The following was a feature article published by the Oman Daily Observer:
About The Oman Daily Observer:
THE Oman Daily Observer is the largest circulated English-language daily in the Sultanate. Launched in November 1981, the Observer is the flagship newspaper (alongside its Arabic sister daily Oman) of Oman Establishment for Press, Publication & Advertising (OEPPA), the biggest media house in the country.
The paper is widely regarded as a quality daily that provides readers with up-to-date information on local, national, regional and international news covering current affairs, business and sports, as well as offers a diverse choice of features and articles on the arts, leisure, lifestyle, entertainment, and technology, among other areas. Its readers include Omanis and expatriates alike, and is particularly admired by the business community. The paper’s online edition is also popular with online readers, travelling businesspersons, and non-resident readers who take a keen interest in Oman’s affairs.
Indeed, the Observer strives to mirror Oman’s modernisation and progress across all aspects of national life. The country’s natural, historical, cultural and tourism wealth is strongly highlighted, as are initiatives in information communications technology (ICT), infrastructure development, economic diversification, privatization, higher education, and women and child affairs, among other areas.
Complementing the paper’s experienced reporting and production staff are correspondents and contributors in a number of major cities around the world who provide high quality coverage of events in their respective regions. The paper also subscribes to leading international news agencies and syndication services, which are a significant source of superior news articles, features and columns.
ONLINE EDITION:
With a view to providing easy access to online readers, the Internet edition of the Observer was launched on 18th November 1997, coinciding with the 27th National Day celebrations. The site is regularly updated. It also has complete and comprehensive archival material for present and future reference.
These publications and services, while strengthening OEPPA’s leadership position in the media industry in Oman, further add to the organisation’s stable of long-established periodicals, such as Nizwa, which is published in Arabic.
Located at Madinat al Ilam (Information City) in Qurum, OEPPA continues to grow from strength to strength as it seeks newer opportunities and avenues to reach out to its ever-widening customer base
40 projects worth billions of dollars taking shape
1.4 million tourists visited the Sultanate last year
By Shaddad al Musalmy
MUSCAT — The Sultanate has seen tremendous growth in the tourism sector with more than 40 projects worth billions of dollars taking shape during the last two years, said Dr Rajha bint Abdulameer bin Ali, Minister of Tourism, while speaking to journalists here yesterday. “Growth in tourism sector over the last two years has been larger than expected. In 2006, it recorded a growth of 19 per cent while in 2007, it was 9 per cent as against the expected 7 per cent with 1.4 million tourists visiting the Sultanate last year while more increase is expected this year,” Dr Rajha said.
On the availability of hotel rooms in Oman, Dr Rajha said: “There are a number of hotel projects coming up and in five years, the number of rooms will be more than doubled after the integrated projects are completed.” Dr Rajha said that a number of tourism projects will be developed in different regions and governorates of the Sultanate by Omani and non-Omani investors. The ministry is currently preparing new procedures and ideas that will have positive outcome on the country and citizens.
The minister noted that the new projects include Al Sifa, Kalbouh Park, Al Souda Island, A’Seeb, Ras Al Hamra, Al Rowdah and Ras Al Hadd, in addition to two other projects near The Wave and five other projects in Musandam governorate, the Al Batinah region, the Al Buraimi governorate, and the Wilayat of A’Duqm in the Wusta region.
She pointed out that investment in tourism projects will contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “The contribution of tourism sector to the GDP is almost 1 per cent. The Tourism Ministry will organise a workshop on April 21 to find out the exact contribution of the tourism sector to the GDP,” she said. On the role of the tourism ministry, Dr Rajha said: “The ministry promotes tourism in the Sultanate and makes the Sultanate a tourist hub by selecting strategic investors who have international experience and high reputation which in turn will transfer experience and lure financial resources to the Sultanate.”
On the strategic partnership between the Sultanate’s government and foreign investors, the minister said the aim is to ensure that all sectors of society receive the benefits and that such benefits are not limited to specific person. “This aim will be later achieved when the contribution of the government will be offered for subscription by the Omani private sector in preparation for offering to the sectors of society,” she said. There is a trend at the Tourism Ministry to establish a public company or closed joint stock companies that take part in implementing the tourism projects with the government, she noted.
“The idea of establishing a public company that takes part in implementing tourism project has been implemented at the tourism project in the Al Buraimi when 30 per cent of the capital shares have been allocated for a public company from the governorate. The trend will be implemented also through Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran)’s implementation of one of the tourism projects in Muscat governorate,” she said. “As per the studies conducted by the Supreme Committee for Town Planning, land plots will be allocated for tourism projects in the coming period. These land plots will be offered for bidding by investors interested in the field.
The Tourism Ministry will then select the best offers for implementing the tourism projects, she added. Answering a question on sharing recreational facilities at the tourism projects, Dr Rajha said that the Tourism Ministry encourages setting up the projects with novel ideas that add value to the recreational facilities. The press conference was also attended by Abdullah bin Nassir bin Musallam al Rahbi, Chief Executive Officer, Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising, OEPPA.
