MUSCAT: The Ministry of Transport and Communications held a meeting on Wednesday on the development of cruise tourism in the Sultanate headed by Said bin Hamdoon al Harthy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry for Ports and Maritime Affairs. The meeting discussed several issues, including: issuing visas that facilitate the movement from one berth to another inside the Sultanate without the need to take new approval and the seriousness of the presence of coral reefs in the entrances of the inlets and bays. The meeting touched on the importance of having customs clearance offices in marine clubs and the importance of having marinas dedicated to yachts and small boats and discussing specific charges for yachts and boats that differ from the fees of commercial vessels.
The meeting came out with a number of recommendations, the most important of which is non-treatment of cruises as commercial cargo ships because those arriving on board these cruises are tourists coming for fun and entertainment. In order to preserve the marine environment, the participants recommended to the competent authorities to work on the construction of buoys in the places where the coral reefs are located, such as the islands of Al Dimaniyat, Masirah and Musandam creeks. — ONA
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