MUSCAT : During the eighth regular session of the second regular session of the tenth term, the Shura Council hosted His Excellency Salim bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, to discuss key developments in Oman’s tourism sector.

In his address, His Excellency highlighted the substantial growth in tourism production and domestic tourism, as well as the ministry’s ongoing and upcoming projects to further enhance the sector.

During the session, His Excellency outlined the ministry’s statement on six main topics: policies, plans, and programs; overall tourism development indicators; heritage sector management; tourism sector management; human resources in the heritage and tourism sectors; and areas of coordination and development and investment prospects.

He revealed that the direct added value of tourism increased from RO 873 million in 2019 to RO 1 billion in 2023. Looking ahead, the ministry projects tourism’s contribution to the GDP to reach 3.5 percent by 2030, supported by approximately RO 3 billion in ongoing qualitative investments.

Oman’s tourism sector has seen impressive growth in recent years. His Excellency reported that total tourism production increased from RO 1.8 billion in 2019 to RO 2 billion in 2023. Additionally, the added value of tourism rose from RO 873 million in 2019 to RO 1 billion in 2023, reflecting the sector’s positive trajectory.

Looking to the future, His Excellency stated that the tourism sector’s contribution to Oman’s GDP is projected to reach 3.5 percent by 2030, supported by approximately 3 billion Omani riyals in investments currently underway, with additional investments in the pipeline across various governorates.

Domestic tourism also saw a surge, with local visitors increasing from 10 million in 2019 to 13 million in 2023. Domestic tourism spending rose from RO 732 million to RO 830 million during the same period.
In alignment with royal directives, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is focusing on the establishment, development, and rehabilitation of several key tourist destinations across the Sultanate. Prominent among them are the development of White Mountain, Wakan Village, Wadi Al Shab, Bandar Al Khiran, and Ras Al Hadd.

His Excellency also emphasized the ministry’s efforts to preserve and promote Oman’s cultural heritage, with ongoing projects to enhance World Heritage sites such as the historic city of Qalhat, Bat, and the archaeological site of Dibba. Preparations are also underway to include Bisya and Salut on the World Heritage List.

Museums are experiencing significant development, with programmes aimed at integrating them into the broader Omani museum system. His Excellency shared updates on several key projects, including the Maritime History Museum in Sur and the relocation of the Natural History Museum to its new location within the Oman Botanical Gardens project.

The Al-Hajar Geological Park project, covering 5,400 square kilometers across three governorates, is also making significant progress and is poised to become an important attraction.

For all the latest news from Oman and GCC, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.