Top Gear’s Oman visit praised

Muscat: Firas Rashid of the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar resort said the visit of the famed Top Gear TV programme team to the hotel was a visit like no other he has experienced.
Two of the three presenters of the internationally renowned BBC motoring show had arrived at the hotel, which was the finish point of a race between the Bugatti Chiron and the Ducati Superleggera. Matt Le Blanc and Chris Harris began the race in Downtown Dubai, crossed the border between Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and then climbed up the mountain to see who would be the first to reach one of the Middle East’s highest hotels.
Chance to be featured
“The producers had heard about our resort and got in touch with us directly; of course we jumped at the chance to be featured on the world’s most widely watched factual TV programme!” said Rashid, director of Sales and Marketing for Anantara Jabal Akhdar. “It has provided us with an incredible opportunity to showcase the resort, as well as place Oman firmly on the world map as a luxury destination,” he added. “The whole thing was really incredible and it was a great honour to be selected as the finish line for such an expensive and fast car and motorbike race.”
Planning for this episode began in December 2016, and the Top Gear crew arrived at the hotel on January 25. The episode featuring the hotel and the race was broadcast on March 27. Although it went off without a hitch, Rashid says that getting everything organised was a close-run thing.
“It was challenging to get all the permits during the early stages of planning,” he said, speaking exclusively to the Times of Oman. “With the help of the Oman Automobile Association, Ministry of Tourism Oman, Ministry of Information Oman, Oman Customs, Barasti Productions, Royal Oman Police, Knockout Productions and Civil Aviation, it all came together as a team effort.”
“It was a close call, however we met the deadline,” added Rashid.
While former Friends (TV sitcom) star Matt Le Blanc commandeered the Ducati, it was Chris Harris at the wheel of the $2.5 million Bugatti, as they set off on the 476 kilometre drive from Dubai to the mountain.
“It was very exciting to witness Matt LeBlanc and Chris Harris running through the resort to find out whether they’d won the race,” recalled Rashid.
“It has given us the chance to showcase the resort to a worldwide audience,” he added. “Top Gear is watched by 350 million people in over 100 countries, providing us with ‘money can’t buy’ exposure to a huge number of people. It’s also fantastic to be aligned with luxury brands, such as Bentley, Ducati and Bugatti.”
While climbing up the mountain does require a sturdy four-wheel drive, high-end, cutting edge vehicles, the ones on display on Top Gear are also capable of easily making it to the top.
“The roads are very well maintained and as you can see in the programme, they raced up the mountain very quickly!” said Rashid. “Both the Ducati and the Bugatti are very powerful so they found it to be a breeze.”
“I just wish I could drive them when I travel up and down the mountain every day,” he added.
“Driving up the mountain is part of the overall experience of a guest’s stay and we’re keen to target motoring enthusiasts by highlighting the excellent road conditions and unforgettable views.”