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

Positive outlook for Oman tourism Industry in 2023

Eng Ibrahim bin Said al Kharousi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Heritage
Eng Ibrahim bin Said al Kharousi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Heritage
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The Sultanate of Oman’s tourism sector performed exceptionally well, and exceeded expectations in 2022, two senior officials of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism told the Observer in an exclusive interview.


Reviewing the performance of the tourism industry in 2022, Eng Ibrahim bin Said al Kharousi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Heritage, said: “Even after taking into account the pandemic-related circumstances of 2020, the performance of the tourism sector in 2022 has exceeded our expectations for many reasons, which include the keenness of people to get out of their homes and travel, and the fact that Oman has a lot to offer to the incoming tourists.”


Asma al Hajri, Deputy Director General of Tourism Promotion
Asma al Hajri, Deputy Director General of Tourism Promotion


Pitching in, Asma al Hajri, Deputy Director General of Tourism Promotion, said: “We all know that 2020-21 was an exceptional year for tourism due to lockdowns, but the fact is that 2.9 million tourists we received in 2022 are only 16 percent away from figures of 2019 when we received around 3.5 million tourists. Travel bookings by our partners in the GCC and Europe suggest that Q1 of 2023 will be healthier compared to 2022.”


Asma said that being a Fifa partner country did help the tourism sector, but it was only one of the factors. “There were several roadshows and trade fairs in which the ministry has participated, and that has also helped last year.”


Al Kharousi said that the focus of the ministry is to continue to promote leisure and adventure tourism. “We have to target different segments of society. Some people have low expectations of the country, but they are shocked when they come here to find the opportunities and options we have.”


Asma said the Saudi Arabian market is among the important ones and the second best after the UAE. “In 2023, we will focus on bringing tourists from the GCC. Europe has been slowing down, but we expect a recovery by 2024. Overall, we expect the tourism sector growth to reach 2019 levels this year and fully recover by 2024.”


Asma added that a number of new initiatives and projects are in the pipeline, but details cannot be revealed at this stage.



Earlier in this speech at the Global Travel Week at Jumeirah Muscat Bay, represented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Al Kharousi, said that Oman saw a rise in number of tourists, which, he said, stood at 2.9 million in 2022 - which grew by 348 percent, compared to 2021. The number of tourism projects and hotel establishments also increased relatively, he added.


TOURISM WEEK


The Global Travel Week Middle East, hosted by Oman, is exploring vistas of enhancing partnership and communication between international luxury travel and tourism companies, on one side, and their counterparts in Oman, on the other side.


This was realized through tourism service providers’ use of innovative communication methods to establish long-term relationships and exchange expertise.


As many as 200 specialists in the field of luxury tourism from different countries of the world are participating in the week, which is organized by Oman represented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.


The event seeks to introduce tourism hotspots, exchange tourism experiences, and reaffirm commitment to support and develop travel and tourism in the region.


The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of Eng Ibrahim bin Said al Kharousi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Heritage.


Al Kharousi pointed out that Global Travel Week seeks ways to establish long-term relations between international markets and GCC states. This is in addition to attracting major tourism companies and institutions specialized in luxury, entertainment, and adventure tourism, with the prime aim of showcasing Oman’s tourism potential.


Global Travel Week attracts tourism companies and various entities operating in the tourism sector from different countries of the world. It offers them an opportunity to meet their counterparts from tourism here, enables all to explore joint cooperation, and introduces Omani culture to international companies.


The activities of the event, which runs till Tuesday, include familiarisation trips to the governorates of Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah, North Al Sharqiyah, and Musandam. The trips will introduce participating companies from abroad to see tourist attractions in Oman. The program will be carried out with the participation of 40 Omani tourism firms and hotel establishments.


@vinot_nair


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