Sports leaders to map Oman's $2.65 trillion opportunity
At 11 am on Tuesday, April 29, industry leaders will gather at the Civil Aviation Authority Training Centre to explore strategic opportunities in this dynamic sector.
The 70-minute Tejarah Talks, 'Game On: The Potential of Oman's Sports Economy,' session brings together experts who understand both the country's competitive advantages and emerging trends in the world's ninth-largest industry, valued at $2.65 trillion.
Moderated by Jamal al Asmi, Executive Producer, RealityCG, the panelists are Pankaj Khimji, Foreign Trade & International Cooperation Advisor, Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion (MoCIIP); Joe Rafferty, Events Director, Oman Sail; and Ali al Ajmi, CEO, Sabco Sports.
The discussion will highlight market opportunities, including sports tourism which contributes $583 billion annually to the global economy and the fast-growing eSports sector, now valued at $6.6 billion with over 500 million viewers worldwide. The sustainable sports market, worth $26.2 billion and projected to grow at 7.9 per cent CAGR through 2032 offers particular promise as Oman pursues its 2050 Net Zero target.
Key topics will include the unique, year-round sports experiences offered by Oman's diversity of landscapes and favourable climate for sports tourism and events, developing infrastructure through public-private partnerships and creating career pathways in sports management. And with a median age of approximately 29 and internet penetration exceeding 95 per cent, Oman's demographics align well with emerging sports sectors like eSports.
The panel will examine successful international models, including Barcelona's Olympic investments that yielded substantial economic returns and Singapore's innovative Sports Hub PPP structure. These case studies offer valuable insights for Oman's strategic sports planning.
Beyond economic potential, the session will address the broader societal impact of sports. Research indicates communities with strong sports infrastructure experience enhanced social outcomes while regular physical activity reduces national healthcare costs significantly.
Organized by Oman Business Forum in association with MoCIIP and supported by MHD, Nortal, Invest Oman Lounge and Oman FM, April's Tejarah Talks aims to provide actionable insights for investors, policymakers, and industry stakeholders interested in developing Oman's sports sector in alignment with Vision 2040 objectives.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Observer
3 hours ago
- Observer
Oman industrial edge — time to double down
Oman's manufacturing engine has shifted up a gear. By end-2024, real value-added in manufacturing rose 7.45% to RO 3.62 billion, lifting the sector's share to 9.4% of real GDP. Between January and May 2025, non-oil exports increased by 7.2% to RO 2.7 billion. These are not isolated data points; they show policy is working — and that the government's bet on industry as the locomotive of diversification deserves firmer backing and faster execution. Where does Oman's advantage lie today? It is a 'value bundle'. Geography comes first: a gateway to the Indian Ocean with deep-water ports at Salalah, Suhar and Duqm, and economic zones that convert transit flows into processing and re-export. Stability matters just as much: a trusted political and regulatory environment lowers risk-adjusted costs for long-horizon capital. Energy is the third pillar: reliable gas paired with fast-emerging solar, wind and green hydrogen gives Omani exporters a credible low-carbon story in markets where carbon intensity is a tariff in disguise. Finally, Oman's hallmark is execution credibility — predictable timelines, integrated agencies and functioning infrastructure. Price matters; certainty often matters more. On this foundation sits a coherent sectoral map. Food manufacturing can ride regional demand and import substitution. Chemicals and petrochemicals seed value chains for pharmaceuticals and personal care. Metals feed equipment, electrical devices and transport components. Medical and pharmaceutical supplies, along with industrial equipment, can scale through standards and certification. The next wave is equally clear: organic and specialised foods; components for renewables; recycling of industrial, plastic and metal waste; and the localisation of electrical industries and semiconductors. This is the path from commodity exposure to higher value-added exports. Policy already points the way. Vision 2040's industrial strategy sets quantifiable milestones: lift sectoral contribution to more than RO 11.6 billion, expand exports to roughly RO 25 billion and attract RO 40 billion in industrial investment. To hit these targets, momentum must translate into bankable projects. Three priorities can lock in the gains. The government's bet on industry as the locomotive of diversification deserves firmer backing and faster execution First, move swiftly from 'opportunity lists' to signed investment contracts with clear milestones, local-content requirements and performance metrics. Speed to financial close and pilot operations is the truest test of policy effectiveness. Second, deepen domestic demand through smart local-content programmes and multi-year offtake agreements in energy, infrastructure, health and food. Certainty of demand lowers unit costs and encourages technology upgrades — provided quality benchmarks are enforced. Third, arm exporters with competitive finance and faster standards. Expanded export-credit guarantees, supply-chain finance and concessional windows for energy-efficiency and circular-economy upgrades will crowd in private capital. A unified technical accreditation window — with mutual-recognition arrangements in target markets — can convert months of testing into a market advantage. Human capital is the multiplier. Micro-credentials tied to production roles, factory-based training, and incentives for firms that meet hiring-and-training thresholds will ease skill bottlenecks, especially in pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment and electronics. Decarbonisation should be treated as a sales tool, not a compliance burden: measured reductions in emissions intensity will open doors in high-standard markets and trim medium-term operating costs. The case for supporting the government's current industrial push is therefore straightforward. The numbers show momentum; the strategy provides direction; and Oman's edge — location, stability, low-carbon energy and execution reliability — is real. Double down now, convert pipeline to contracts, and the country can build a resilient production base that earns foreign currency, creates quality jobs and climbs global value chains. That is how Oman moves from promising indicators to a durable industrial footprint well beyond 2040.
Observer
a day ago
- Observer
Sky's the limit for Duplantis ahead of 'super-sick' Tokyo worlds
CHORZOW, Poland: Record-breaking Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis has predicted a "super-sick" world championships in Tokyo, where he won his first Olympic medal in the Covid-delayed Summer Games, but insisted statistics were unimportant to him. The US-born Swede has been in electric form, setting a 13th world record, of 6.29 metres, in Budapest on Tuesday to further seal his claim as one of the best track and field athletes in history. But Duplantis shies away from the bravado often shown by sprinters, reiterating that he is not bothered by the numbers game. "I'm just making sure that all the little details and everything are very polished and that I'm really ready to go at the most important time," Duplantis said on Thursday ahead of the Diamond League meet in Silesia, Poland. "It's a lot of recognition," he conceded of setting multiple world records. "It's always an amazing feeling and I'm always super grateful, and it feels kind of surreal in a way every time I've been able to push the record a little bit higher." A return to Tokyo's Olympic Stadium for the September 13-21 world champs, with a full crowd compared to the empty tribunes in 2021 because of the pandemic, left Duplantis "super excited". "I have super high expectations," he said. "It's going to super sick, honestly. "I think the atmosphere is going to be insane. Then it's just up to me to enjoy it and channel what everybody's giving me and try to put on a good show." But the 25-year-old, who has used the same pole to set the last 10 world records, again played down expectations of how high he thought the bar might be raised to. "I just love competing," he said. "It doesn't matter how many world records that I break. "When it comes to sports in general, you always have to prove yourself on the day because nobody just gives you anything, it's all earned. "They don't just give me the trophy because I'm the favourite. I still have to go out there and have to compete. I have to be on my A game, and I have to earn my title as the one that's going to be the best and last man standing on that day every time." Sweden's Armand Duplantis celebrates after setting a new pole vault world record at 6,29m during the men's pole vault event of the Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix in Budapest, Hungary on August 12, 2025. (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP) NO SPECIAL MAGIC NUMBER As for the 6.30m mark and beyond, Duplantis added: "I don't want to lie and make something up and act like there's some special magic number that I'm aiming for that's always in the back of my mind when it's really not the case, because I'm really not very super fixated on anything in particular. "I feel like I'm very much somebody that lives in the present moment and I try to maximise and achieve the most that I can in the now." That said, the Swede then fired out a warning, saying he knew he was going "to keep jumping higher, there's a lot more to come, and I'm going to keep pushing it". "I just try to jump as well as I can every day and I know that if I jump the way that I should jump then I should be the best guy on the track and I should be the guy that's the last man standing." Duplantis also said he had vastly improved, both physically and mentally, over recent years, allowing him an unprecedented consistency in competition. "I'm just better in every way," he said. "I'm more experienced. I have a better understanding... how to take care of myself and my body and what to do to remain in good shape, also just better performing and getting the most of myself on each given day. "There's going to be a day where I'm not going to jump very well, but that happens. Doesn't happen that often, though, and it probably won't happen two times in a row." — AFP
Observer
3 days ago
- Observer
Oman can leverage AI to boost transparency
SALALAH, AUG 13 Secure and targeted use of artificial intelligence can help Oman's government and private sector enhance transparency, performance, and citizen engagement, according to Jennifer McGinty, founder and director of McGinty Consulting. On her first visit to Oman, McGinty speak at the Labour Forum 2025, organised by the Ministry of Labour, on how AI can be used effectively and safely. She said her aim was to introduce employees to practical tools while stressing the importance of data security. 'I have a lot of experience working with large private companies such as Indeed, Bain & Company, Deloitte, and USAID, which excel in using AI tools. But I've noticed that in the Middle East, North Africa, and even the U.S., government agencies are far behind,' she told the Observer. 'If they are using AI tools, they are often not using them in a safe and secure way. Some are putting proprietary information — private data about citizens and their governments — into public AI platforms that are not securely stored.' McGinty said Oman's Vision 2040 — particularly its focus on youth employment — offers an excellent opportunity to use digital platforms to connect young people with government programmes. 'Oman has a great opportunity to use these AI tools to communicate directly with citizens — through emails, public platforms, or social media,' she said. 'I hope the Ministry of Labour will take some of these tools and use them to improve communication.' For decision-makers, especially in AI departments across ministries and in the private sector, she recommended starting with a needs-based or baseline study. 'You have to understand what employees are spending their time on and where they need help. Without that, you risk buying 20 different AI tools, and people will only use one or two — which is a waste of money,' she explained. Praising Oman as 'one of the most hospitable places' she has visited, McGinty added: 'People here are so respectful, much more than in many other countries I've been to. I'm very impressed.'
