Oil-reliant Oman gives tourism industry a $11.3 billion boost

Oman has announced a $11.3 billion cash injection into its tourism industry, as the country looks to diversify its economy.

The ministry of heritage and tourism said the investments would focus on the provinces of Muscat, Dhofar, South Al-Sharqiyah, South Al-Batinah and Musandam, along with granting 19 licenses for the building of tourism complexes.  

Undersecretary for Tourism Azzan Qasim Al-Busaidi said of the initiative: "The integrated tourism complexes are a modern style of tourism cities that provide services and facilities under one roof."

The 19 projects will include 81 hotel facilities with a total of 16,576 rooms. As well as hotels, 2,552 apartment hotels and villas, and 42,617 housing units will also be included in the projects.

A number of facilities will accompany the complexes, including golf courses, harbours, restaurants, cafés and shops.

The ministry has also set aside $8.1 billion for other licensed projects that are currently in a pre-implementation phase.

Oman has taken several initiatives in a bid to boost its tourism industry in recent years, opening up a new airport in the capital in 2018, and signing a visa waiver with China in an attempt to attract more Chinese tourists.

The country has been keen to diversify its economy with oil reserves dwindling and a push in the Gulf region for a larger private sector.