Oman Investment Fund (OIF) plans to develop iconic residential and leisure destinations on Muscat’s coastline, aiming to set up the sultanate’s own version of the Riviera, a report said.

“We visited the first designs of this area that is located near Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort. And we are awaiting the participation and investment of all in this area. I think it’s a model area — a continuation of old Muscat. I think it will become the Muscat Riviera!” Shaikh Hassan Ahmed al Nabhani, chief executive officer of OIF, was quoted as saying in the Oman Observer report.

OIF plans to develop Yiti and Yenkit, further along the coast from Barr Al Jissah in Muscat Governorate, into modern communities and destinations highlighting Oman’s culture, the report said.

An integrated developmental plan for the two destinations, covering a combined area of 12 million sq m, is proposed to include hotels ranging from three-star to upscale luxury properties, affordable to luxurious residential propositions, retail, food and beverage outlets and office areas, according to the report.