The Middle East

The tourism sector is enjoying increased attention. In 2012 it accounted for some 3% of GDP, saw growth of nearly 4% in the same year, and contributed to the creation of some 70,000 jobs in 2011. In the broader Middle East region, tourism job creation actually shrank by 0.6%. Going forward, the government’s priority is to diversify tourism offerings, via a number of initiatives to promote the...

The creation of a public education system capable of equipping Omanis for a modern economy has been at the centre of government policy for decades, and the private sector has thrived since the 1970s. Yet, more recently, the sector has seen a similar expansion of investment at the tertiary level, combined with an increasing amount of research activity. This new phase of expansion is underpinned by...

After many years of building up the transport system – and with over $11bn in the budget for hard infrastructure projects during the 2011-2015 period – the next few years promise significant transformation for Oman’s transport sector. A number of large-scale developments are in the pipeline, and a proposed new railway connecting Oman with other GCC countries is expected to create capacity for...

Over the past 40 years, Oman’s telecoms market has transformed from a state monopoly to a multi-player market, one that has been marked by an increasingly fast pace of development. As more players have entered the market, fierce competition among operators has helped keep prices down. The sector has enjoyed good growth in recent years; mobile subscribers almost tripled between 2005 and the second...

Oman’s cultural heritage is renowned throughout the region and beyond, and much of the government’s effort in relation to it has been exerted on its preservation and ensuring that the sultanate’s young population is imbued with the richness of its past. The nation’s youth are also the principal target of a drive to enhance Oman’s sporting infrastructure and proficiency, a strategy that has...

Farming and fishing play important roles in the Omani economy: more than half the local population and some 7.8% of expatriate workers are employed in these industries. This is despite the historic challenge of an arid climate and scarcity of water for crop cultivation, which have traditionally limited development. However, the implementation of modern irrigation techniques in recent times has...