Oman is studying 30 locations around the country for their potential to be developed into tourism resorts and attractions.
The studies are part of Oman’s ambitious tourism plan which aims to attract 12 million visitors a year by the end of the decade.
Locations such as the Al Hoota, Majlis al Jinn and Suhoor Caves are being looked at for potential tourism development, Haitham Mohammed Ghasani, Director of Tourism Promotion, Oman Ministry of Tourism said in a statement.
Plans are also in the pipeline for the construction of an archeological park and a museum at the recently discovered Friday Mosque in Qalhat which was built around 1300 AD.
The tourism plans were revealed as Oman was ranked among the 20 top tourist destinations in the world, according to National Geographic magazine.
It was the only Arab country to figure in the list.
The Oman Ministry of Tourism aims to increase the GDP contribution of tourism from two percent in 2011 to around 3.5 percent in 2015 and is eyeing a 10 percent growth for the sector in 2012.
Separately, Oman’s capital Muscat has been ranked the second best city in the world to visit in 2012 by Lonely Planet, the popular travel guide publisher.
Second only to London, Muscat beat tourism hotspots including Cadiz, Spain; Bangalore, India; Stockholm, Sweden; Hong Kong and Orlando, USA.
Ghasani said: “These recent recognitions affirm the strong global interest in Muscat and Oman in general as a leisure, lifestyle and business destination. We expect 2012 to be a turning point in our efforts to take the performance of our tourism sector to the next level.”
Oman is ramping up its tourism projects and rolling out a media marketing campaign.
The Sultanate recently opened the Royal Opera House Muscat in October and is also aiming to attract more visitors when it completes a $1bn tourist resort in Salalah and a $1bn Oman Conference and Exhibition Centre in Muscat, which is due to open late 2013.
A key factor in Oman’s growth as a tourism destination is its position as a port of call for many cruise companies. Muscat’s cruise ship passenger arrivals increased to 230,000 during the 2010/2011 season, up from just 44,000 in 2007. This is expected to exceed 300,000 by 2015.
Related Posts
Comments are closed.