All Countries and All Sectors

With Muscat having been named the Arab Tourism Capital for 2012 and the country becoming increasingly popular with visitors from around the globe, Oman’s tourism sector is gaining attention from local and international investors who are building new hotel and property developments. To go along with the accommodation offerings, there is also a need for additional entertainment and leisure facilities to fill niche markets and create demand.

Negotiations to buy a large share of a regional airline with Sarawak could boost Sabah’s domestic tourism sector by bringing in increasing numbers of tourists.

A new mining policy in the Philippines is intended to bring greater regulatory clarity to the sector and is an important step towards unfreezing the current hiatus in an industry that has huge potential. However, until a new revenue-sharing bill for the sector – which will likely raise taxes on mining operations – is implemented, no new contracts will be awarded.

Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national airline, is pushing forward with an expansion policy that should prepare it to compete in the increasingly competitive regional aviation environment.

Work to build on the emirate’s reputation as a tourist destination by easing visa regulations and encouraging cruise tourism is under way but there are concerns that the European debt crisis and uncertainty regarding the global economic climate have the potential to weaken demand.

The information and communications technology (ICT) sector has benefitted from rising smartphone sales and expanding broadband reach, but further growth is contingent on infrastructure, particularly the expansion of the nation’s broadband capability and its integration with international networks.