All Countries and All Sectors

Having begun to roll out a tourism master plan that puts the spotlight on natural and cultural assets, Brunei Darussalam is targeting an 8% increase in visitor numbers this year.

Several issues debated during Ghana’s 2012 campaign season regarding education funding are expected to be revisited in 2013. The cost and quality of education ranks as a high priority for citizens, and as the new government articulates its policy, it will be seeking to balance that priority with fiscal discipline.

International arrivals in Myanmar topped 1m in 2012, up an impressive 30% from the year before. The country, which was recently voted the “top travel destination” by readers of the British magazine Wanderlust, is also attracting the attention of international hotel chains.

A move to bring the marketing and sales side of Qatar’s chemical, fertiliser and polymer operations under one umbrella is an indication of the country’s plans to build a larger and more vibrant downstream petrochemicals sector, which is expected to see increased revenues from plans to more than double production by 2020.

After years of slow growth in foreign direct investment (FDI) following the global financial crisis, the Philippines is now showing high potential for a return to 2007 FDI levels. The country still lags behind some of ASEAN neighbours in overall investment per capita levels, although strong economic growth and new anti-corruption measures, combined with a recent credit rating upgrade from Fitch Ratings, have improved the Philippines’ reputation.

A number of new projects, concentrated on bolstering Oman’s infrastructure backbone, are currently filling the order books of domestic construction firms. However, some industry insiders have warned new regulations and a rising wages bill could see profit margins eroded even as activity increases.