Beauty has an address: Oman
Oman Tourism India Office’s sales mission in India recently aimed to educate key travel operators about the destination offerings of Oman for Indian travellers who are interested in travelling in the leisure and luxury segment. Six key trade members from Mumbai share their experiences and perspective on Oman.
We largely deal with leisure and corporate clients and tend to service high-end travellers. Oman is a very interesting destination for travellers. It has a mix of Asian and the Middle East cultures by virtue of being an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. This makes it a unique destination. We have sent a few clients to Oman in the past. They were all high-end clients who opted for all the luxury offerings in Oman. They did the wadis, the special tented camps, and particularly Oman’s night sky. At the Oman roadshow, we met a lot of interesting DMCs some of whom I have already worked with in the past.
Oman as a destination has not been very well explored by Indian travellers, so it offers the travel trade huge scope to promote it to their clients. I have personally visited the destination many times as I have my brother living there. I keep travelling to Oman and every time I visit, I find something new and interesting. It is a beautiful country with lovely people. It has different climates, scuba diving, delicious food, and friendly people. They are always ready to help you. Even in terms of luxury, Oman has the best of resorts with amazing hospitality. We are looking at Oman as a future destination. They are coming up in a big way.
Oman and India have had a long-standing relationship. A lot of Indian did migrate to the country much before it came into the limelight as a tourist destination. Traditionally, we have a bonding. Oman as a destination is fascinating to say the least. It offers a different experience to visitors – it’s a mix of everything. But it is not for the general tourist; it works well for the mature and evolved traveller. After UAE, I believe Oman is the destination to look at. I am sure that over time Oman will become the most sought-after destination in the Middle East for Indian travellers. The tourism board is doing its best to make sure this happens soon.
Whatever I say about Oman is not enough. They rightly have their tagline as ‘beauty has an address’. Believe me, I have visited Oman and stayed there for over a month, and it is indeed a very beautiful country. People may think it is in the Middle East and it is only desert but that is not true. It has a lot more to offer. I would really want the Indian market to go out there and explore to change their perception of Oman. It has the famous three Gs – the glorious landscapes, the golden sand and gorgeous beauty! So while they do have sand on one side, there is a tropical paradise called Salalah which is a must-do.
I attended the Oman roadshow in Mumbai recently and I met all the sellers. I have already been working with a few of the Oman partners such as Zahara DMC and Khimjis House of Travel and sending clients to them. I was in Oman in December 2021 for five nights and my experience there was amazing. It is very different from other destinations. It has culture, it has desert, it has mountains, and an array of luxury hotels and resorts. It is more for an evolved, discerning traveller. And that is the kind of clients I have sent to Oman. I deal largely with premium and luxury travellers because they are ideal for Oman.
The tagline ‘Beauty has an address’ is apt for Oman. I have visited Oman way back in 2013 and it was one of my most fabulous trips. It has everything to offer to travellers bundled with famous resorts, beaches and Nizwa – one of the ancient cities of Oman. What is also a draw is its turtle hatcheries. The best-known beaches in which turtles go to lay eggs in Oman are Ras Al Hadd and Ras Al Jinz in the region of Al Sharqiyah, the Masirah Island, Ad Daymaniyat Islands, the shores of the Dhofar region. This is one of the best activities to indulge in while in Oman.