The call of the caravan

By Baraah Al Mujaini

Qurayat is home to some beautiful attractions and is a stone’s throw away from some of Oman’s most popular wadi destinations. In winter, Qurayat becomes a winter paradise as people from nearby towns flock to its beaches to enjoy the cooler breeze of the season.

Despite its potential, it is facing challenges when it comes to places to stay for guests.

It is for this reason that Ahmed al Sinani built his business model around renting caravans as an alternative to hotels and apartments. In 2013, Ahmed started to think about this business seriously. He consulted several experts before taking any key steps and consider different aspects to make sure that it become a fruitful endeavour.

Ahmed’s business of renting caravans was officially launched in January 2020. The caravans are equipped with several modern amenities including functional showers and toilets.

When Covid-19 challenged the world, his rent-a-caravan business took off providing the much-needed alternative to exploring Oman’s beautiful nature.

“Anyone who launches a business must have clear objectives, and mine were: cleanliness, honesty, and credibility. And I think this is what makes my caravans special and unique,” Ahmed said.

Al Sinani’s caravans are also complemented by different activities that make renting it entertaining. For instance, bikes, cinema screens and banana boats are made accessible to the guest guaranteeing that he has a full package of entertainment, especially for family renters.

Still a growing trend in Oman, Ahmed shared that there are a few challenges that he has to face. While the caravan is a known trend in other parts of the world, different agencies in Oman are yet to embrace it citing some restrictions imposed by municipalities and constantly working with different offices for them to understand what this particular industry needs.

Ahmed also shared that from the renter’s perspective, they are yet to fully create a fully functioning system where guests will be able to adhere to instructions, particularly on the issue of cleanliness and sanitation.

“So far I am satisfied with the extent to which people have liked the idea there are more booking during winter than in the summer because of the weather, yet in general people did like experiencing caravans”, Al Sinani said.

Ahmed always tries his best to ensure warm hospitality to the clients, hence, he is keen on providing novel facilities and introducing special offers from time to time.

As a way to enhance the services in the caravan, Ahmed applies a post-experience questionnaire in which he asks about the services and the extent to which the hospitality was convenient. Ahmed also focuses on asking the client if there are any suggestions to upgrade the caravan’s level of services and activities.

“Some of the clients do suggest great ideas, yet some of which are hard to apply since we don’t own the destination where we place the caravans”, Al Sinani said.

Coastal destinations are the most favourable places to have a caravan experience. The Omani golden beaches offer a distinctive experience where you can enjoy the lovely weather and fresh air. According to Al Sinani, the best time to rent caravans is during the winter months however, some clients prefer during the summer since the weather is mostly good next to the sea.

“We have chosen our destinations very carefully to ensure an amazing experience for the clients. It is ideal for relaxation and experiencing new activities offered as a package when renting the caravans. The destination is suitable as well for fishing and swimming, along with an external yard beside the caravan where the client can have a barbeque night or so”, Al Sinani added.

The most significant criteria in owning a rental caravan according to Ahmed is to ensure a high level of cleanliness and provide the client with all the facilities needed to ensure an appealing experience.

For those interested to have the caravan experience, Ahmed can be contacted through his Instagram: @caravan.almuzn