Plan afoot to invest on natural reserves

Tourism statistics show that the number of tourists who visited Wadi Bani Khalid, the Ras al Jinz Turtle Reserve, and Jabal Al Akhdar in 2015 represented 16 per cent of the total number of tourists.

There are opportunities for increasing traffic to these sites and making a larger contribution to the Sultanate’s GDP through tourism, increasing state revenue, and reducing costs of maintenance and protection of these sites.

These initiatives aim at entrusting the management of nature reserves and sites to private investors in accordance with a specific regulatory framework aimed at turning these sites into main tourist attractions.

The initiative identified two pilot project sites at The Qurm Nature Reserve, and the Qurm Natural Park as a complementary site.

This will be the first project among the representative pilot projects. Qurm Reserve was proclaimed a nature reserve in 1975 due to its biodiversity.

The second project entails setting up a geological park in Al Wusta, given its natural biodiversity and geological diversity.

This initiative aims to attract 540,000 visitors to the two sites by 2020 and create 190 jobs, most of which are expected to go to Omanis.

The first project entails designating the Qurm Nature Reserve and Qurm Park as a natural tourist site and includes activities such as bird-watching and hunting, health activities such as natural treatments and yoga classes, and recreational and educational activities aimed at children.

The Neoglacial Park in Al Wusta will include a number of geological activities, such as geological education tracks, and activities related to cultural, social and environmental heritage.

The objective of these pilot projects is to serve as models for other environmental and natural initiatives such as the Wadi Dayqah Dam and Al Saleel Nature Reserve.

MECA said environmental permit for large projects can be obtained in 30 days if all conditions stipulated by the ministry are complied with.