A rich cultural heritage, spectacular landscapes and fine beaches are just some of the attractions
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t
may be off the beaten track for now, but Oman is rapidly opening up
to tourism. From desert safaris to unspoiled beaches and traditional
souks, the country offers something for everyone. The government sees
the tourism industry as a big provider of jobs for the fast growing
youthful population, and a major contributor to future economic prosperity.
It forms a key part of the Vision 2020 plan.
The government’s detailed master plan, called the Tourism
Priority Action Plan, identifies integrated tourism development projects
for five regions in Oman together with a marketing programme for each
of these regions, which will present a new, clear and distinct national
brand, ‘Oman – The Essence of Arabia’.
The focus will be on eco-tourism, sun, sea and sand facilities,
cultural and heritage attractions, adventure tourism, coastal resorts
and leisure retreat resorts.
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Mohsin
Bin Khamis Al-Balushi, Under-Secretary
of Tourism at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, says the country
has much to offer visitors – a rich cultural heritage, spectacular
mountainous landscapes and desert, and some of the world’s finest
beaches, plus the warmth and hospitality of the Omani people.
The potential is virtually untapped, he believes. The challenge now
is to unleash the private sector to help drive forward tourism investment.
“We are facing a lot of challenges,” he says. “One
of these is to establish the role of the private sector in tourism and
the role of the government in this industry. We believe that the government
should complement the private sector. Tourism is one of the largest
job-creators worldwide and can bring employment in the short, mid and
long-term.”
Oman is looking to establish itself as an alternative destination
on the Gulf tourism map, to offer something different from the commercial
throng of Dubai, says Mr Al-Balushi. It is aiming at quality tourism,
both from within the GCC and further afield, and is promoting a more
sedate, culturally-enriched experience. “We want to distinguish
ourselves and at the same time to complement what other countries have
within the region.”
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The private sector
is responding to the challenge. A number of sizeable initiatives are
already under way or in the pipeline, from the Al Athaiba beachfront
complex and the Sawadi leisure development, to the sub-tropical paradise
of Salalah, Oman’s second city. There are plans to develop the
eco-tourism potential of the Sharquiyah region and the Ras Al Hadd area,
and to rejuvenate the remains of an old wartime airstrip built by the
British near Sur. It is a multi-pronged strategy that underlines the
seriousness of the country’s combined efforts to put itself on
the tourism map.
One of the biggest private sector-led tourism projects at present
is the £92 million Barr al Jissah development near Muscat, led
by family trading group Zubair Corporation. The resort will feature
three hotels with a total of around 670 rooms, a spa and health club,
swimming pools and leisure facilities, and private beaches. Ziyad M.
Al-Zubair, a director of Zubair Corporation, says the project –
a partnership with the government – will help to raise the tourism
profile of the country. “The resort aims to encapsulate all aspects
of the Omani experience within its boundaries,” he says. “With
many city hotels in the market, a drive has to be started to establish
quality resort or vacation hotels, and that is exactly what we plan
to do. We see ourselves leading the drive by providing Oman with its
first resort experience.”
Situated on the main beach area, the 200 room Town Hotel will
be the heart of the resort. This five-star facility will become the
embodiment of a seaside town built as an expression of traditional Omani
architecture. “Whether it is the setting, the architecture or even
the names of the individual hotels, we have strived to make it an attractive
Omani experience.” says Mr Al-Zubair.
In Muscat itself, Oman already boasts some of the world’s finest
and most opulent hotels. Among the more recent additions to the range
of top-quality establishments in the city are the Grand Hyatt Muscat
and the Radisson SAS Muscat, both part financed by the Desert Line Group,
owned by local businessman Sheikh Ahmed Farid.
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Adel
Al Bakri of the Desert Line Group says that after the
1980s construction boom for roads and heavy civil engineering, his company
diversified into into building hotels. “We are in the sort of market
where whatever feasible project there is, we have to take the opportunity.
It is a competitive market but we have to set a quality price too,”
says Mr Al Bakri. He explains that there is more focus on the tourism
sector today and that private companies are doing what they can to increase
awareness of Oman by promoting both the hotels and the country. “It
is a promising beginning for modern tourism,” he says.
Mr Al Bakri also believes that British investors can play an
important role in developing the tourism sector. “The British are
experts in the tourism industry and they know how to organise the tourism
infrastructure in Oman; we should learn from them,” he adds.
There is also diversification with the opening of new alternative hotels
like The Chedi, owned by the GHM Group, which owns a string of properties
across the Far East. The boutique-style Chedi, which opened in January
this year, offers guests understated luxury in its 161 rooms and 40
suites. The style is simple, elegant and calming. Andre Kretschmann,
General Manager, says the hotel still seeks to offer a uniquely Omani
experience to guests. “We are doing something more different and
it reflects more of Oman’s culture and heritage in terms of design
and also the kind of service we are trying to provide,” he says.
According to respected local entrepreneur Yahya Nasib, owner
of Yahya Enterprises, which has various international hotel interests
overseas, including the UK, tourism in Oman now represents a lifeline
for the economy. His most recent investment was the five star Sofitel
St James Hotel in London’s Pall Mall, which opened in July 2002.
Mr Nasib says only tourism can deliver mass job creation and its associated
multiplier effects. LNG brings in a lot of money, he says, but there
is little effect further down the economic chain. “The only thing
that can bring this country alive is tourism,” he says.
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