Tourism sector on track to create 500,000 jobs by 2040
Addressing the Shura Council on Monday, Al Mahrouqi outlined a comprehensive strategy to boost the sector, which is set to contribute OMR3 billion, or 3.5 percent, to the country's GDP by 2030 - a marked increase from previous years.
This growth is aligned with Oman Vision 2040's broader economic diversification goals, positioning tourism as a cornerstone of the nation's future development.
The Minister highlighted that the contribution of the tourism sector has risen from OMR1.8bn in 2019 to OMR2 billion in 2023.
The sector's direct added value also grew from OMR873 million in 2019 to OMR1 billion in 2023, signalling a positive trend that is expected to accelerate in the coming years.
Speaking about domestic tourism, the Minister said that the number of local visitors increased from 10 million in 2019 to 13 million in 2023, while domestic tourism spending grew from OMR732 million in 2019 to OMR830mn in 2023. This growth is driven by ongoing investments and a focus on developing and renovating key tourist destinations across Oman.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
an hour ago
- Times of Oman
Oman's inflation rate rises by 0.8% in July 2025
Muscat: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in the Sultanate of Oman recorded an increase of 0.8 percent in July 2025 compared to the same month in 2024, using 2018 as the base year. Data released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) showed that prices for the 'Miscellaneous Goods and Services' group led the list of categories with the highest increase at 6.5 percent. This was followed by the 'Transport' group at 4 percent, then the 'Restaurants and Hotels' group at 2.5 percent. The 'Health' group also recorded an increase of 0.8 percent, while prices for the 'Clothing and Footwear' group rose by 0.4 percent and the 'Education' group by 0.1 percent. Conversely, prices for the 'Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages' group decreased by 1.4 percent. The 'Culture and Recreation' group declined by 0.2 percent, and the 'Furnishings, Household Equipment, and Routine Maintenance' group decreased by 0.1 percent. Meanwhile, prices for the 'Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels' group, the 'Communications' group, and the 'Tobacco' group remained stable without recording any significant change. The average inflation rate for the 'Miscellaneous Goods and Services' group in Oman during the period from January to July 2025 was about 6.2 percent. As for the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages for July 2025 compared to the same month in 2024, the data showed an increase in a number of sub-groups. The 'Food products not elsewhere classified' sub-group led the increases at 3.9 percent, followed by the 'Sugar, Jam, Honey, and Confectionery' sub-group at 3.3 percent, and then the 'Oils and Fats' sub-group at 1.9 percent. Prices for the 'Milk, Cheese, and Eggs' sub-group also rose by 1.7 percent, the 'Meat' sub-group by 0.5 percent, in addition to the 'Bread and Cereals' sub-group, which recorded an increase of 0.4 percent. The 'Non-Alcoholic Beverages' sub-group saw a slight increase of 0.1 percent. In contrast, prices for the 'Vegetables' sub-group decreased by 14.3 percent, followed by the 'Fish and Seafood' sub-group with a decrease of 1.7 percent, and then the 'Fruits' sub-group by 1.4 percent. At the governorate level, the data showed that Al Dakhiliyah Governorate recorded the highest inflation rate by the end of July 2025 compared to the same period the previous year, with an inflation rate of 1.4 percent. It was followed by Al Dhahirah Governorate at 1.3 percent, then Musandam Governorate at 1.0 percent. The inflation rate in both South Al Sharqiyah Governorate and Muscat Governorate reached 0.8 percent. Al Buraimi Governorate recorded 0.7 percent, while Al Wusta, North Al Batinah, and South Al Batinah governorates each recorded 0.4 percent. Dhofar Governorate registered an inflation rate of 0.2 percent, while no price changes were recorded in North Al Sharqiyah Governorate.
Times of Oman
an hour ago
- Times of Oman
Tourism Hackathon 2025 to be launched in Duqm from 27 August
Duqm: A youth ideas competition titled "Tourism Hackathon 2025" will kick off in Duqm, Governorate of Al Wusta, from 27 to 31 August 2025. Organized by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in cooperation with the private sector, the competition seeks to develop the sectors of tourism and hospitality in the Sultanate of Oman. The hackathon aims to provide a platform for youth, entrepreneurs and innovators and develop smart solutions that keep pace with the evolving reality of the tourism sector. In the long term, the competition is also envisaged to motivate and empower talented Omani youth to think in innovative ways and address challenges through applicable solutions that contribute to the promotion of sustainable growth and the competitiveness of the tourism sector. The event also provides an opportunity to enhance the Sultanate of Oman's commitment to supporting innovation and honing future skills in the sectors of tourism and hospitality. The hackathon will be attended by innovators, entrepreneurs and students from universities and colleges. It will focus on types of smart tourism destinations, visitor experiences, tourism events and activities, sustainable tourism, digital innovation and the conservation of heritage and culture.
Times of Oman
2 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Digitisation and innovation transforming SMEs in Oman
Muscat: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Sultanate of Oman are witnessing rapid transformations in the fields of digitisation and innovation. The integration of digital technologies with an innovative approach is a critical factor in enabling these enterprises to achieve sustainable growth and enhance their competitiveness in local and global markets. Digital technologies provide powerful tools for improving operational efficiency, expanding customer bases, and accelerating innovation in the delivery of products and services. They also contribute to adopting innovative thinking in developing flexible business models, exploring new markets, and meeting changing customer needs more effectively. Therefore, digitisation and innovation are an essential strategy that enables SMEs to keep pace with changes and helps them grow, expand, and compete in a rapidly changing economic environment. Sajd Juma Al Salti, a digital transformation consultant, told Oman News Agency (ONA) that digitisation and innovation are fundamental factors contributing to enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs, especially given the accelerating technological transformation witnessed across various sectors. He indicated that digitisation is not merely the adoption of technology but a comprehensive transformation to improve processes, expand markets, and achieve continuous innovation that enables these enterprises to adapt and grow in the changing business environment. It is a key to opening new markets for SMEs through the adoption of modern technologies such as e-commerce and digital solutions. Al Salti added that these enterprises can expand their operations and reach local and international markets without the need for massive investments in traditional infrastructure, noting that digitisation provides the ability to reach customers quickly and easily, which opens up new opportunities for growth and expansion. He pointed out that digital innovations contribute to improving operational efficiency and reducing costs, which is crucial for SMEs seeking to excel in a competitive market. Through the use of technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data analytics, these enterprises can improve their internal processes, enhancing their ability to make better and faster decisions. Thereby, these enterprises can increase their competitiveness locally and internationally and achieve excellence in improving the quality of their products and services, he added. Within the same context, Maha Mohammed Al Habsi, an artificial intelligence trainer, said that artificial intelligence and emerging technologies such as cloud computing, blockchain, and the Internet of Things are key and essential tools in enabling SMEs to achieve sustainable growth and expand into new markets. She added that this trend is no longer a luxury or a future option but has become an urgent necessity in an economic environment that requires flexibility, efficiency, and the ability to keep pace with rapid changes. She explained that many small enterprises in the Sultanate of Oman have begun exploring these technologies to achieve higher operational efficiency and reduce operational costs. In his turn, Ishaq Hilal Al Sharyani, a specialist in training and qualifying entrepreneurs, said that despite the promising opportunities presented by digital transformation, SMEs face tangible challenges in adopting it, most notably limited financial and technical resources, a lack of specialized digital expertise, and resistance to change within some administrative bodies. Al Sharyani added that cybersecurity and data protection also pose an additional obstacle to a full transition to digitization. To overcome these challenges, he affirmed that enterprises must adopt comprehensive strategies that include continuous staff training, seeking digital consultancy, enhancing cooperation with emerging technology companies, and leveraging government initiatives supporting entrepreneurship. He noted that these steps enable enterprises to invest in digital infrastructure and maximize the benefits of digital transformation. He affirmed that digital transformation is a real opportunity for SMEs to enhance their competitiveness and innovation, thereby increasing their contribution to the national economy and placing them on a sustainable growth path in the modern business world. Meanwhile, legal advisor Mazen Salim Al Zidi said that legal legislation has directly contributed to the growth and prosperity of SMEs. Examples include the issuance of the Law on Simplifying Litigation in certain specific disputes, such as commercial disputes related to foreign investment, rental disputes, labour disputes in the private sector, construction disputes, and disputes related to documents containing an acknowledgment of debt. This law, he said, has contributed to expediting work and adjudicating cases that often arise from SMEs and companies with foreign investment.
