SALALAH, MARCH 31
After a period of delay, the landmark Al Sodah Island resort project in Dhofar Governorate is back on track with an estimated investment value of approximately $100 million, according to a top official of integrated tourism and real estate developer Muriya – a partnership of Egypt’s Orascom and Omran Group of the Sultanate of Oman.
Eng Wael al Lawati, CEO of Muriya, expressed confidence in the company’s ability to overcome access challenges associated with the project, planned for development on offshore islands that are part of the Wilayat of Shaleem wal Halaniyat Islands.
Al Lawati said the resort project – a partnership between Orascom’s Samih Sawaris and Muriya – will leverage the latter’s formidable experience in such endeavors to ensure its successful implementation.
Speaking to the Observer on the sidelines of a gathering of tourism industry representatives hosted by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in Salalah on Friday, Muriya’s CEO also welcomed Minister Salim al Mahrouqi’s call for collaboration and coordinated action in marketing Dhofar’s tourism potential.
Eng Al Lawati highlighted in this regard Muriya's capacity to host international conferences, emphasizing Salalah's potential as a conference destination. He advocated for expanding the scope and diversifying the locations for hosting conferences within Salalah. However, he stressed the crucial role of establishing direct flights from neighboring countries to attract a wider range of conferences. Eng. Al Lawati emphasized that without improved air connectivity, significant growth in conference and exhibition tourism would be limited.
The Minister and Eng Al Lawati also discussed Muriya's existing contributions to Dhofar's tourism sector. The Minister commended Muriya's recent opening of a new hotel and expressed his interest in their experience with attracting flights from Eastern Europe, a potential strategy for further diversifying Dhofar's tourist base. Eng Al Lawati reaffirmed Muriya's commitment to fulfilling all its promises regarding Dhofar's development.
In the interview, Eng Al Lawati also shed light on Muriya's active role in implementing the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism's vision for Dhofar. Their renewed focus on marketing the Khareef Salalah season, progress on the Al Sodah Island project, and commitment to attracting conferences position Muriya as a significant contributor to Dhofar's transformation into a year-round tourist destination.
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