Oman Tourism: Open For Business

Oman's tourism drive

Oman recently implemented a definitive strategy to push forward with its economic diversification strategy and one of the key beneficiaries of this strategy is the tourism and leisure sector, which aims to capitalise on Oman's unique topography and outstanding natural beauty. As a tourism destination, Oman has often been overlooked by travelers for countries either further afield or in favour of other more obvious destinations in the Middle East. The Government is determined to change the status quo and increase the number of visitors to Oman by five times the current level by 2040. It proposes to do this by showcasing a variety of natural and manmade attractions and provide incentives to leisure companies and hotel operators to introduce their brands to the Sultanate.

Increasing Capacity

Figures provided by the Ministry of Tourism highlight that the number of licenced hotels increased by seven percent from 2014 to 2015. More recent statistical information highlights that the number of hotels in operation in Oman stands at over 352, with 81 alone opening in the period 2017 - 2018. Increasing hotel capacity is one way to stay ahead of the expected growth in tourism numbers, which are anticipated to hit five million visitors per annum by 2020. Numbers of temporary leisure accommodation, including hotel apartments, lodgings, and boutique hotels, is also increasing as the Sultanate prepares to cater for visitors from around the world with different budgets.

Room for Growth

The vast majority of visitors to Oman are from the GCC region, followed by the Far East and Europe. As the category and background of visitor coming to Oman changes over the coming years, the leisure accommodation market will need to diversify to cater to these different needs and expectations demanded by the modern international tourist. Locations of hotels, facilities offered, and proximity to key attractions will all play a part in the decision making of operators looking to establish a footprint in the Sultanate. Based on studies put together by the National Centre for Statistics and Information, conservative growth of the tourist economic activity is placed at eight times current levels, with a more optimistic view being at 12 times current levels. Growth in the sector is expected to create over half a million employment opportunities by 2040 and add further number to the burgeoning small and medium enterprise sector. The contribution to GDP is...