With its endless beaches, verdant mountains and deep deserts, but above all its great culture, Oman is attracting more and more French tourists. After an increase in the number of French tourists of +21 % in 2018, the sultanate recorded a further increase of +19 % over the first nine months of 2019. While the country has made tourism one of the pillars of its economic diversification, it intends to go beyond this essentially leisure appeal by clearly targeting the congress and events segment.
This strategy is underpinned by new infrastructure, with the inauguration in November of a 3,200-seat auditorium near the capital Muscat's old airport. This new events venueThe convention centre, which opened in 2016 and previously featured five exhibition halls spread over 22,000 sq. metres, is now complete with 14 meeting rooms and two ballrooms capable of accommodating up to 2,360 people. "Equipped with the very latest technology, this is a world-class convention and exhibition centre.said Maitha al Mahrouqi, Oman's Secretary of State for Tourism.four congresses in 2020, ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 participants."
This new MICE showcase is part of an urban project that will step up a gear in the coming years. The new gateway to the capital, the Madinat Al-Irfan district will include housing, offices and hotels. A Crowne Plaza has already been opened in the immediate vicinity of the convention centre, and a JW Marriott will be added at the end of the year. A total of seven establishments are expected to be added, gradually increasing the capacity for hosting events to 8,000 people.
Close to the international airport, the convention centre also benefits from the expansion of the Muscat hub. Unveiled in 2018, its new terminal can accommodate 12 million passengers and has new capacity for groups with dedicated areas and counters. A contemporary hub linked to Paris by Oman Air daily direct flights. "We hope to be able to offer additional flights in the near future, given the high number of passengers on this route."says Maitha al Mahrouqi.
From the airport, participants can also embark to discover the the country's natural beauty before or after conferences, for example to Salalah, in the south of the country, which has also seen its capacity increase from 1.4 to 5 million passengers, or to the fjords of the Musandam peninsula, where a new airport is also being developed. Alongside these developments, 4,000 hotel rooms will open in the country next year.
Oman is not just banking on major corporate events to boost its tourism. The MICE office, overseen by the Ministry, aims to make the country a first-class destination for incentive travelThe sultanate's ability to create tailor-made experiences, such as dinners in the desert or in the many forts, some of which are listed by UNESCO, makes it a natural target for the French market. In this context, the sultanate is naturally targeting the French market and welcomed 34 groups this year, compared with 15 last year.
