Despite the volatile economic conditions in the region, the tourism sector in Oman is witnessing increasing mobility and demand with the opening of 13 new hotels in the first five months of the year, and 68 more in the pipeline till 2018.

According to director general of Investors Services & Quality Control, Eng. Mohammed Mahmoud Al Zadjali, the total number of rooms by the end of 2016 was 18,825 rooms distributed throughout the sultanate, through hotels, resorts, hotel apartments, tourist camps, rest houses, guest houses, heritage hotels and green hotels.
 
“The number of hotel establishments in the sultanate reached 352 hotel establishments by June 1. This comes as part of the Ministry's efforts to develop the hotel sector in the sultanate, increase the number of hotel rooms and diversify the tourism projects, and establish these facilities in the various governorates of the sultanate,” Al Zadjali added.
 
The number of hotel establishments by the end of 2016, at 339, increased by 6.6 per cent compared to the year 2015, which was at 318 hotel establishments. The number is expected to rise in 2017 to 352 hotels.
 
The Ministry has granted approvals for the establishment of 81 hotels that will supply the sector with 5,279 hotel rooms. Notable areas include 38 new hotels in Muscat, three new hotels in Dhofar, seven in North Batinah, and five in South Batinah, along with others throughout the sultanate.
 
The Ministry has also launched e-services for tourism procedures, which will exempt investors from physically visiting the Ministry in order to submit applications for the establishment of hotel projects.
 
“The time it takes for licences and grants to be approved is reduced to not more than five working days for a complete application that meets the technical conditions and standards,” Al Zadjali said.
 
“In addition, the Ministry of Tourism works in constant coordination with all competent authorities to simplify and expedite the procedures for obtaining approvals and licenses for tourism projects, in order to provide an efficient system of tourism services that meet the aspirations of the tourism sector in the Sultanate of Oman,” Al Zadjali added. - TradeArabia News Service