Monday 22 / September / 2025
Muscat: The deliberations of Home & Building Expo 2025 will commence on 6 October under the slogan "Sustainable Cities for People," as part of the sixth edition of "Urban October” at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.
This was unveiled at a media briefing held today by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning. The conference is a major platform to highlight the Sultanate of Oman's position as a regional centre for urban development and a leading destination in sustainable urbanism, through its dialogues, workshops, presentation of major future projects, and by enhancing the role of urban planning as an economic and developmental tributary aligned with national goals.
Eng. Khalfan Mas'oud Al Na'abi, Director General of Urban Planning at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, explained that organising the conference aims to reinforce the role of urban planning as a driver for comprehensive development. It also seeks to showcase the Omani experience in international forums and provide a space for exchanging expertise among decision-makers, investors, and citizens, within a framework of a comprehensive invitation for community participation in shaping future cities, he added.
He pointed out that the conference and exhibition bring together real estate developers and financial institutions in one place, allowing visitors to learn about available housing projects and explore financing options up close. It also showcases investment opportunities in future projects, enhancing investment attraction and highlighting promising prospects in the real estate development sector.
Noor Abdullah Al Raisi, Director of the Urban Strategy Department at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, clarified that this year's conference and exhibition witness notable growth in participation size. It will feature over 70 specialised working papers across five main themes, six major future projects and cities, in addition to holding 48 accompanying events across various governorates, she added.
She pointed out that 30 real estate developers will be participating in the exhibition, including seven developers for projects in Sultan Haitham City and 14 developers within the "Surooh" projects, alongside 6 banks and financing institutions, reflecting the strength and integration of the real estate sector.
Meanwhile, Badr Hamad Al Shukaili, Director of the Partnership and International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, stated that this year's conference programme includes a wide range of events, such as the Sustainable Urbanism Forum and the Circular Cities Summit, in addition to presentations of specialised working papers by local and international speakers.
The conference will also host the 5th edition of the Urban Planning Hackathon, "Makers of Tomorrow," which provides an interactive environment for turning innovative ideas into prototypes and pioneering projects that contribute to building more sustainable and inclusive cities.
He added that the events also include interactive educational and cultural activities like the "Urban Puzzle," a knowledge initiative that combines puzzles, workshops, and dialogue sessions to introduce visitors to the fundamentals of urban planning and smart cities, engaging them in exploring urban challenges and proposing innovative solutions. The program also includes "Urban Planning Debates," demonstrative debates aimed at raising awareness of urban development issues and enhancing youth participation in the October Urban Planning Forum.
Maher Ali Al Hinai, Director of Communication and Media at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, explained that the accompanying exhibition includes over 226 diverse pavilions showcasing major urban projects that outline the features of Oman's future urban landscape. He indicated that the exhibition will highlight qualitative real estate projects like residential neighbourhoods and plans under the "Surooh" initiatives, reflecting broad horizons for sustainable urban development and promising investment.
He added that the exhibition provides an opportunity to learn closely about the most prominent programmes and projects related to the housing and urban planning sectors, including structural plans, the Building Requirements Guide, social housing programmes, the National Addressing System, digital transformation, and non-Omani ownership regulations, alongside an integrated system of initiatives and services supporting sustainable urban development.
