Oman is a sustainable tourism destination
The treasure of Arabia, a very safe destination despite being in the Middle East and endless options for all types of travellers, in a paradisiacal and sustainable environment. These are the credentials presented by the Sultanate of Oman to more than 70 travel agencies, airlines, major hotel chains and Spanish tour operators, during a conference held on Tuesday, 29 October, at the Villamagna Hotel in Madrid.
- The treasure of Arabia
- Oman Tourism
- Spanish visitors
- The Spanish tourism market
- Oman as a tourist destination
- B2B meetings
The treasure of Arabia
Omar Al Kathiri, the Sultanate of Oman’s ambassador to Spain, was in charge of opening the event and is committed to making his country known to the Spanish market.
Al Kathiri described the Sultanate as ‘the treasure of Arabia’ and highlighted its history, traditions, varied landscapes and the multitude of attractions that Spanish tourists can find there.
The ambassador highlighted the efforts being made by Oman to make itself known in the main tourist markets, approaching institutions and forging alliances with the International Tourism Organisation or Fitur.
Omar Al Kathiri also insisted on the sustainable nature of the Omani tourism model, which is respectful of the conservation of its biological diversity and respect for its traditions, history and culture.
‘Leadership, innovation and sustainability are key in the tourism sector, and Spain has a lot to teach us in all of these areas. We want to go hand in hand with Spanish companies and institutions, to strengthen our alliance, to our mutual benefit,’ said the ambassador, who concluded with a message of harmony: ‘tourism is also an opportunity to engage in intercultural dialogue and foster mutual understanding‘.
Oman Tourism
The Undersecretary of Heritage and Tourism of the Sultanate of Oman, Azzan Al Busaidi, then took the floor, expressing his intention to ‘show the Spaniards the wonderful possibilities that Oman has to offer, and to open up new opportunities for Spanish companies and tourists’.
The head of tourism in Oman highlighted the qualities shared by the Sultanate of Oman and Spain, such as the warmth, friendship and hospitality of its people.
Al Busaidi spoke of the Sultanate’s natural wonders: ‘mountains, wadis [occasional riverbeds], waterfalls, coastlines, endless beaches, historical sites, handicrafts, cuisine, art, traditions… Oman is a melting pot that presents the visitor with a rich variety of things to see and do. It is also a perfect destination to visit at any time of the year’.
Regarding Oman’s tourism industry, the Undersecretary of Heritage and Tourism emphasised that competition in this sector requires a strong and resilient tourism sector: ‘That is why we have launched the ‘Oman Vision 2040‘ plan, which aims to create an environment conducive to the development of tourism’.
Through this plan, the Sultanate is promoting the construction of tourism infrastructure, new resorts and luxury hotels in a favourable investment environment. So far, more than 6 billion dollars has been invested in hundreds of projects of all sizes, as well as in infrastructure to make the Sultanate more accessible to tourists, including highways, airports and other facilities.
Spanish visitors
Al Busaidi also outlined Oman’s targets for increasing the number of Spanish visitors. Between 2019, 2022 and 2023, the Sultanate welcomed almost 60,000 Spanish tourists. In 2023, the year in which Oman broke its record number of foreign visitors, with four million, the number of Spanish tourists increased by 22.7% year-on-year.
‘We want more Spaniards to come, whether they are families, groups of friends or solo tourists,’ said the Omani tourism official. The country has set itself the objective of progressively increasing the number of Spanish travellers over the next decade, reaching an annual growth of 30% from 2030 onwards.
The Undersecretary concluded his speech by encouraging those present to visit the Sultanate: ‘Those who visit Oman forge a lifelong relationship; it is a sustainable gift for visitors, which they will remember for years to come. I hope you will visit Oman and see for yourself’.
The Spanish tourism market
The day also included a presentation on the characteristics of the Spanish tourism market, with a special focus on the profile of Spanish travellers and their potential fit with Oman’s tourism project.
The profile of Spanish travellers includes specific features such as the fact that they tend to spend little time planning their trips; they have an average age of 32 years; 36% pay special attention to the economic aspect; and 35% opt for three or four-star establishments.
They also stand out as social travellers: 56% travel with their family; 17% with their group of friends; and 27% with their partner. The preferred destinations are the major European capitals (Paris, Rome, London and Berlin), and their main motivations for travelling are culture, the beach, active tourism and gastronomy.
The preferred months for travel are July and August, and 26% of travellers already use artificial intelligence to prepare their holidays.
Oman as a tourist destination
After the presentation on the Spanish tourism market, it was time to delve into the tourist attractions offered by the Sultanate of Oman to visitors. After the projection of a video with attractive images of this tourist destination, a review was made of some of its main qualities.
It was highlighted that Oman is the land of peace: a country of just five million inhabitants that maintains excellent relations with all its neighbours. Its capital, Muscat, is home to one of the main ports on the Indian Ocean. It also enjoys a privileged climate, which allows tourism to be seasonally unseasonal. Even in the summer months, the monsoons generate rainfall that transforms the desert landscape into an orchard, with waterfalls and lagoons.
Culturally, Oman has more than a thousand castles and fortresses, as well as five UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Bahla Fort; the archaeological sites of Bat, Al-Khutm and Al-Ain; the Land of Incense in Dhofar; the traditional Aflaj irrigation system, almost 2,000 years old and still in use; and the ancient city of Qalhat.
In terms of nature, in addition to its varied landscapes, Oman boasts a variety of wildlife. Several species of sea turtles nest on its beaches, and it has a huge reputation in the Middle East for breeding camels and Arabian horses.
Despite its traditional appearance (there are no skyscrapers in Oman like those found in Dubai or Abu Dhabi), its modernity lies in the excellent infrastructure created to facilitate access: roads, airports, hotel facilities.
It is accessible by road, from Saudi Arabia or Dubai, and by air, via its national airline, Oman Air, which has a hub at Frankfurt Airport. Other airlines in the area, such as Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways also connect different cities with Oman.
And for Spanish tourists, Spanish citizens do not need a visa to travel to Oman, as long as their stay does not exceed 14 days.
In short, an attractive destination with endless possibilities for all types of travellers.
B2B meetings
To round off the day, the numerous representatives of the Spanish tourism sector (agencies, wholesalers, airlines, hotel chains) had the opportunity to hold a series of B2B meetings with delegates from the Omani Ministry of Tourism to find out about the possibilities of including this destination in their upcoming catalogues.
The meetings lasted for the rest of the morning, and allowed the businessmen and representatives of the Spanish tourism sector to bring positions closer and establish alliances with the Sultanate of Oman, with a view to the future.
The event held in Madrid will be repeated in Barcelona on 31 October, with a meeting held at the Hotel Meliá Torre Melina.
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