MUSCAT: Experience Oman, the high profile marketing initiative created by the Oman Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, has announced a key partnership with the Sultanate of Oman’s number one racing driver Ahmad al Harthy – delivering unique global promotion of Oman through worldwide motorsports.
Al Harthy, who competes successfully in the globe’s two biggest and most competitive GT3 level endurance categories, the FIA World Endurance Championship LMGT3 class and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, was absolutely thrilled to welcome the support of Experience Oman.
Joining his existing portfolio of partners which includes the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, OQ, Omantel and BMW Oman, the announcement of the link-up with Experience Oman is an extremely proud moment for Al Harthy as he continues to fly the flag for Oman on the global stage.
With a goal to leverage the presence of the country as a go-to destination for tourists from all over the world, Experience Oman’s partnership with Al Harthy and Oman Racing marks a key opportunity to achieve such in one of the most glamorous, exciting and passionate sports on the planet.
Experience Oman
Collaboration between Experience Oman and Al Harthy will ensure a key shop window for the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, a perfect synergy on which to build and develop promotion of Oman – which is considered a jewel of the Arabian Peninsula.
Exquisite natural beauty to explore, ageless heritage married to luxurious experience, and the warmest of welcomes through incredible hospitality, Oman is the oldest independent state in the Arab World and boasts no fewer than five Unesco world heritage sites.
Proud of everything his home nation provides to the world, Al Harthy has been showcasing this through his competition on international racetracks for well over 15 years. Progressing to the world stage over a decade ago, his performances have truly put Oman on the sporting map.
Racing a dual campaign this year, in the FIA World Endurance Championship – where he drives as team-mate to global sporting icon Valentino Rossi in a BMW M4 LMGT3 – and in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup – where he races a sister BMW with the OQ by Oman Racing squad – Al Harthy’s profile will provide major benefits for Experience Oman.
Contested over eight race events across Europe, Asia, North America, South America and, of course, the Middle East, FIA WEC has an incredible global reach. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans alone, well over 300,000 spectators attend the race meeting with 196 countries worldwide offering TV coverage to a combined audience of 113 million people.
GT World Challenge Europe, meanwhile, features five major events across the continent in its Endurance Cup category. In the championship’s biggest event, the 24 Hours of Spa, TV coverage is provided to over 150 countries with more than 635,000 subscribers to the series’ YouTube channel.
Ahmad al Harthy:
“I am incredibly honoured to be entering into this wonderful new partnership with Experience Oman, it’s a perfect opportunity to further develop the promotion of Oman which we’ve always strived to do with Oman Racing through our motorsports programmes across the world. This year is our biggest ever challenge on the racetrack at world level, and our most exciting one too.
“Racing in FIA WEC with Vale [Rossi], and the incredible profile and exposure this brings, is huge and I am excited Experience Oman is now part of this journey as we race around the world in the biggest endurance racing championship there is. I’m looking forward to showcasing Experience Oman for the remainder of the year in WEC and GTWCE, it’s a proud and significant collaboration.”
Azzan bin Qasim al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Tourism, said, “Experience Oman is delighted to partner with Ahmad Al Harthy and Oman Racing, helping us expand our promotion of Oman’s incredible tourism offer as he competes in top-flight motorsports events across the globe.
“Ahmad is an outstanding ambassador for Oman, shining the spotlight on our country and its incredible potential as an arena for adventure sports. Through this unique partnership, I have no doubt we will inspire travellers with a thirst for an out-of-the-ordinary holiday to come and try some of our adrenalin fuelled attractions and test their limits across our breath-taking diversity of landscapes.
“I am sure too that armchair motorsports enthusiasts will be tempted to try other perhaps more relaxing aspects of our tourism offer and enjoy our year-round calendar of cultural, heritage and culinary events, our natural beauty, famed hospitality and, of course, first-class luxury.
“The Experience Oman Team is excited to work with Ahmad. They will be cheering him on as they align their efforts with his endeavours to promote Oman as a must-visit destination, a place defined by its authenticity where every visit fosters an unforgettable connection, a life-affirming experience – a gift for life.”
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
