Tourism in Oman

Oman is known for its popular tourist attractions. Wadis, deserts, beaches, and mountains are areas which make Oman unique to its neighboring GCC nations (Wadis in particular). Jebel Shams is Oman's tallest mountain, highest point, and is a popular destination for camping. Most of the major malls are located in Muscat, the capital. The largest mall in the country is the Muscat City Centre which was built by Majid hFuttaim, an Emirati business man. Other popular tourist activities include sand skiing in the desert, mountain-climbing, camel racing, and camping.

The Muscat Festival is usually held at the beginning of every year. During this event, traditional dances are held, temporary theme parks open, and concerts take place. Another popular event is the Khareef Festival, which is similar to Muscat Festival; however it is held in August in Salalah, Dhofar. During this latter event, mountains are packed as a result of the cool breeze weather during that period of time which rarely occurs in Muscat.

According to Dr Rajiha Abdul Amir Ali, Omani Minister of Tourism, said: "Oman's tourism market in general, and the real estate sector in particular, is witnessing dramatic changes in recent years. We are collaborating with the private sector to launch new projects in Oman"

The best time to visit Oman is between November and April, when daytime temperatures average 25°C (77°F). During this time, you can reduce your costs by sharing local tours with other visitors. For the rest of the year, much of Oman is very hot and hazy, particularly between May and September.

 

Oman Set to Become Tourism Hotspot

by Michele Howe on Thursday, 18 October 2007

 

Oman is set to be a key tourism hotspot, a regional real estate advisory consultant said yesterday.

Predicting that with its triple sell of sun, sea and sand, the country was set for a boom in tourism, Robin Williamson, general manager of DTZ Bahrain, said that Oman represented a “huge opportunity” for real estate developers operating in the region.

Oman has been focusing on developing its identity as a leading tourism location in the Middle East since the slump in oil prices in the late 90s required the country to diversify its economy away from dependence on its oil and gas resources

Housing will be another key area for growth, Williamson said, particularly provision for the mid and lower middle class.

Due to the expansion of the population and the pressure on governments to provide housing for people, there is likely to be immense growth in the housing sector, Williamson said during a presentation at Cityscape.
The population in both Saudi and the UAE is growing at above 12%, according to Williamson.

Warehousing is likely to be the third main driver of growth, according to Williamson. As more foreign companies begin renting warehouses rather than building their own warehouse premises, there is likely to be a big upsurge in the construction of warehouses, he predicted.

Article Source:

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/502190-oman-set-to-become-tourism-hotspot

For more information on Oman tourism, check the following links

www.omantourism.gov.om/

www.destinationoman.com/

http://www.oman.org/tourism.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Oman

www.omanet.om

http://www.oryxoman

http://wwww.birdsOman

http://www.apexstuff.com

http://www.businessdirectoryoman.com