WHAT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PROMOTE TOURISM OUTSIDE MUSCAT? IS THERE A LACK OF TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE INTERIORS?

There is room for improvement in terms of hotels. When outside the capital, we have to choose between expensive five-star hotels and the very basic ones, but there doesn’t seem to be much in-between. A vast majority of people will prefer a ‘middle-level’ hotel. That said, there has been improvement in transportation with Mwasalat’s services. Tourists who visit Oman are looking for an authentic experience. Peace, quiet and an unhurried pace of life are what Oman offers. Our road network is top notch and new hotels are coming up to cater to tourists of different budgets. The essentials are in place. Overdeveloping tourist hot spots would take away the authentic experience. When compared to other countries, Oman is easy to tour. What I mean is, there are 24-hour petrol stations with convenience shops in most places, Traffic outside of Muscat is light. Hotels are flexible with check-out times, people are always ready to assist tourists, and businesses are open late.