Oman named among top places to visit

MUSCAT: The Sultanate has been listed as one of the top 10 destinations to visit in 2017, according to some leading publications and media channels across the world, including the Daily Telegraph, Harper Bazaar Arabia, CNN, Vogue, BuzzFeed and San Francisco Chronicle.

The articles talked about the beautiful tourist attractions that Oman is known for, calling it a country where one can “experience the true essence of Arabia” in all its authenticity, culture and tradition.

The media lauded the Sultanate for striking a balance between preserving the country’s heritage and providing all modern amenities of world-class standard.

“This international listing of the Sultanate as a top tourism destination is a result of the ministry’s continuous efforts to promote the country internationally. The ministry works hard to reinforce its status in this industry by developing its policies and strategies and therefore attract more tourists to the Sultanate, all as per Tourism Strategy for Tourism 2040,” said Salim al Maamari, Director-General of Tourism Promotions.

The articles highlighted the beauty of the traditional Omani houses and buildings, its stunning mountains such as Al Jabal Al Akdhar and Jabal Shams, the vast deserts and the green oasis in Salalah.

Some of these publications also recommended trying traditional Omani dishes as well as taking a stroll down the souqs and enjoying the pristine nature of its wadis.

Alongside this achievement, the British Airways, UK’s national carrier, had launched its direct flights to Muscat International Airport while the Omani Airways had announced its direct flights to Manchester. Moreover, UK plans to launch tourism packages to the Sultanate to allow the tourists to experience Oman’s treasures and its cultural heritage.

Al Mamari added: “We are keen on promoting the Sultanate as a perfect destination through our campaigns to attract tourists throughout the world, especially GCC tourists. Besides that, having direct flights from Muscat to Heathrow Airport is a sign of how important our status is in the international tourism map. We are looking forward to strengthening our ties with the UK as well as other countries.”