Connectivity vs sustainable tourism in Oman

 

Recently, the Governor’s office in Al Dakhiliyah and Mwasalat signed an agreement to provide advanced public transportation in the historic city of Nizwa, which is popular among tourists for its heritage sites and as a gateway to places like Bahla, Al Hamra and Al Jabal Al Akhdhar.

This is a major step towards sustainable development as all popular places in the Sultanate of Oman are associated with fuel-guzzling off-road SUVs.

Travel guides around generally advise that the best way to explore the country is by its wide network of roads, expressways, most of them passing through mountains.

“Beaches, wadis and mountains are largely unpolluted, but the sheer vastness of the country makes reaching one destination to another highly unsustainable because private vehicles are the only options.”

“We are seeing lot of young Omani entrepreneurs introducing this concept of electric cars for local sightseeing, which is a welcome initiative and should be encouraged because it will reduce the foreign tourist’s dependence on SUVs and give a different personal experience to the particular visit’’, according to Said al Balushi, a travel operator in Muscat.

“It is just about transportation, but also about bio-toilets and waste management at all tourist places (big or small) even if they are a paid-service or comes at a cost’’, said Henry, a Dutch citizen who has trekking across the region.

Currently, long-haul public coaches are available to major towns from the capital, but for travelling to niche tourist spots in those towns, tourists must depend on local rental services or taxis, which are unregulated.

Another option is to hire branded rental services that could be unaffordable to an average domestic tourist.

According to environmentalists, the tourism sector cannot be spared from its contribution to global warming as it is said to be accountable for 10 per cent of the world’s total greenhouse emissions.

The focus on improving connectivity to tourist sites has led governments to encourage short-haul flights instead of improving the connectivity via public transport.

The Sultanate of Oman aims to protect architecture in the country, in addition to preserving the environment and cultural heritage.