Waterfront destinations planned at Khasab, Shinas in Oman

Conrad Prabhu -

MUSCAT, JAN 15 -

The Omani government hopes to replicate its vision for a lavish waterfront destination at Muscat’s Mina Sultan Qaboos at Khasab (Musandam Governorate) and Shinas (North Al Batinah Governorate) as well, Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communications, revealed here on Monday.

Speaking at the Oman Ports Conference, held at the Grand Millennium Muscat, he said Mina Qaboos Waterfront project planned in place of Muscat Port will usher in a new concept in port developments in the Sultanate.

“This new port concept we are developing in Muscat is a tourism port — a kind of waterfront port catering to cruise ships, as well as investments in hotels, restaurants, cafes and so on. This is a new development model that has been given to the private sector to implement,” Dr Al Futaisi said.

“We are planning similar (developments) in two other locations — Khasab and Shinas — and we hope to succeed in achieving this. We are thinking of something similar to the Cape Town waterfront,” said the Minister, referring to one of South Africa’s biggest tourist attractions which has been cited as the inspiration for the Mina Sultan Qaboos Waterfront Project in Muscat.

Last June, the partnership of Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran), the tourism investment arm of the government, and Dubai-based DAMAC International, inked a landmark agreement to redevelop Muscat Port into a world-class mix use waterfront destination in the Muscat Governorate. The estimated investment in the project is around $1 billion. The old commercial harbour is proposed to be transformed into an integrated tourist port and lifestyle destination that includes hotels, residences, as well as a dining, retail, leisure and community facilities designed to position Muscat as a top waterfront destination in the governorate. According to details presented by Dr Al Futaisi at yesterday’s event, the proposed Mina Sultan Qaboos Waterfront project will include berths for cruise ships, a marina for super yachts and leisure ports, 4 and 5-star marina hotels, hotel-operated branded residential apartments, waterside restaurants, cafes and boutiques, conference and banquet facilities, entertainment and cultural facilities, fisherman’s wharf, and historic souq.

Khasab features a modest-size port that already attracts growing numbers of cruise ships. Shinas, on the other hand, has a jetty that primarily caters to fishing boats and dhows.