Oman, Italy explore opportunities for cooperation and investment

Florence: Salim bin Said Al Busaidi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, on Tuesday visited the city of Florence, Italian Republic, as part of the Sultanate of Oman’s efforts to consolidate ties of cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism and investment between the two countries.

During his visit to Italy, Al Busaidi held a meeting with representatives of Italian institutions and companies specialised in heritage and tourism areas. The meeting was attended by Sayyid Nizar bin Al Julanda Al Said, Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the Italian Republic.

Al Busaidi’s visit to Florence included a tour of the city's National Theatre and historical landmarks. The Minister was accompanied by the Honorary Consul of the Sultanate of Oman in the city.

The Minister was briefed about the Italian side’s experience in restoring the Theatre and utilising the facility as a venue for cultural and artistic activities. He also took note of the techniques used in the conservation of architectural and heritage value of the Theatre, as well as the City’s experience in preserving its historical landmarks and enhancing their tourism appeal.

During a meeting organised by "SACE" company, the Minister conferred with a number of business-people and prominent officials from the sectors of heritage and tourism in Florence. The meeting focused on ways of exploring opportunities for cooperation and partnership and exchanging expertise in developing, managing and operating heritage sites in a manner that preserves their originality, their sustainability and their cultural and tourist value.

The Minister later held a meeting with Guglielmo Picchi, Chairman of the Italian company SACE. The meeting touched on opportunities for cooperation in supporting tourism investments and projects. The two sides also discussed ways to benefit from opportunities offered by SACE in the field of financing and credit solutions—with the prime objective of consolidating partnerships with the private sector and attracting Italian investment to the Sultanate of Oman.