Monday 27 / January / 2025
Muscat: Oman’s tourism sector looks set for a boost as the first Indian cruise liner to visit the Sultanate has docked at Sultan Qaboos Port, the Ministry of Tourism has announced.
The Karnika arrived in Muscat with over one thousand passengers and crew and sailed into port to a formal reception programme, which was attended by officials at the Ministry of Tourism.
The programme also includes a visit to the port of Khasab in Musandam region as part of its itinerary, touring the ports it is expected to visit during the summer when the Karnika will visit the port of Sultan Qaboos on 17 occasions and Khasab 16 times.
The visit of the Karnika is part of the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism to develop the cruise ship sector throughout the year in addition to promoting the natural beauty, heritage and culture that Oman has to offer.
Abdullah bin Saif Al Saadi, Head of Ship Tourism at the Ministry, said: “The visit of the Karnica in summer represents a significant increase in the movement of tourists and visitors to the Sultanate by cruise ships throughout the year. We are working to enhance the economic return of the tourist ship sector, as most cruise ships visit the Sultanate in winter only.”
The Indian tourist market is a promising one and the Karnica is the first of its kind in the Indian cruise ship sector”.
“This sector is one area of tourism we are looking to develop through the natural and geographic factors that the Sultanate enjoys as well as the government’s efforts in developing the ports sector and its related infrastructure.”
Tourist packages are also being marketed for visitors on the cruise ships, with pre-agreed prices for these being agreed between the ship operators and tour organisers in the Sultanate.
