Tourism sector in Oman growing despite low oil prices

Muscat: Thirteen new hotels started operating in the Sultanate during the first five months of this year, and the number is expected to increase to 81 hotels during 2017-2018.
The Ministry of Tourism has detailed its efforts since the beginning of the year to establish hotel projects in the Sultanate, along with supporting investment opportunities through electronic services.
According to the Ministry, the total number of rooms by the end of 2016 was 18,825 rooms distributed throughout the Sultanate, through hotels, resorts, hotel apartments, tourist camps, rest houses, guest houses, heritage hotels and green hotels.
“Despite the volatile economic conditions in the region due to the low oil prices, and slow growth in investment, the tourism sector in the Sultanate of Oman is witnessing increasing mobility and demand that drives investors to move forward with tourism and hotel projects that meet this demand,” said Mohammed bin Mahmoud Al Zadjali, Director-General of Investor Services and Quality Management, Ministry of Tourism.
“The number of hotel establishments in the Sultanate reached 352 hotel establishments by the 1st of June. This comes as part of the Ministry's efforts to develop the hotel sector in the Sultanate, increase the number of hotel rooms and diversify the tourism projects, and establish these facilities in the various governorates of the Sultanate,” he added.
The number of hotel establishments by the end of 2016, at 339, increased by 6.6 per cent compared to the year 2015, which was at 318 hotel establishments. The number is expected to rise in 2017 to 352 hotels.
The Ministry has granted approvals for further establishment of 81 hotel establishments that will supply the sector with 5279 hotel rooms. Notable areas include 38 new hotels in Muscat, 3 new hotels in Dhofar, 7 in North Batinah, and 5 in South Batinah, along with others throughout the Sultanate.
The Ministry has also launched E-Services for tourism procedures, which will exempt investors from physically visiting the Ministry in order to submit applications for the establishment of hotel projects.
“The time it takes for licences and grants to be approved is reduced to not more than five working days for a complete application that meets the technical conditions and standards,” he said.
“In addition, the Ministry of Tourism works in constant coordination with all competent authorities to simplify and expedite the procedures for obtaining approvals and licences for tourism projects, in order to provide an efficient system of tourism services that meet the aspirations of the tourism sector in the Sultanate of Oman,” the Director-General of Investor Services and Quality Management, Ministry of Tourism added.