ministry to overhaul laws to boost tourism
Plans to establish Tourism Development Fund, review comprehensive development plan for the sector
The plan is to attract investments of about RO3bn till 2023. Investments worth RO1.7bn have already been received
H E SALEM AL MAHROUQI
The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is planning comprehensive development of the sector including a review and update of the Tourism Law, the Cultural Heritage Law, the frameworks related to integrated tourism complexes (ITC) and usufruct rights and development agreements.
The ministry is also planning to establish Tourism Development Fund, which will play an important role in financing tourism projects.
The ministry reviewed the details of the comprehensive plan for the development of the sector on Saturday at a media briefing headed by H E Salem bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of
Heritage and Tourism.
He stated that the development plan covers several spheres and combines the Tourism Strategy, currently in implementation till 2040, economic diversification projects and several initiatives that have been modified or added in line with current developments and Oman Vision 2040.
“The plan focuses on achieving a qualitative leap in development and investment by improving the system, developing tourism land management and a geographical database, a platform for investors, and a monitoring and follow-up platform.”
The development plan places priority on implementation of tourism projects in the governorates of Muscat, Dakhliyah, South Sharqiyah, Dhofar and Musandam, while paving the way for development in the other governorates.
“The plan is to attract investments of about RO3bn till 2023. Investments worth RO1.7bn have already been received.”
He informed that currently 21 ITC projects are in planning stage, of which 11 are on government land. Of these, five development agreements have already been signed. Among the ten projects on private land, development agreements for four have been signed.
The comprehensive development plan for the heritage and tourism sector includes 194 projects spread across seven main themes - tourism investment and development, environmental responsibility, tourism experiences development, marketing, human capital development, competitiveness improvement, and tourism governance and management.