MUSCAT: The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism organised the University Tourism Students Forum, held at Sultan Qaboos University, under the auspices of HH Sayyid Dr Fahd bin Al Julanda al Said, Vice-Chancellor of SQU. The forum was held under the theme 'Participate... Discuss... Shape the Future' and targeted final-year tourism students from higher education institutions.
The event aimed to strengthen direct engagement with young Omani talents, gain insight into their professional aspirations in the tourism sector, and introduce them to career opportunities and future challenges within this vital industry. It also sought to encourage students to actively contribute to the development of tourism and support Oman’s broader development journey.
The forum brought together more than 150 students specialising in tourism from Sultan Qaboos University, German University of Technology in Oman, Oman Tourism College, and the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (Nizwa and Salalah branches).
During the panel discussion, Sayyid Ibrahim bin Said al Busaidy, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, outlined the ministry’s plans and programmes under the 11th Five-Year Plan (2026- 2030). He highlighted that the ministry’s investment strategy focuses on diversifying tourism offerings, achieving 80 per cent digital transformation in the sector, and strengthening tourism’s role in economic diversification through major investment opportunities. Key priorities include the development of forts and castles, adventure tourism and service enhancement, with expectations that the private sector will generate approximately 50,000 job opportunities annually.
Sayyid Ibrahim emphasised that the forum plays a vital role in enhancing communication with students in tourism-related disciplines, clarifying the ministry’s policies and strategic plans in heritage and tourism and creating a meaningful dialogue platform to listen to students’ ideas and benefit from their perspectives.
Ahmed bin Amir al Sawai, Director of Oman Vision 2040 Office at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, stated that the University Tourism Students Forum serves as a key platform bringing together students from across Oman’s universities, offering them direct engagement with officials and experts while contributing to shaping the future of the tourism sector.
He noted that the forum features an accompanying exhibition with tourism entities and entrepreneurial showcases, alongside sections on investment, promotion and employment pathways, helping students explore career opportunities.
He added that the event provides an open dialogue with industry leaders and academics, fostering knowledge exchange and capturing youth aspirations.
The forum also featured an accompanying exhibition showcasing a variety of pavilions, including business tourism, adventure tourism, Omani culinary tourism and gastronomy, labour market and employment programmes, tourism promotion initiatives, and investment opportunities in heritage and tourism. Additional sections displayed the Ministry’s scientific publications, meteorites and archaeological artefacts.
Key sector partners participated with prominent booths, including Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran Group), Oman Air and Oman Sail, alongside leading companies in luxury and adventure tourism. The exhibition also provided dedicated spaces for showcasing student graduation projects and academic research from participating universities and colleges.
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