Country Portraits
Oman: An Authentic Arabian Experience
Starting point of Sinbad's many adventures and once home to the Queen of Sheba, Oman is the place of fairytales, and its mystical allure continues to attract travellers from across the globe. Sarah Campbell reports. Trade Organisation in 2000, and continues to refine its financial and commercial practices in line with international standards. The capital, Muscat, has both an international airport at Seeb and a deepwater port at Mina Qaboos. A large scale container port is available at Salalah and a seaport is in operation in nearby Raysut. A modern road network connects Oman with its neighbours.
Tourism developments Tourism to Oman accounts for around 1% of the country's GDP. Over the past three years, the average growth rate of the tourism sector has been around 16% per annum. gas and oil an expensive challenge. The country's government is trying to reduce Oman's dependence on fuel revenues, looking instead towards an increase in industry and pharmaceuticals, and greaterfood exports. Dates and limes make up the majority of foodstuff exports, while coconuts, wheat and bananas also yield good crops. Fish and shellfish is a multi million dollar industry, with Oman exporting close to US $35 m in fish in 2000. Oman became a member of the World Oman is the second largest country in the Arabian Gulf. Located on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman borders the UAE to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west and Yemen to the southwest. Two enclaves, the Musandam and Madha, are cut off from the main land mass by the UAE.
Its typography is a rambling mass of rugged mountains, rocky deepwater fjords, desert dunes, wadis and rock pools, and an impressive 1,700 km coastline that boasts the richest marine life in theMiddle East. Giant turtles come ashore each year to lay their eggs, dolphins play in the tumbling surf, and Omani shrimps form a staple part of the local diet. Economically, the country cannot boastthe riches of its neighbours the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Although oil reserves fuel the economy to the most part, Oman still trades in agriculture, fishing and handicrafts, and is not a part of the regional oil cartel, OPEC.
| Oman is a new destination in the region with lots to offer in terms of tradition, culture, authenticity, and a beautiful unique combination of mountains, beaches, green areas and wadis, which other destinations in the region cannot offer. |
Natural gas is a large-scale export, although Oman's complex geology makes the exploration and production of both The Ministry of Tourism expects the tourism and hospitality industry to contribute around 3% to GDP by the end of 2010, by which time the destination should have doubled the current capacity and achieved its optimum number of hotel rooms, at 16,000.
"The main markets for inbound tourism to Oman are GCC, UK, Germany, France and Benelux countries, in that order," explains Mark Senior, director, Oman Tourism office in the GCC.
Oman's tourism proposition is focused on promoting an authentic Arabian experience. Oman is making every effort to carefully develop new projects with a focus on protecting the environment andpromoting its culture and heritage.
"Oman is a new destination in the region with lots to offer in terms of tradition, culture, authenticity, and a beautiful unique combination of mountains, beaches, green areas and wadis, which other destinations in the region cannot offer. Therefore the Sultanate is gaining popularity as a new and unique tourism destination," says Desmond Hatton, general manager, Shangri-La'sBarr Al Jissah Resort and Spa. One unique attraction is the Al Khareef season, which occurs in July and August. Monsoons from the sub-continent sweep the southern resort of Salalah, turning the desert into a green oasis overnight.
| 15 October 2007 |
