Omran showcases tourism investment opportunities at WTTC Global Summit

With the aim of stimulating the tourism industry in Oman and exploring opportunities for collaboration with international travel and tourism firms, the Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran Group) recently participated in the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The event, the theme for which is ‘Travel for a Better Future’, was held at the magnificent King Abdul Aziz International Conference Centre from November 28 to December 1, 2022. Omran Group’s participation in the summit was part of a larger delegation from the Sultanate of Oman that included representatives from the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and the Oman Investment Authority.

Commenting on the Group’s participation in the Summit, Hashil bin Obaid al Mahrouqi said, “Our participation at WTTC comes as part of our efforts to maximise Oman’s potential as an internationally recognised tourism and events destination. Our participation in this conference has provided us with an invaluable opportunity to network and engage with regional and international pioneers in the travel and tourism industry.

“It has also allowed us to demonstrate the efficacy of our forward-thinking investment strategies and how our broad mix of valueadded services and tourism products contribute to the diversification of Oman’s tourism industry and the steady growth of the sector.

“It also provided us the opportunity to showcase some of the valuable investment opportunities in upcoming Omran Group projects.”

He added: “There are two primary trends we can expect to take hold in the next five years. The first is an emphasis on the digitalisation of the sector. In fact, technology and digitalisation are already at the heart of many ambitious projects in Oman and across the region.

“The second, and arguably more important, is a keen focus on sustainable tourism.

“With growing concern for climate change, as well as a need to preserve the culture, natural beauty and heritage of a destination, has drawn focus towards the need to implement sustainability and sustainable practices in every tourism project and destination.

“At the Omran Group, we embrace both and are working towards building a sustainable and tech-forward tourism sector in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 and the National Tourism Strategy.”

On the sidelines of the summit, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of their participation in this prestigious international forum.

This agreement aims to develop the tourism sector of both countries through the exchange of experience, active participation in various tourism-related events, and mutual cooperation in several areas and initiatives related to the tourism sector.

As part of the MOU, the Omran Group and the Godoba platform, and the Saudi Arabia-based Al Matar Group for Travel and Tourism, signed a strategic partnership agreement as one of the first initiatives under the new MOU, further strengthening the role of the private sector in supporting the tourism development efforts of the two brotherly nations.

The agreement aims to drive digital transformation in the tourism sector through the partnership between the Al Matar App, known to be one of the fastestgrowing apps in the region over the last three years, and the Godoba platform, which received the Best Arab OTA Award in 2019. The agreement is expected to pave the way for both parties to expand regionally and internationally. The signing of the agreement was overseen by Salim bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, and Ahmed al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism for Saudi Arabia.