MUSCAT: A total of 219,717 visitors from China have travelled to Oman in the last five years. During the period of 2018-19 alone, the number of visitors increased by 141%, the Tourism Representative Office of the Sultanate in the Republic of China has stated.

The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has indicated that since August 1, 2021, a set of desired milestones have been achieved within the development and renewal system in accordance with the marketing plans and programs it implements. These are concerned with marketing and promoting the Sultanate of Oman through tourism through foreign tourist representation offices.

The office stated that these achievements are represented in the launch of the promotional website (www.experienceoman.net) in Chinese to promote the tourism potentials enjoyed by the Sultanate of Oman in the Republic of China. The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has also launched the first specialised program in China (http://chinatraveltraining.com/courses/ oman/home/), an e-learning program in Chinese for both computer and mobile users.

The program targets the category of Chinese foreign tour operators, and the program offers access to the Sultanate of Oman and movement between tourist sites and tourism components. The program is also an important step in assisting foreign tour operators from the Republic of China in creating an integrated tourism program for the Sultanate of Oman.

The Office of Tourism Representation seeks to publish several media materials on Omani tourism in the Chinese language. The office has launched accounts for the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism on social networking sites in the Republic of China, in addition to participating in the most important Chinese platforms concerned with tourism.

The Tourism Representation Office of the Sultanate of Oman in the People’s Republic of China represents a link between visitors and participants in Expo 2020 Dubai and contributes to finding tourist packages that include visiting the Sultanate of Oman during the exhibition period.

The role of the tourism representation office is to educate the targeted Chinese tourist about the Sultanate of Oman as a tourist destination by promoting the marketing identity in various important tourism events in the Chinese market. This contributes to visits to the Sultanate of Oman as a new tourist option for the Chinese tourist, as well as working to consolidate the relationship between business partners.

The induction trips that will be organised by the Tourism Representation Office of the Sultanate of Oman in China are among the positives that will help in introducing the tourism potentials to business partners, whether they represent tourism companies or various media outlets, so that educational training tours are prepared on the elements of Omani tourism. 

Participation in exhibitions, events, workshops and e-training are important promotional elements in the field of tourism promotion in the Chinese market, will also help reach a larger segment of partners and the public.