touches on the progress of the programme and the efforts made by stakeholders before and after the government restructuring, particularly considering the economic impact and challenges of the pandemic. These challenges disrupted work at various economic projects and initiatives, due to closures, lockdowns and other restrictions on work, travel, and supply.


The tourism sector witnessed a direct impact due to the spread of the pandemic, which caused big loss, not only on the local front but also to the whole world. The economic and financial impact of the pandemic has led to a decline in the level of employment, as well as decrease in travel, tourism traffic, and investments in the sector.


The sector is rapidly recovering, as the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism prepared a recovery plan for the sector in the last quarter of 2020, which will help speed up the recovery.


The ministry has managed to finalise three tourism cluster plans for Muscat, Al Dakhliyah and South Al Sharqiyah with a focus on planning, current and future investment opportunities.


Another key focus area has been on developing regulatory measures for adventure tourism industry in Oman. It also aims to prepare and promote guidelines for the Adventure Safety Guide (ASG) Management System and create a system for issuing permits to conduct adventure activities.


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