How Oman Looks to Grow Tourism: No Mega-Hotels Here

25.06.2024 - 13:37 / skift.com / Ras Al-Khaimah / Josh Corder

Tourism in the Middle Eastern country of Oman is improving. The Gulf nation was hit hard by Covid and had long struggled to recoup its tourism sector. But government measures are helping.

Unlike the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Oman has largely stayed away from giga-projects and mega-hotels to spark tourism. Instead, the country focuses heavily on its heritage sector to boost travel, as well as its natural environment.

The country aims to increase the tourism sector’s contribution to 10% of the gross domestic product (GDP) by 2040. Oman also plans to attract 11.7 million tourists by 2040. To achieve these goals, the country is looking to attract more than $51 billion in investment.

Here are the latest tourism figures:

One key development in Oman recently has been the extension of its ‘Khareef’ season. Khareef is the monsoon season in Oman, and an important period in the tourism calendar as temperatures drop and travelers flock to cooler parts of the country.

Traditionally, Khareef is promoted by Oman from late June to early September, but this year has been extended to a full three months of promotions to spur tourism.

Running from June 21 to September 21, Khareef is often Oman’s busiest travel period. In 2023, the season brought in close to one million travelers. Officials hope the extra few weeks of promotion will draw an additional 300,000 visitors.

In Salalah during this year, temperatures can range from68°F to 77°F, a stark contrast to the wider Middle East during summer.

According to research from the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC), in 2023 Oman’s tourism GDP contribution increased by almost 35%, totaling 2.8 billion Omani Riyals ($7.2 billion). The sector witnessed job growth of 15%, employing 191,500 people.

Last year, international visitors put 1.1 billion Omani Riyals ($2.8 billion) into the economy, a 69% increase from 2022, while spending by domestic travelers hit 1.4 billion Omani Riyals ($3.6 billion).

WTTC is forecasting that the sector will grow its GDP contribution to more than 3.3 billion Omani Riyals ($8.5 billion) in 2024, 7.6% of the country’s economy, and is projected to employ more than 206,000 people across the country.

Surrounded by tourism powerhouses such as Dubai and the ever-growing Saudi Arabia, Oman has become increasingly focused on collaborations with nearby countries to boost its tourism.

In March, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) and Oman Ministry of Heritage and Tourism launched a ‘See Double’ campaign, prompting travelers to visit both destinations during their summer holidays.

That same month, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Oman signed a pact to promote cruises across all four destinations. The cruise sector contributed around