MUSCAT: According to preliminary data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the decline was accompanied by a 10.4 percent drop in the total number of hotel guests, which stood at approximately 1.51 million, compared with 1.69 million during the corresponding period in 2025.
Hotel occupancy rates also fell to 46.5 percent, down from 52.7 percent recorded during the same period last year.
Omani nationals accounted for the largest share of hotel guests, with approximately 664,100 visitors, marking a 3.4 percent increase from 642,100 during the same period in 2025.
European guests ranked second, although their numbers declined by 30.7 percent to approximately 289,200, compared with 417,500 a year earlier.
The number of Asian guests increased by 2.9 percent to around 249,700, compared with 242,600 during the corresponding period last year.
Visitors from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries fell by 19.9 percent to approximately 132,800, compared with 165,800 in the same period of 2025.
Guests from other Arab countries also declined by 8.1 percent to around 69,500, down from 75,600.
The number of American guests dropped by 27.5 percent to approximately 40,100, compared with 55,300 during the same period last year.
In contrast, African visitors increased by 8.8 percent to around 11,700, compared with 10,800 in 2025.
Guests from Oceania recorded the steepest decline among the listed markets, falling by 57.6 percent to approximately 13,600, compared with 32,100 during the corresponding period last year.