Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre celebrates second anniversary

Muscat: Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) celebrated its second anniversary this month.
In the two years since its inauguration in 2016, 291 events have been hosted at the venue.
In a statement, Peter Walichnowski, CEO of OMRAN said, "OCEC has successfully demonstrated its potential as a hub for business and events in Oman.
"The growth of OCEC is in line with our mission to invest in the tourism sector through innovative projects that reflect the government’s vision to diversify the national economy and reinforce Oman’s business and tourism offerings regionally and globally”.
Owned by Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN), OCEC has hosted 291 events in its two years of operations. Additionally, the centre's growth rate over the past 12 months was 65 per cent higher when compared to its inaugural year.
Walichnowski added, "We are confident that next year we will witness a quantum leap in the level of events to be hosted at OCEC. The team’s expertise will play a key role in the success of the project whilst ensuring the maximum utilisation of new facilities.”
The centre's anniversary month comes as it prepares to host the second addition of its most popular event, the Winter Village, which attracted 70,000 visitors last year.
Qais Al Hosni, Head of Government and Corporate Affairs at OMRAN, said, "We are pleased to see Winter Village stepping into the second year with more entertaining activities for families and visitors during the winter season. The event achieved an outstanding success last year and introduced new standards for community events in Oman."
OMRAN is nearing the completion of Phase 2 of the centre's development, which will see the completion of the Convention Centre and its Rose Theatre, a cultural and theatrical venue that can accommodate 3,200 people. On completion, the entire OCEC project is set to include four hotels and a commercial business park.