Oman eyes portion of 135 mn outbound Chinese tourists

He said the government is encouraging the development of three-to-four star hotels and hotel apartments in an effort to offer affordable stay options for both foreign and domestic tourists who prefer to travel in groups and families.

“Currently, we do not have enough hotel rooms in the country; pricing is directly related to supply and demand. Room rates will come down if there is more supply in the market.”

The ministry is expecting a growth rate of 9 to 10 per cent in 2018 despite the prevailing political turbulence and economic situation in the region.

Zhanlin Jin, deputy director, China Association of Travel Services, said as part of a new policy, a lot of Chinese tourists and businesses have been encouraged to visit and invest in Oman.

The MoT had organised a workshop on the sidelines of OmaniChinese Tourism Companies Forum, which saw participation from 16 major travel and tourism Chinese firms as well as Omani companies in the tourism sector.

The forum was aimed at introducing the Sultanate as an ideal tourism destination and showcasing the efforts made by the MoT to promote Omani tourism products and services in the global markets.

Sayyid Adil al Busaidi, adviser on Tourism Affairs, MoT, said: “It is no secret that Oman has become one of the top tourist destinations in the world, enabling visitors to have new and unique experiences of adventure, camping, sea cruises, beach sports and more.

“Oman provides visitors and travellers with the best-in-class, authentic Arabian experiences, which is the essence of our National Strategy for Tourism.”

He added, “The ministry recently issued a circular to facilitate granting of unsponsored tourist visas to the nationals of a number of countries, including China.

Travellers who reside in or hold an entry visa to USA, Canada, Australia, the UK and Schengen States, can now obtain a non-sponsored tourist visa to Oman.”

He concluded, “It is our constant endeavour to continue to enhance our cooperation with China. I trust that this will result in strengthening mutually beneficial ties for our countries.”