Oman bets on China to boost tourism

In a quest to increase the contribution of tourism to its GDP over the next 10 years, Oman is looking to China, the world's largest source market, for outbound travel.

The concentration on tourism is part of Oman Vision 2040, a plan to diversify its economy like its Gulf neighbors Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Industry experts and observers said Oman should consider partnering with reputable companies and using their expertise and experience to better identify its target market within China.

"Oman understands the growing role of China in the region and wants to co-opt itself in strengthening its relations with Beijing," said Mohammed Al-Hajri, a Gulf-China relations researcher at the University of London.

"Obviously there's an element of policy alignment between the two countries."

On the other side, the Muscat-based scholar said, Oman is seeking investments in these targeted sectors, and the potential opportunities that China can provide are appealing to Omani authorities.

The newspaper the Muscat Daily reported this month that the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism was inviting international companies to establish a tourism representative office in China to attract Chinese travelers to the sultanate.

Revamping plans

The move was part of efforts to develop and revamp marketing plans and programs aimed at promoting Oman's tourist attractions through its global offices, the paper said.

Oman hopes to increase the tourism sector's GDP contribution to 5 percent by 2030, double that of 2021. The number of Chinese visitors to the sultanate rose from 44,580 in 2018 to 107,446 in 2019, or 141 percent, the tourism ministry said.

Last year the ministry organized a virtual program, the Oman Tourism China Roadshow, in which it held an online matchmaking event bringing together Chinese buyers and exhibitors from Oman.

Ken Shen, business development manager of Shenzhen Hang Lu Travel Technology Co Ltd, said the Omani tourism representative could look at options such as finding established companies with good reputations.

His company's platform helped issue 500 tickets to the Middle East last month, with 50 tickets issued for Oman, he said.

More content will help more Chinese travelers learn about new destinations such as Oman, he said, and in addition to tourism people are interested in overseas business opportunities. The Omani government has numerous possibilities for increasing the sultanate's presence in China, he said.

In May last year the national travel and tourism operator Visit Oman signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese travel and tourism operator Beijing Spring Travel Services to promote the sultanate in the Chinese tourism market.