Sunday 08 / September / 2024
Muscat: The total investment in projects related to integrated tourism complexes (ITCs) under implementation is estimated at OMR4.376 billion in addition to OMR3.120 billion in other licenced projects which are in the pre-implementation phase.
The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has also granted 19 valid licences for integrated tourism complexes, including a number of projects across the governorates of Muscat, Dhofar, Al Sharqiyah South, Al Batinah South, and Musandam. These projects number 81 hotel facilities, with 16,576 hotel rooms, 2,552 apartment hotels and villas and 42,617 housing units, in addition to golf courses and a number of harbours, restaurants, cafes and shops.
The MHT has been paying great attention to the ITCs as it provides a qualitative addition to the tourism sector, including hotels, recreational and commercial facilities, and real estate units, which together help to contribute in diversifying tourism products and destinations. Alos, these projects help in increasing the number of hotel rooms, quality of services, recreational service facilities, as well as creating value addition to the society besides providing direct and indirect jobs opportunities.
“The integrated tourism complexes are a modern style of tourism cities, that provide all services and facilities under one roof, where residents can live without leaving the boundaries of the complex,” Azzan bin Qasim Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Tourism, said.
“The ITCs provide residential, tourism, recreational, sports and commercial facilities which provides foundations of a new living experience. These integrated complexes also provide opportunity for non-Omanis to own property, which constitutes a mixture of different interactive cultures and gives an opportunity to attract capital and businessmen to reside in the Sultanate of Oman and provide a supportive base for the national efforts to attract vital investments,” he further added.
He further said that, the integrated tourism complexes have added new dimensions to the tourism sector with modern and unique architecture in parallel with the quality of the integrated infrastructure. The integrated tourism also offer a wide options of facilities and services that are among the most important pillars of tourism development, he added.
These integrated complexes have become tourism destinations in itself and tourists can enjoy the various facilities offered. The hotel component in these complexes also provide the tourism sector hundreds of different hotel rooms which are luxurious and in various styles that offer tourists more options to enjoy.
In addition to its direct economic contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP), the integrated tourism complexes also contribute to provide many direct and indirect job opportunities, and enrich supply chains in the tourism sector and thereby enhancing business opportunities as well as raising the in-country value (ICV) volumes.
Also, by allowing foreigners to own property in the Sultanate of Oman gives an opportunity to contribute to enhancing the local market while attracting investors into the tourism sector.
The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism said that the success of any integrated tourism complex must be designed to provide a unique living experience that is in harmony with the topography of the place in which the project is located. Also, at every stage, modern real estate products must be unique and different from the previous products, where the developer must keep pace with the rapid developments happening in this sector so as attract investors and tourists.
He further emphasised that, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is keen to follow up on the implementation of these projects according to the timetables agreed upon through development agreements and plans to organise the development of each project. He added that the Ministry is focusing during the current period on paying special attention to adding recreational and tourism facilities more along with other components.
He added that the ministry is focusing during the current period on paying special attention to add more recreational and tourism facilities along with other components.
The ITCs integrate with the diversity of the terrain of the picturesque beaches, mountains and valleys, to constitute an attractive factor for local and foreign investors to invest in the field of tourism and real estate. In addition to the facilities available for investment in the integrated tourism complexes, foreign owners are allowed to obtain a residence visa with most banks operating in the Sultanate of Oman allowing the overseas investors to obtain a mortgage at a flexible interest rate.
The integrated tourism complexes also provides an opportunity to the investors to own ready-made real estate through offering extended payment programmes. The investor pays just 10 to 20 percent of the price of the property and he/she can receive the property and pay the remaining price at an agreed period between the two parties, which gives the investor the possibility of self-financing, instead of bank financing.
The existing tourism complexes, including the Muscat Bay project, Al Mouj project, the Barr Al Jissah project and the Jabal Al Sifah project in the Governorate of Muscat, are well known for their beautiful beaches, surrounded by the nature, mountains, green spaces, as well as related activities, like sports and entertainment scientific. The Hawana Resort Salalah in the Governorate of Dhofar is spread across the beautiful sandy beach, and has many distinctive tourist facilities, like a marina for ships with international specifications, Hawana Water Park and several restaurants, cafes and other recreational activities prepared to meet the needs of visitors.
Al Mouj project, is one of the largest tourism projects in the Sultanate of Oman, with an investment cost of OMR1.50 billion. The project is built on an area of more than 2.2 million square metres and includes two existing hotels, Kempinski and Misk, in addition to there new hotels under construction, - Rotana, St. Regis and Okura - and two additional hotels under planning and 6,000 housing units.
The project also includes an 18-hole golf course in addition to the golf club, a tourist walkway, shops, and cafes. It also includes a number of projects, including the Golf Academy, the Saray project. A number of projects are under implementation at Al Mouj project. Projects included are Ghadir villas, Zunaira villas, Juman 2, Murouj Linz, Golf Beach Residences, and Al Mouj Golf Business Park any a a number of recreational activities and facilities.
The Barr Al Jissah Resort, with an investment cost of above OMR300 million is built on an area of more than 434,500 square metres and includes three hotels Al Hosn Hotel, Al Bandar Hotel, and Al Waha Hotel with a total of 700 hotel rooms and 148 housing units that provide multiple options for housing while enjoying a number of other facilities such as a marina, a traditional market, a health club, an open theater, and other recreational facilities.
The Marina neighbourhood project, which consists of 76 housing units, is also being implemented. It includes various recreational activities and facilities that take advantage of the resort’s view of the 500-metre coastline and extends through two interconnected wings, to provide unique experiences to explore the marine diversity in the Sultanate of Oman, or enjoy floating in the waters of the lazy river, or relax with spa services as well as water sports, which are full of energy.
The Jebel Sifah Resort, which is located on the northern coast of the Sultanate of Oman, is with an investment of OMR337.9 million, located at an area of more than 6.2 million square metres and it is in a privileged location between the coast and the Hajar Mountains.
Jebel Sifah Resort consists of an integrated residential complex, freehold properties, and a Sifawy boutique hotel, in addition to the entertainment facilities that provide pleasure for visitors, such as a golf course and restaurants that offer various food items.
The resort represents a suitable destination for those looking for rest and relaxation among the picturesque nature, in addition to the stunning view of the resort on both the green gardens as well as the sandy beaches and the Hajar Mountains to provide a recreational tourism product in addition to the swimming pools and facilities for health care or relaxation under the beach umbrellas.
Sheikh Hammoud bin Sultan Al Hosni, CEO of Muscat Bay, said that Muscat Bay is an integrated residential tourism project with high-end facilities for those looking for luxury and comfort in the embrace of water, mountains and breathtaking nature, where the project is located on an area of more than 2.1 million square metres, at an investment of more than OMR240.1 million.
He added that Muscat Bay includes the 5-star Jumeirah Muscat Bay Hotel, with 126 apartments and about 229 villas at the areas of Zaha and Nomeer, in addition to a helipad. Hotel No. 1, the Beach Club, and the second residential phase (Safa and Naeem) will also be implemented.
He pointed out that Muscat Bay project is considered as a haven that combines luxury and adventure, where the sea embraces the mountains with the experience of discovering Oman’s rich history, offering the chance to watch the sunrise over the majestic mountains, walking on the soft sands or diving in the sea, to bring together experiences that provide the perfect sense of renewal and unity with nature.
Hawana Salalah Resort is also characterised by its 7-kilometre-long stretch along the white sandy beaches and turquoise waters at the Governorate of Dhofar . It is considered as one of the largest tourism destinations in the Sultanate of Oman, at an investment of approximately OMR516.7 million.
The project is built on an area of 135.6 million square metres, including 1,100 hotel rooms, in addition to various freehold properties and many distinguished tourist facilities such as a world-class marina, Hawana Water Park, a golf course, various restaurants, cafes, and other recreational activities designed to meet the needs of visitors.
The resort is in the process to add a boutique hotel, in addition to the residential units projects (Amazi) and (Azure). It also includes a number of seven hotel facilities, including Al Fanar Hotel, Salalah Rotana Resort, Juweira Boutique Hotel and Sully Lodge.
