JANUARY 15, 2013

Muscat: From small businesses to big hotels, Muscat Festival will be a profitable time for everyone involved, its organisers said at a press conference. Different sectors of the economy will benefit from Muscat Festival, including local businesses who sell their products at the festival, taxi drivers, hotels and restaurants, and Oman Air. 

"It's not only an entertainment event, but it will also contribute to the national economy," said Saif Suba Al Rashidy, spokesperson from Muscat Municipality. The festival relies heavily on sponsorships to fund its many activities, but the sponsors in turn also benefit by promoting their products at the festival sites, Al Rashidy said. "The benefit they get is immense. It's a good marketing tool for them," he said. 

An expected increase in the number of visitors, thanks to additional events such as the new Muscat Art Festival and Architects of Air, will also translate into higher revenues for the festival and local businesses. Muscat Festival has attracted between 1-1.5 million people in the past and this year the organizers are expecting even more visitors. 

"We are expecting an increase of...more or less 15 to 20 per cent," Al Rashidy said.

While for many businesses and people involved in Muscat Festival, the revenues are very important, Al Rashidy stressed that the main goals of the Muscat Festival organisers don't include making money; rather, they want to entertain the people and promote culture and tourism in Oman. 

Events at the Muscat Festival in the past have garnered more interest in Oman, Al Rashidy said. This year there are two more teams competing in the Tour of Oman, and more international designers and media are attending Muscat Fashion Week. 

"It's an important public relations tool to showcase Oman to the outside world, to promote our culture, to promote our heritage, to promote tourism here in Oman," Al Rashidy added. 

Muscat Festival aims to differentiate itself from other festivals in the GCC, some of which are more commercial, like the Dubai Shopping Festival, he explained. 
"We don't think about profitability. We want to be complementary to other festivals in the region," he said.

© Times of Oman 2013