348% jump in tourists to Oman

Muscat: The efforts of the Sultanate of Oman on the tourism front bore fruit as the country witnessed a massive 348 percent jump in tourists in 2022 compared to 2021.

Around 2.9 million tourists came to Oman in 2022, said Eng. Ibrahim Said Al Kharousi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Heritage, added the number of tourism projects and hotel establishments also grew. The ongoing Global Travel Week Middle East, hosted by Oman, is exploring vistas of enhancing partnership and communication between international luxury travel and tourism companies, on one side, and their counterparts in Oman, on the other side.

This was realised through tourism service providers’ use of innovative communication methods to establish long-term relationships and exchange expertise.

As many as 200 specialists in the field of luxury tourism from different countries of the world are participating in the week, which is being organised by Oman represented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.

The event seeks to introduce tourism hotspots, exchange tourism experiences and reaffirm commitment to support and develop travel and tourism in the region. The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of Eng. Ibrahim Said Al Kharousi.

Al Kharousi pointed out that the Global Travel Week seeks ways to establish long-term relations between international markets and GCC states.

This is in addition to attracting major tourism companies and institutions specialised in luxury, entertainment and adventure tourism, with the prime aim of showcasing Oman’s tourism potential. 

Meanwhile, Ayman Al-Qudwa, an expert in the travel and tourism sector and Manager of Qatar-based Falcon Travel Company in, said that “Oman is one of the most important destinations in the travel and tourism sector”.

He added that his company’s participation in the event opens channels of communication with travel and tourism companies, allowing them to conclude agreements and partnerships for tourism and tourism programmes and commercial exchange.

The Global Travel Week attracts tourism companies and various entities operating in the tourism sector from different countries of the world. It offers them an opportunity to meet their counterparts from tourism here, enables all to explore joint cooperation and introduces Omani culture to international companies.

The activities of the event, which runs till 7 March, include the operation of familiarisation trips to the governorates of Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah, North Al Sharqiyah and Musandam. The trips will introduce participating companies from outside Oman to areas of tourist attractions. The programme will be carried out with the participation of 40 Omani tourism firms and hotel establishments.