Oman to highlight festivals, tourist attractions
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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a growing tou
rism market for Oman with the number of Saudi nationals visiting Oman reaching 60,000 in 2011, a 17% increase over the previous year. In lieu of the growth, the Sultanate of Oman’s Ministry of Tourism announced its participation in the Riyadh Travel Fair 2012.
The Ministry will showcase popular tourist destinations and festivals, as well as Muriya’s newly opened resort hotels at Jebel Sifah and Salalah. As well, a number of hotels will open towards the end of 2012 including Best Western in Al Khuwair and Holiday Inn in As Seeb. The Ministry sees the Fair as a valuable platform for trade and consumer communications, as well as reinforcing Oman’s tourism Brand Campaign: Beauty has an address ~ Oman. Tourism is a key growth industry for the Sultanate with international arrivals to Muscat reaching 2.4 million in 2011 (14% higher than the previous year), with GGC arrivals increasing by 27%.
Ali Khaburi, director general of tourism promotion at Oman’s Ministry of Tourism, said: “Saudi Arabia is a key tourism market from many perspectives. Saudi visitors are growing in number and we think they are also increasing their length of stay. The market is broadening from business and family segments with short break leisure travel becoming more prominent.”
The Ministry will also showcase the Salalah Tourism Festival that heralds the start of the ‘Khareef’ season that turns Dhofar into a lush green landscape. The Salalah Tourism Festival runs from June 21st – July 18th.
