KHASAB: The Governorate of Musandam boasts lots of tourism, archaeological and historic potentials due to its unique nature and geological make-up. Musandam is distinguished by its bays and its well-known strait which, alongside the other landmarks, represent promising opportunities for investment in the tourism industry.
Amna bint Ali al Shuhiyah, Director of Heritage Department in Musandam Governorate, said that the coastline in Musandam is one of the most thrilling scenes in the Sultanate. She added that Musandam is distinguished by its geographical location and varied terrain.
The governorate, overlooking the Sea of Oman on the east and the Arabian Gulf on the west, lies between the sea and the mountains forming quasi isthmuses in a scenery that enthral viewers with zigzag roads cutting through rock formations lead to stunning natural scenes beauty either in the depth of the sea or on mountain peaks, she said.
Al Shuhiyah said that due to the abundance of tourism potentials in Musandam, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has place it among its priorities for tourism development and sustainability in accordance to the Oman Tourism Strategy and the Comprehensive Strategy for Economic Development and the comprehensive plan for Musandam Governorate, in direct coordination and cooperation with the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit.
Musandam Governorate is not only in need for tourism industry but it also requires us to set up a daring tourism experience that is able to pull tourists. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the governorate attracted 200,000 tourists annually. The number of visitors to Musandam’s forts and castles reached 50,000 per year while cruise passenger arrivals reached 129,453, the official said.
A total of 31 land plots have been allocated and prepared for investment in Musandam following the issuance of the Royal directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, for the implementation of the decisions aimed at developing Musandam Governorate, including establishing economic and tourist zones for investment, she added.
Al Shuhiya added that Musandam Governorate has 10 hotels with a total capacity of 512 rooms. The ministry targets to increase the number of hotels and resorts within the tourism projects and has distributed land plots for tourism projects. Besides, the ministry signed usufruct agreements to set up three 3-star hotels in the wilayats of Bukha and Mad’ha.
She said that there are some projects that will be established on the land plots situated in the tourist triangle of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and will be announced soon as they become ready in addition to tourism projects serving tourists and residents that will be announced at the opportune time.
Also among the tourism projects coming up in Musandam Governorate is the Adventure Center project, developed by Omran which recently completed the implementation of the first phase of the project. — ONA
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