Muscat – Statistical data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information shows a slight decline in the number of guests staying in three- to five-star hotels across the sultanate by the end of February 2026, even as hotel revenues posted strong growth.

According to the figures, the total number of guests in classified hotels reached 439,287 by the end of February, compared with 455,733 during the same period in 2025, representing a 3.6% decrease.

Despite the drop in guest numbers, hotel revenues rose sharply by 18.5% to reach RO69.208mn, compared with RO58.379mn recorded in the corresponding period last year.

Hotel occupancy rates also improved slightly, rising from 67.6 % in February 2025 to 68.4% in February 2026, marking a 1.2% increase.

The data showed a 5.3% decline in Omani guests, whose number fell to 129,797. Visitors from GCC countries also recorded a notable drop of 18.4% totalling 22,396 guests, while guests from other Arab countries declined by 11.6% to 14,485.

In contrast, hotel guests from Asia recorded positive growth of 4.5%, reaching 61,581, while visitors from the Americas rose by 5.4% to 16,911.

Meanwhile, the number of hotel guests from Africa declined by 12.4% to 2,798.

Visitors from Oceania registered the steepest fall, dropping by 46.9% to 5,165 guests, while European visitors recorded a marginal decline of 0.5%, with a total of 172,072 guests staying in Oman’s three- to five-star hotels during the period.

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