MUSCAT: The tourism sector in the Sultanate of Oman has shown significant growth, with the total number of workers reaching 179,750, including 16,799 Omanis, as of October. The sector boasts 23,979 small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with 4,751 establishments under the Riyada programme.
The tourism sector provides competitive advantages, including incentives such as revenue-sharing based on an 8-per cent service fee from hotel customers and classified restaurants to ensure sustainability and a conducive work environment.
The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism collaborates with various sectors to boost the national tourism workforce. It involves incentive programmes, employment fairs and the implementation of the New Tourism Law (Royal Decree No 69/2023), streamlining investment for job creation.
In line with Oman Vision 2040, the ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour, works towards increasing Omani participation in the sector. Competence transfer from the Ministry of Labour to the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is facilitated through the Labour Market Governance Committee for the tourism sector.
The ministry's initiatives aim to regulate the labour market, create job opportunities and enhance professional standards. Projects include partnerships for developing professional standards, specialised training programmes and sectorial labour market organisation through the cooperation programme signed in September 2022.
A notable initiative involves a training programme in tourism guidance in collaboration with Oman Tourism College. It supports developing and activating professional standards for tourist guides, ensuring experienced and high-quality outputs.
A tourism guidance programme is in place for long-term sustainability by gradually replacing expatriates in this field.
Job fairs, such as the third one in July this year, and collaborations with Oman Tourism College contribute to employment opportunities. The ministry signed a cooperation programme with the Ministry of Education (Oman is My Destination) to instil entrepreneurship among students.
The efforts extend to culinary arts programmes, national initiatives and qualifying Omani workers for hotel leadership positions. The ministry supports local communities through a project highlighting craft products.
A research project between the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation focuses on developing professional standards. Efforts to nationalise the workforce include plans for replacing expatriates and creating new job opportunities.
The ministry aims to introduce a jobs platform to connect government sectors, private institutions, workers and educational institutions. This platform will highlight job opportunities and training programmes, fostering the growth of Omani professionals in line with market requirements.
Encouraging entrepreneurship, supporting local communities and regulating Omani craft products remain central to the ministry's objectives. Several projects and initiatives are in progress to achieve these goals.
NEW JOBS
Among the efforts made by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, which aims to increase the number of Omanis working in the sector, is the development and follow-up of the implementation of plans to replace and nationalise the national workforce in the tourism sector in accordance with an effective and approved practical methodology among the partners, as well as creating new job opportunities for Omanis within tourism projects, programmes and experiences.
There are also efforts being made to introduce a jobs platform that will serve as a system for communicating and working with all partners from the government sector, private sector institutions, workers, and training and educational institutions related to the sector, in order to highlight the job opportunities and training programmes offered by the sector in aim of increasing the number of Omanis in the sector and supplying the market with Omani cadres capable of practicing the profession in accordance with the requirements of the labour market.
Also among the objectives of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is to encourage entrepreneurship, supporting local communities and regulating Omani craft products, while there are a number of projects and initiatives that the ministry is developing and seeking to implement to achieve the targeted goals.
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