The Majlis Ash’shura on Monday hosted Salim bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, during its 8th regular session of the second sitting of the 10th Term.

The session dealt with the ministry’s statement on its policies, plans and programmes, overall tourism development indicators, heritage sector management, tourism sector management and human resources in the heritage and tourism sectors, as well as areas of coordination and prospects of investment.

The session was chaired by Khalid bin Hilal al Maawali, Chairman of the Majlis Ash’shura.

The ministry’s statement focused on six main topics. The minister stated that the statement highlights the ministry’s most prominent efforts during the Tenth Five-Year Plan and its role in achieving the goals of Oman Vision 2040, in line with the plans and targets of the economic diversification and their contribution to the gross domestic product.

Abdullah al Harthy, Chairman of the Media, Tourism and Culture Committee, said: “The statement covered everything related to the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism. This sector is one of the enablers of the national economy of this country. We in the Majlis hope that heritage and tourism will become one of the tributaries of the economy after oil and that there are positive indicators as the current rate of 2.5 per cent in the country’s economy over the past period is a good indicator. We aspire for it to reach at least 10 per cent. This is an ambitious goal in Oman Vision 2040 and it is important for the ministry to work on this aspect.”

Al Harthy also added that the issue of job-seekers is a topic of concern, especially since the ministry has a number of initiatives that will stimulate the economy.

The minister said that the contribution of tourism sector grew from RO 1.8 billion in 2019 to RO 2 billion in 2023 and the direct added value of tourism increased from RO 873 million in 2019 to RO 1 billion in 2023.

He added that indicators show that the contribution of tourism sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) will reach 3.5 per cent by 2030, supported by ongoing investments that amount to approximately RO 3 billion, in addition to investment plans in different governorates of the Sultanate of Oman.Speaking about domestic tourism, the minister pointed out that the number of local visitors increased from 10 million in 2019 to 13 million in 2023, while the volume of domestic tourism spending grew from RO 732 million in 2019 to RO 830 million in 2023.

He said that the ministry is taking steps to establish, develop and renovate tourist destinations in accordance with the Royal directives. Discussing the statement, the minister said, “GCC Unified Visa will take time due to security concerns and differing views among GCC countries. Discussions are ongoing, with specific reservations about some nationalities from unstable regions.”

The unified visa was officially approved in 2023 to increase tourism in the GCC, by making it more convenient for non-nationals living in Gulf countries to explore other countries in the region without needing to obtain separate visas.

INVESTMENTS

The statement addressed six main axes, including policies, plans and programmes; overall tourism development indicators; heritage sector management; tourism sector management; human resources in the heritage and tourism sectors; and areas of coordination and development and investment prospects.

The first axis covered the ministry’s plans and programmes being implemented in the heritage and tourism sectors and their alignment with the priorities of Oman Vision 2040, the development projects for the heritage and tourism sectors and the ministry’s vision for including future programmes and projects focused on developing the heritage and tourism sectors within the programmes of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan.

The second axis discussed an analysis of the tourism balance during the current five-year plan. This is expected in the next five-year plan, through an assessment of tourism spending in all its aspects during the current plan, an assessment of the impact of domestic tourism on the sector’s total output, its areas of expenditure and its future growth, in addition to the current assessment of integrated tourism complex projects and their impact in terms of investment value, job opportunities generated and inter-connectedness with other economic sectors.

HERITAGE SECTOR

The third axis of the ministerial statement was devoted to discussing the management of the heritage sector. This was achieved by addressing the management of Oman’s tangible cultural heritage, the ministry’s efforts to sustain it, and the management of historical and archaeological monuments. It also focused on the heritage sector’s contribution to the gross domestic product and its future development and growth, both as a whole and as a sector.

The heritage sector has demonstrated steadfast commitment to managing the sustainability of architectural heritage, as evidenced by the 370 restored monuments.

A periodic maintenance programme is being implemented according to priorities and available financial resources, while these resources are being utilised for investment through civil partnerships. The archaeological surveys and excavations programme continues to be distinguished by attracting specialised archaeological missions from around the world. The heritage sector has witnessed a doubling of efforts to develop the World Heritage sites. This includes the establishment of iconic visitor centres at the historic city of Qalhat, the Bat site, and the archaeological site of Dibba, while preparations are underway to include the sites of Bisya and Salut on the World Heritage List.

Meanwhile, museums have witnessed significant activity through the implementation of several development and integration programmes with the Omani museum system at various levels. The Maritime History Museum project in the Wilayat of Sur represents an exemplary model of partnership between various parties and is one of the most prominent projects that translates the second edition of HH Sayyid Belarab bin Haitham Award for Architectural Design. Preparations are also underway to relocate the Natural History Museum to its new location within the Oman Botanic Garden project, in addition to supporting private museums and heritage houses in various governorates.

GEOLOGICAL PARKS

Natural heritage, including geological and rare phenomena, also receives a share of attention and development. This includes the use and display of meteorite collections and the deployment of a digital monitoring system that tracks falls in receiving fields according to their distribution. This is in addition to the ministry’s initiative to establish geological parks, beginning with the Al Hajar Geological Park project, which extends over an area of 5,400 square kilometres and encompasses three governorates. Development is progressing apace.

The fourth axis focuses on tourism sector management and contribution to the gross domestic product and highlighting the most prominent tourism projects aimed at maximising the sector’s economic impact. The number of local visitors increased from 10 million in 2019 to 13 million in 2023. Domestic tourism spending also increased from RO 732 million in 2019 to RO 830 million in 2023, underscoring the importance of domestic tourism. ADVENTURE TOURISM

The ministry is also working to employ and support adventure tourism, while it has initiated an ambitious strategy to utilise Omani ports to promote cruise ship and luxury yacht tourism. It also recently launched a programme for medical and wellness tourism, along with other traditional and emerging tourism models.

The fifth axis addressed the issue of human resources in the heritage and tourism sectors, and the ministry’s efforts to determine the supply and demand rates for national labour in the heritage and tourism sectors and improve Omanisation rates.

Ahmed al Balushi, a member of the Majlis Majlis Ash’shura representing the Wilayat of Al Seeb, said, “The tourism sector’s contribution to the labour market is not satisfactory. We believe there are significant and broad opportunities to employ Omanis in various tourism sectors, whether in hotels, tourist resorts, restaurants, cafes, etc. There is a gap between educational outcomes and market needs.”

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