Sultanate of Oman Targets Qatari Tourism Market

Doha, October 08 (QNA) - The Sultanate of Oman seeks to increase the tourism sector's contribution to the country's GDP to 3% by 2020, rising from about 2.8% currently, and attract 11 million visitors by 2040. For this purpose, the Omani Ministry of Tourism organized a workshop in Doha, aimed at attracting more Qatari tourists and residents of Qatar, and promoting tourism relations between the two countries. The workshop included representatives of the Omani Ministry of Tourism and Travel as well as tourism companies and hotels along with a wide range of travel companies and tourism agencies in the state of Qatar. Assistant Director General for Tourism Events and Awareness at the Ministry of Tourism of Oman Haitham bin Mohammed Al Ghassani said in remarks to reporters on the sidelines of the seminar that preparations are underway for a delegation from the Omani Ministry of Tourism to visit the Qatar Tourism Authority to discuss the joint promotion of tourism in the two countries. Al Ghassani stressed that Qatar is an important market for tourism in Oman, and the two countries have fruitful cooperation in this regard, as the two countries have signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of tourism and are depending on it to develop joint programs. Al Ghassani further added that the Sultanate of Oman looks forward to increasing the percentage of tourists from the state of Qatar, as the flights between the two countries are increasing and the openness of the State of Qatar to the world after allowing more than 80 nationalities to visit them without a pre-entry visa, stressing that this will reflect positively on the Omani tourism market. Assistant Director General for Tourism Events and Awareness at the Ministry of Tourism of Oman pointed out that the current workshop in Qatar is an important opportunity to introduce the latest developments in the tourism industry in the Sultanate of Oman, which is going to open new accommodation facilities this year, as well as promote incentive tourism and conferences that are a magnet for visitors and tourists. Al Ghassani further added that he is confident that these workshops will help strengthen our promotional efforts to consolidate the status of the Sultanate as a leading tourist center, pointing to the importance of these promotional workshops organized by the Ministry this year in the framework of strengthening partnership and cooperation with the concerned authorities and exchange of opportunities in order to further enhance the status of Oman as a preferred tourist destination for the holidays and various events throughout the year. The Omani Ministry of Tourism organizes the current workshop in Doha, in the framework of a series of workshops carried out in some GCC countries to promote the most important tourist attractions in Oman, with the aim of enhancing its tourism. (QNA)