Agreement inked to manage, operate Hisn Mirbat Castle

Muscat: The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism signed an agreement to manage, operate and employ Mirbat Castle and rebuild and operate the archaeological market and customs office in the Wilayat of Mirbat in the Dhofar Governorate with Mirbat and Sadah Development and Investment Company.

The agreement was signed by His Excellency Eng. Ibrahim bin Saeed Al Kharousi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Heritage, on the part of the Ministry, while it was signed on the part of the company by Brik bin Muslim Al Amri, Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors.

 The signing of the agreement comes after the successful experience undertaken by the Ministry in creating investment opportunities for small and medium enterprises and employing cultural heritage in a way that ensures its sustainability and maximizes benefit from it. It is part of a series of actions and agreements that were signed to achieve the Tenth Development Plan and its strategic programmes.

 The Ministry aims to offer a number of historical monuments in various governorates for competition in their management and operation from private companies or small and medium enterprises. This is the sixteenth assignment of historical sites and monuments that the Ministry has assigned to the private sector, and it is consistent with the broader global trend of involving local communities in the management of cultural and historical monuments.

 The Ministry's experience has contributed to maximizing local content by providing direct and indirect job opportunities, in addition to increasing the empowerment of the private sector and productive families and creating new marketing outlets for craftsmen. A number of the landmarks that were operated played a positive role in enriching tourism destinations and options, cooperative initiatives and innovative activities, which enhance the cultural and economic identity of the community, and create value-added projects for the local community.

The Ministry continues its efforts with other projects it is working on to revive cultural heritage sites in various governorates and make them tourist, cultural and economic destinations in accordance with “Oman Vision 2040” and the strategic programs of the Tenth Development Plan.

 Through the plan to employ monuments and archaeological sites, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism seeks to revive historical monuments and activate and strengthen community partnership with the aim of sustaining national heritage and heritage, enhancing the contributions of the heritage sector to economic activity and increasing the sources of tourist attractions and their diversity.