The travel season has recovered after the Covid-19 pandemic, with tourism industry reporting increased demand from international visitors. However, residual effects from the pandemic, such as a decrease in travel demand from some key markets, are still being felt.
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has said that the global tourism sector is still facing substantial uncertainty, with a slowdown in some key markets and a lack of clarity about the outlook for certain regions of the world.
The tourism sector in Oman is a major contributor to the sultanate's economy. The sector has seen steady growth over the past few years, and is estimated to be worth around US$4.5 billion annually. This is largely thanks to the country's diverse attractions, which include mountains, deserts, beaches, and archaeological sites. The major economic resources in the tourism sector include natural gas and oil.
In 2016, under Sultan Qaboos leadership, the sector generated RO 2.5 billion, of which RO 1.5 billion was generated by hotel and restaurant services, RO 300 million by car rental and rental companies, and RO 150 million by travel agencies and clubs.
The importance of tourism to Oman is reflected in the government's efforts to promote the country as a tourist destination. The Oman Ministry of Tourism oversees the country's tourism industry and is responsible for developing and promoting Oman's tourism infrastructure. Oman is a member of the World Tourism Organisation and the Arab Tourism Organisation.
The Oman Ministry of Tourism operates the country's tourism infrastructure, including hotels, resorts, and transportation. The Oman Tourism Development Fund, a government-owned corporation, invests in tourism-related projects.
According pre-Covid data published by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), the overall tourism industry in the Middle East generated $44.6 billion in revenue in 2017. This represented a growth of 6.4% over the previous year. The region was expected to generate $51.4 billion in revenue in 2020, representing a growth of 6.9% over the previous year. But due to the pandemic, the goal was not achieved. However, these figures show the importance of the tourism sector in the Middle East, and its potential for growth. The WTTC report also shows that the travel industry is a key driver of the global economy. In 2017, the travel and tourism sector accounted for 2.5% of global GDP.
The data related to 2022 will be published in early 2023.
As an overall direction, there is a widespread consensus that sustainable tourism is a growing trend, opening up business opportunities for some countries. The term ‘sustainable tourism’ has been used in various ways and to different degrees, but at its heart, it refers to responsible tourism that meets the needs of both tourists and local communities. Important challenges that sustainable tourism faces include the need to develop a growth model that is both effective and environment friendly, and to ensure that tourism quality is high enough to attract tourists.
Quality can be improved by implementing effective developmental growth policies, which can help to improve the economic development of the tourism industry and the informal sectors.
Growth model is important for sustainable tourism because it determines how much tourism will grow, how it will be developed, and how it will be beneficial for both tourists and local communities.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
