Tourism

2015 proved a record year for Oman’s tourist industry, with the number of incoming visitors topping those of previous years and wide media coverage promoting the country’s increasingly cemented status as a niche tourism destination. The preservation of the country’s natural surroundings and cultural traditions has allowed it to keep much of the spirit of “Old Arabia”, and indeed tourism has been deliberately kept at the high end, with marketing aimed at visitors who are interested in engaging with local culture, nature and history. Meanwhile, various developments look set to bolster the sector moving forward, with the ongoing expansion of Muscat International Airport a prime example. A new terminal is currently under construction which will boast an expected capacity of 12m passengers per annum, with further capacity to accommodate four times that number in the future. This chapter contains and interview with Ali Al Rasbi, Acting CEO, Omran.