Salalah – More than 75 small and medium enterprises from sectors including tourism, retail, food and beverage, and handicrafts are taking part in an exhibition called ‘Tamkeen & Sumo’, which opened in Salalah on Tuesday evening.

Organised by the SME Committee of Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), the exhibition at Atina Land opened under the patronage of H H Sayyid Harib bin Thuwaini al Said, Assistant Secretary-General for Conferences in Council of Ministers. The event will run till August 20.

Sheikh Faisal bin Abdullah al Rawas, Chairman of OCCI, said the exhibition “goes beyond a promotional platform” and offers “a space for engagement and partnership building between SMEs and business sectors”.

He added that Tamkeen & Sumo reflects the chamber’s efforts to support SMEs as a core part of the national economy in line with Oman Vision 2040. “Through this exhibition, we aim to enable SMEs to access new markets, explore cooperation and investment opportunities, and engage in knowledge exchange with entrepreneurs and support entities.”

Sheikh Ahmed bin Amer al Musalhi, Chairman of the SME Committee, described the exhibition as “an opportunity to promote SME products and services and boost their competitiveness in the local market”. He stressed that building business relations with private sector institutions is a key goal. “We continue working to enhance SME participation in events and exhibitions, believing in their role in economic development, job creation and knowledge transfer,” he said.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between OCCI’s Social Investment Centre and the Business Development Centre, which owns the ‘Hissaty’ platform. The agreement aims to develop social investment tools that empower SME owners and align with Oman Vision 2040. According to organisers, the agreement is a strategic step towards fostering a culture of social investment within the business environment.

The exhibition includes dedicated sections such as Entrepreneurs’ Corner, Innovation Corner, Handicraft Workshops Corner and Junior Entrepreneur Corner. The latter showcases children’s talent.

It also features the Sohar International Competition to highlight brand identity and encourage creativity and excellence.

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