MUSCAT : The move paves the way for submitting the site to UNESCO for consideration for inscription on the World Heritage List.

The strategic step reflects the Sultanate of Oman’s continuous commitment to protecting and preserving its cultural heritage and enhancing its presence on the international stage.

According to Ibtisam Abdullah Al Maamari, Director of the World Heritage Department at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, this step comes as part of national efforts aimed at fulfilling nomination requirements in accordance with approved international standards, enhancing the presence of Omani cultural sites on the world heritage map, strengthening the site’s sustainability, and maximizing the benefit from its cultural and tourism assets.

She added that the Bisya and Salut Archaeological Site in the Wilayat of Bahla is considered one of the most prominent archaeological sites in the Sultanate of Oman due to its rich civilizational evidence spanning from the Bronze Age through the Iron Age up to the Islamic periods, reflecting the continuity of human settlement and its development over thousands of years.

She explained that the results of archaeological studies and excavations indicate that the site possesses Outstanding Universal Value qualifying it for nomination on the World Heritage List under the name “Salut: Iron Age Settlement”.

The Ministry had previously floated a competition for the management and utilization of the visitor center and the Bisya and Salut Archaeological Site, contributing to raising the quality of services provided to visitors, developing the tourism and cultural experience at the site, and expanding the scope of private sector participation in operating and managing associated facilities and services.

Ibtisam Abdullah Al Maamari affirmed that these initiatives reflect the integration of efforts between the twin paths of heritage preservation and sustainable development, as the tender for preparing the nomination dossier and management plan focuses on documenting the site’s Outstanding Universal Value and fulfilling requirements for inscription on the World Heritage List, while the site management and operation competition focuses on enhancing its tourism readiness and operational efficiency to achieve economic and cultural sustainability, reinforcing its role as a leading heritage and tourism destination at the national and international levels.

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