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Oman's tourism ministry has announced plans to more than double the number of international visitors to the Sultanate over the next two decades, part of the government's strategy to diversify the economy away from hydrocarbons amidst the steep drop in the oil price.
The country has set a target to attract over five million international visitors a year by 2040, up from 2.6 million visitors last year, it was announced on Monday in a press release to mark the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) conference in Dubai.
It is also aiming to increase the percentage tourism contributes to gross domestic product (GDP) to 6 percent, from 2.5 percent at present, over the same period.
Under the new strategy, authorities predict the tourism sector will employ over 500,000 people if it meets its 2040 targets, with 75 percent of those forecast to be Omani nationals.
The strategy will include the development of a "cluster" approach, involving the creation of a series of dedicated experiences in specific areas, such as coastal activities in Musandam or the Frankincense Trail in Salalah.
"Omani hospitality is legendary and our new cluster concept will build on that and also helps to create tens of thousands of new jobs for Omani nationals in particular - and therefore boost the overall economic prosperity of the country," Salim Al Mamari, director general of tourism promotion, was quoted as saying in a press release.
Gulf nationals currently make up the bulk of Oman's overseas visitors, contributing 1.06 million in 2015, followed in second by India with 299,661 and the U.K. (150,902) and Germans (106,269), according to the Tourism Report 2015 published by the National Centre for Statistics and Information.
The tourism push is part of Oman's bid to diversify its economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues. The government in January said it plans to cut its budget deficit to 3.3 billion Omani rials ($8.6 billion) in 2016, down from 4.5 billion Omani rials in 2015, Reuters reported in January.
(Writing by Shane McGinley)
Zawya 2016
