Revenues of 3-5 star hotels rise by over 10% in Oman
Statistics issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information showed that this increase is attributed to a 2.3 percent increase in the total number of hotel guests, recording approximately 610,176 by the end of last March, compared to 596,366 guests by the end of March 2024.
Regarding the occupancy rate, it increased from 54.9 percent at the end of March 2024 to 59.5 percent at the end of the same month in 2025, recording an increase of 8.3 percentage points.
The number of guests from the Americas reached 21,781, an increase of 11.6 percent, while the number of guests from the African continent reached 4,633, an increase of 70.7 percent.
The number of Asian guests increased by 10.1 percent to reach 87,210, and from Oceania, 13,098 guests, an increase of 50.9 percent.
Statistics indicated a 9.1 percent decrease in the number of Omani guests, reaching 171,809 by the end of March 2025, while the number of guests from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries increased by 18.2 percent, reaching 37,646 guests.
The number of guests of other Arab nationalities also declined by 7.7 percent, reaching 22,533. Meanwhile, the number of European guests increased by 7.5 percent, reaching 232,986 guests.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Observer
8 hours ago
- Observer
Exports drive Oman's economic growth
SUHAR:Omani products are gaining a stronger foothold in international markets, with recent figures showing steady growth in exports and rising global demand. North Al Batinah, with its strategic location and world-class logistics facilities, is emerging as a driving force in this momentum. At a recent forum organized by the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), North Al Batinah branch, business leaders, government officials, and logistics experts gathered to discuss how ports and maritime shipping can unlock greater opportunities for national exports. The event underscored Sohar Port and Freezone's role as a gateway to global markets and a pillar of Oman's trade competitiveness. Eng. Saeed al Abri, Chairman of OCCI North Al Batinah, highlighted the significance of the sector, noting: 'Maritime shipping is the backbone of global trade. By investing in logistics efficiency and international partnerships, Oman can ensure its products reach more markets and compete on a larger scale.' He further pointed to the Oman-U.S. Free Trade Agreement as a golden opportunity, offering customs exemptions and facilitating stronger entry for Omani goods into one of the world's most lucrative markets. According to the latest data, Oman's non-oil exports reached RO 1.618 billion in the first quarter of 2025, an increase of 8.6% compared to the same period in 2024. By the end of last year, exports stood at RO 23 billion, marking a 10% growth from 2023. This positive trend continued into 2025, with exports valued at RO 10.683 billion by mid-year. Business leaders, government officials, and logistics experts gathered to discuss how ports and maritime shipping can unlock greater opportunities for national exports. North Al Batinah itself reported remarkable progress, with exports climbing to RO 676 million , a 37% increase while container traffic through Sohar Port grew by 15% in 2024. The forum in North Al Batinah was notable not only for its high-level discussions but also for the strong turnout of entrepreneurs, business owners, and representatives of various companies and institutions. Their presence reflected a growing awareness within the community about the importance of exports and logistics in strengthening the national economy. For many entrepreneurs, the gathering offered a valuable opportunity to learn how Omani products can expand into global markets and how small and medium enterprises can benefit from improved shipping and trade facilities. Participants from larger companies emphasized that meetings of this kind are essential for building stronger partnerships between the public and private sectors. They noted that by working together, businesses and institutions can play a vital role in boosting Oman's competitiveness and ensuring that the benefits of trade extend across different segments of society. The involvement of logistics and shipping firms further highlighted how closely connected infrastructure and trade are. Their contributions underscored the readiness of the sector to support exporters and create an environment that allows Omani goods to move more efficiently to international markets. Overall, the diverse participation at the forum demonstrated how collective engagement and rising awareness can accelerate efforts to achieve sustainable economic growth in the Sultanate. The forum concluded with a call for greater integration between government entities, logistics providers, and exporters, to strengthen Oman's global presence and cement its role as a competitive player in international trade.
Observer
8 hours ago
- Observer
Omani startup charts regional growth with AI-powered food supply platform
MUSCAT: Oman's food and beverage (F&B) sector is witnessing the rise of a new player that blends technology with sustainability. ZabonEx, the Muscat-based startup using predictive analytics to help businesses 'sell more and waste less,' has set its sights on becoming a regional force. In an exclusive interview with the Observer, Co-founder Hatim Moosa al Abri said the company is now moving swiftly to capitalise on its recent $100,000 pre-seed funding round led by Future Fund Oman and ITHCA Group. The investment, secured last month, represents not just a financial boost but also validation of the company's vision to address one of the region's pressing challenges—food waste. 'We'll use this investment to speed up—without losing discipline,' Hatim explained. 'On the technology side, we're improving prediction accuracy, adding plug-and-play integrations with common POS and ERP systems, and automating model updates so customers don't need extra IT work. On market reach, we're turning successful pilots in Oman into repeatable playbooks and scaling them across the GCC.' SMARTER FORECASTING DOR SMARTER BUSINESS Founded by Hatim alongside co-founder Almuhannad al Balushi, ZabonEx offers a SaaS platform designed for F&B producers, distributors, and retailers. The system connects to a customer's sales and stock data, predicts demand at the product and outlet level, and provides clear order recommendations. The approach is distinctive. While many forecasting tools focus on broad trends, ZabonEx drills down to fine-grained, daily insights, taking into account product shelf life, minimum delivery volumes, and logistics routes. Customers interact with a simple dashboard, can tweak assumptions, and push results back into their own systems seamlessly. 'Where we stand out is in our ability to deliver daily, actionable recommendations with very fast setup,' Hatim noted. 'We also offer human-in-the-loop controls and an optional computer-vision add-on that improves on-shelf and expiry data. It's about making technology practical, not complicated.' SCALING BEYOND OMAN Having proven its concept in Oman, ZabonEx is preparing to scale regionally, starting with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, followed by Qatar and Bahrain. These markets, Hatim explained, share a similar retail structure and an urgent focus on food security. 'The opportunities are significant, especially with multi-brand distributors and national agendas to cut food waste,' he said. 'The challenges are around change management, data differences, and longer sales cycles. We address these through short pilots that prove impact quickly, bilingual products in Arabic and English, and strong local partnerships.' This expansion strategy mirrors the startup's emphasis on building secure, cloud-aligned solutions. With GCC countries pushing for data sovereignty, ZabonEx is ensuring its platform complies with local data residency requirements, positioning itself as a trusted partner in a regulated landscape. TECHNOLOGY MEETS SUSTAINABILITY At its heart, ZabonEx is not just about operational efficiency but also about environmental and social impact. Food waste is a global problem, with the UN estimating that one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted. In the GCC, where food imports dominate, waste reduction is directly tied to national food security. By helping businesses order with more precision, ZabonEx contributes to reducing expiries, minimising returns, and ensuring better shelf availability. These small, everyday decisions accumulate into lasting impact across the supply chain. 'This directly supports Oman Vision 2040 and regional priorities on food security and sustainable consumption,' Hatim said. 'At ZabonEx, success means less waste and more sales. This funding helps us deliver that faster across the region, while we build strong data systems so the benefits keep growing over time.' BUILDING THE INTELLIGENCE BACKBONE OF F&B With its strong investor backing, growing team, and scalable product, ZabonEx is positioning itself as what Hatim calls the 'intelligence backbone' of the food supply chain in the Middle East. The company's next chapter is clear: deepen its roots in Oman, expand into neighbouring markets, and continue refining its predictive engine to make smarter business decisions easier for F&B companies of all sizes. As Oman sharpens its focus on entrepreneurship and digital innovation under Vision 2040, Omani startups like ZabonEx are proving that local ideas can tackle global problems—while creating growth opportunities across the region.
Times of Oman
14 hours ago
- Times of Oman
RNO commences process to recruit officer cadets
Muscat: The Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), in coordination with the Ministry of Labour, has begun the assessment and admission procedures for Omani citizens to join military service as officer cadets (university graduates - executives). Applicants will undergo several assessment stages according to the RNO's recruitment procedures, leading to the final admission stages. The RNO is leveraging its administrative and technical capabilities to facilitate the procedures for joining military service and enlisting in the fields of honor and national duty. These strenuous efforts by the Ministry of Defense and the Sultan's Armed Forces to employ Omani citizens are in line with the plans and programs established to recruit citizens and provide the branches of the Sultan's Armed Forces and other departments within the Ministry of Defence with national manpower.
