Omanis in hospitality sector double

MUSCAT, Oct 3 - With Oman’s tourism business spawning a range of activities, job opportunities for the national workforce in the hospitality industry are aplenty. “Omanis now have excellent opportunities to work with prominent employers in the sector as several international hotel brands are setting up their properties in the country,” said Robert McLean, Principal, National Hospitality Institute. According to him, Omanis joining the hospitality sector has doubled in the last couple of years. “The sector is growing rapidly with huge employment opportunities for the nationals. The coming years will witness further growth in their number,” McLean told the Observer in an interview.

He said that unlike in the past, Omani youth are evincing keen interest in seeking jobs in the sector. “With a choice of hotels as a result of the advent of international brands in the country, there will not be any limit to employment opportunities,” McLean said. According to him, the skills gained by working in the hospitality industry have proved to be a great way of developing people even when they shift to other industries. Data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information indicate that by 2040 there will be 500,000 jobs in the tourism and hospitality sector in Oman.

Tourism arrivals to Oman are expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate of 13 per cent between 2018 and 2021. According to Colliers International, the rise will be fuelled by visitors from across the GCC, who accounted for 48 per cent of guests in 2017. “With this growing number of visitors arriving in the Sultanate, the hospitality sector creates great career prospects. It provides a perfect platform for Omanis to gain experience from other cultures and develop the skills and confidence for dealing with people outside their own country,” McLean added.

A number of major hotel chains have recently announced properties in Muscat, driving the 12 per cent CAGR over the next three years -- from 10,924 rooms in 2017 to 16,866 keys in 2021. The Department of Tourism is already working to attract investment in the industry by issuing tourist licences for all types of hotels and travel agencies. The supply in Muscat is dominated by five-star properties, accounting for 21 per cent, and four-star, accounting for 24 per cent.

SAMUEL KUTTY