MUSCAT: The impact of coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has severely affected Oman’s tourism sector, with over half a billion Omani Rials ($1.3 billion) lost until September 2020, a top official informed.
Speaking at the Supreme Committee press conference, Maitha Al Mahrouqi, Undersecretary of Heritage and Tourism said the visa exemptions to nationals of 103 countries will help boost the tourism sector. “The loses in the tourism sector is over half a billion Omani Rials. These loses include direct impact on the tourism sector,” Maitha said.
According to Maitha, the loses include visa revenues, tourists’ spending in local market, taxes related to the tourism industry, operations of national airline Oman Air, cruises, exhibitions and conferences, programs and tours, and goods and products.
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The government according to Maitha has taken calculative measures to limit the impact of Covid-19 including resuming issuance of visas of all categories. “The government has worked on a comprehensive plan to recover the sector,” she added.
Nearly 16,000 Omanis are working in the tourism sector.
