MUSCAT: The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism organised a forum on medical tourism under the auspices of Dr Ahmed bin Salim al Mandhari, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Health for Planning and Health Regulation, in conjunction with the World Tourism Day, which falls on September 27 every year. This year’s theme is ‘Tourism and Sustainable Transformation'.

The forum aimed to launch the health tourism product, highlight the promising potential of the Sultanate of Oman in this field and enhance its position as a regional and global destination for medical and recreational tourism. The forum stressed the importance of developing health tourism by enhancing the role of health resorts and hotels in supporting physical and mental health and encouraging cooperation between health clubs and tourism and travel companies.

The forum began with a speech delivered by Azzan bin Qasim al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Tourism, in which he said: “Developing the travel and tourism sector in today’s world is not limited to establishing projects and developing infrastructure facilities, but rather extends to focusing on the tourism product and the visitor experience to meet the aspirations of the local and international tourism movement. Based on this vision, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has embraced an approach based on launching an integrated package of tourism products coupled with exceptional experiences. This has contributed to optimally utilising natural and cultural resources, ensuring their sustainability, maximising community benefits and strengthening the tourist’s connection to people and place.” He added: “In this context, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, organised a specialised workshop on medical tourism in December of last year. One of the recommendations of the workshop was the organisation of a specialised forum on medical tourism, which represents a scientific and professional platform that brings together experts in this field to open up horizons for integration between tourism products and health services. The forum also offers an opportunity to showcase the best local and international experiences and practices, including the Republic of Indonesia’s experience in managing tourism facilities and the Republic of Croatia’s experience in managing natural hot springs.” The forum brought together a number of governmental, academic and private entities, including the Ministry of Health, Sultan Qaboos University, the German University of Technology, and the Oman Tourism College, in addition to representatives of 4- and 5-star hotels and resorts, small and medium-sized enterprises and tour guides.

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