24 November 2015
Salalah - Muriya Tourism Development will welcome 2,500 Slovak tourists to Salalah Beach bringing the total number of European tourists arriving at the company's flagship destination to more than 30,000 annually. Starting March 2016, a weekly direct flight is scheduled to fly from Bratislava, Slovakia's capital, to Oman's southernmost Governorate, Dhofar as a part of a partnership agreement signed between Hydrotour, the largest tour operator in the Eastern European nation, and two of Muriya's hotels, the 5-star Salalah Rotana Resort and the 4-star Al Fanar Hotel & Residences.

"The deal was a natural progression of our continuous efforts to actively promote the Sultanate as a year-round tourist destination," said Ahmed Dabbous, CEO of Muriya Tourism Development. "According to a recent industry survey, outbound tourism from Eastern Europe is a key growth market for the global travel and tourism industry. This is a market that is yet to reach maturity; therefore, we have identified it as a key opportunity to grow tourist arrivals into the Governorate of Dhofar and Oman." 

The influx of tourists to the Governorate of Dhofar has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. According to figures from the National Centre for Statistics and Information, tourist arrivals have grown at an annual rate of 16.3% in recent years, with 2014 alone experiencing a 24% rise in visitation. Occupancy rates have also reached record levels, with four and five-star hotels registering rates higher than 71%.

Hossam Kamal, General Manager of Salalah Rotana Resort said, "Salalah Rotana Resort has experienced a consistent year-on-year growth of occupancy rates. With this deal in place, we expect to book an additional 6,500 room nights in spring 2016. With luxurious amenities, top-class accommodation, and full-range of leisure options, our resort will no doubt appeal to our guests from Slovakia when they arrive next year to experience the authentic Omani hospitality."

Mikuláš Milko, General Manager of Hydrotour said, "Tourists from Slovakia will appreciate the quality of service, professional staff and the willing management, who is able to react on their requests so they can enjoy the beautiful beach and magical Indian Ocean. We are confident that we have taken an important step for a successful long-term future cooperation between the Salalah Rotana Resort and Hydrotour Slovakia to offer our clients an authentic Omani experience at Muriya's Salalah Beach destination."

Muriya is planning to complement the surge in tourist arrivals to the destination by increasing hotel capacity to 702 rooms with the launch of the Al Fanar Hotel & Residencies, a 4 star 220 room-hotel set to open in the coming weeks. It will be the third hotel developed at Salalah Beach, coming after the 400-room Salalah Rotana Resort and the 82-room 4-star Juweira Boutique Hotel.

-Ends-

Muriya Tourism Development
Muriya is a joint venture between Orascom Development Holdings (70%), a leading developer of integrated destinations and Omran (30%), the tourism development arm of the Omani Government. The company was created in 2006 to stimulate external leisure investment in Oman and showcase the history, culture and natural beauty of the country, in which time it has grown into Oman's leading tourism developer. Muriya currently has four development projects; Jebel Sifah, Salalah Beach, As Sodah Island and Commercial Complex in Al Seeb.

Jebel Sifah, located 20 minutes from Bandar Khayran, is spread over 6.2 million sqm and is designed to include six world-class hotels, of which the Sifawy Boutique Hotel is operational. It also houses freehold residences, an 84-berth marina, marina town, complete with cafes, restaurants and nightlife, while construction on the 18-hole PGA Harridan signature golf course is underway.

Salalah Beach, located in the Governorate of Dhofar is situated in a tropical destination on the Arabian Peninsula in the far southeast of Oman, with an area of 13.6 million sqm and will house a total of seven hotels, of which Salalah Rotana Hotel and Juweira Boutique Hotel are operational with over 500 rooms. The 220-room Al Fanar Hotel is currently under construction and is scheduled to open Q1 2016. It is also home to a 171 berth marina, 100% freehold residences, retail venues, restaurants and cafes. As Sodah Island is placed off the coast of Dhofar, located in the Indian Ocean and the Commercial Complex in Al Seeb located in the heart of the capital Muscat.

Salalah Rotana Resort
Only 20km from Salalah Airport and along the Arabian coast, Salalah Rotana Resort is ideally located in the Salalah Beach destination. Spread over an area of 13.6 million square metres with an 7km beachfront, Salalah Beach is located in one of the most breath-taking natural settings in the Sultanate, between spectacular mountains, fresh water springs and tropical scenery where wildlife and frankincense trees can be marveled.

The waterfront resort's 400 rooms and suites are built around waterways, whisking guests away to a coastal utopia. The resort prides itself on providing five-star opulence synonymous with the Rotana brand, infused with traditional Omani hospitality. With four restaurants, the resort offers the perfect mélange of East-meets-West hospitality while its five fully equipped meeting rooms, Grand Ballroom and Business Centre makes it the perfect destination for both leisure and business travellers.

Salalah Rotana Resort is the 50th hotel to be operated by Rotana, representing the half-way mark for the group's plans for 100 hotels by 2020.

Al Fanar Hotel & Residences
The distinctive four-star Al Fanar Hotel and Residences will stand out on the Eastern tip of the burgeoning Salalah Beach Marina, looking out to the shimmering turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. The hotel will showcase Salalah's vibrant culture and heritage in its design, add a dimension of contemporary style to the destination, while establishing its own unique and individual personality. Built by expert destination developers Muriya Tourism Development and operated by Orascom Hotels Management, Al Fanar Hotel and Residences is scheduled to join Salalah Beach as the third hotel in the community.

With 220 well-appointed guest rooms and suites, each with spacious private terraces and ocean or marina views, Al Fanar's top-class private amenities anticipate the guest's every requirement, making it the ideal venue for a relaxing retreat, a family get-together or a corporate getaway.

For press inquiries and images, please contact:
Shaza Taher
TRACCS Public Relations
Telephone: +968 24 649-099
Fax: +968 24 649-088
Email: shaza.taher@traccs.net 

© Press Release 2015