OCCI asks for facilities, exemptions for exhibitions, conferences in Oman

Muscat: The Exhibitions and Conferences Committee at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) discussed challenges of the sector and has asked for facilities and exemptions.

A statement issued online by OCCI said: "The Exhibitions and Conferences Committee of  Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry held its first meeting for the current year at the headquarters of the Chamber, headed by Eng. Faisal Al-Shanfari, Vice Chairman of the Committee, and in the presence of His Excellency Eng. Ridha Jumaa Al Saleh, Chairman of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. The meeting was also attended by members of the committee."

OCCI confirmed that: "The meeting discussed the issue of financial compensation, and the members of the committee urged the Development Bank to finance companies with reasonable guarantees to mitigate the effects faced by exhibition and conference companies due to the COVID-19 pandemic."

OCCI also said: "The committee also suggested that the exhibitions sector should be included in the Development Bank and dealt with the treatment of the Raffd Fund in loans to small and medium enterprises so that these companies obtain financial compensation in addition to financing loans guaranteed by the commercial registry to pay off the debts accumulated on them and rearrange their conditions to continue."

"The committee called for some facilities and exemptions from government fees, such as rents and tax fees, in addition to obtaining discounts in rents and services provided by the Oman Convention and Exhibition Center by 75 per cent at the center, after allowing the opening of activities," the statement added.