Welcome, 2025! The future looks bright, despite high geopolitical uncertainties. Politics has played a role in sports diplomacy amongst the Arabian Gulf States as they compete for the Gulf Cup championship. We have seen India and Pakistan use cricket as a diplomatic tool. We have also witnessed how Saudi Arabia is preparing itself for the global sports scenario.
World chess is being played by eager performers. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow must look quite attractive.
Economic development and political influence are linked to people in power: those who can propose changes versus those who can approve them. Who the losers and who the gainers are is debatable, but sometimes, it is crystalline.
There is too much drama in the world’s storyline. Society is more fragmented than ever, and so is making a living. In a frenzied pace of development filled with discontentment, hope and resilience, people around me always say, ‘This is life.’ People are growing more focused on themselves rather than socially conscious.
But, as a Bedouin saying goes, 'talent without skills is like a desert without an oasis.' Skilled workers are necessary to fuel economic progress.
In some contexts, there are barriers to efficiently match projects and qualified people, and so quality is buried beneath the smoke of a fanfare of momentous joy.
Fill the eyes and ears like in a circus, and people will grin and be joyful. One example occurred during a dhow cruise outing when the boat operators described the historical sites along Muscat’s coastline. As someone who fairly knows the history of this land, I was appalled that tourists were being fed distorted accounts far from any stint of accuracy.
The surge in tourist activities has attracted temporary workers, especially in the recreation and hospitality industries. During our winter, when the weather is pleasant, many events happen under the starry skies and beautiful moonlight.
Like magic, desert camps emerge out of nowhere throughout the winter, only to vanish when the warmer season arrives. Tents, quad bikes, horse and camel rides, and 4x4 desert dune bashing events are all popular on the dunes. To lure tourists, the desert is becoming more active with commercial projects. There are plenty of dunes and a diverse range of income-generating opportunities.
Always in the spirit of a genuine Bedouin lifestyle, temporarily licensed campsites come with a fee for the organisers and a hefty price for tourists.
The permanently approved desert sites are also cutting expenses by limiting the quality of service and food variety. Almost everything is becoming a commodity. Even Star Excellence Awards are ‘purchased', which undermines the purpose of recognising outstanding contributions.
While hot air balloon rides above the desert are no longer unusual, they are certainly popular with high-end customers. Last year, this hot air balloon company offered lower prices to the country’s residents, but it now charges a high flat fee for everyone.
The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is worth it for people who briefly become drivers, guides and hosts visitors and even perform menial activities that are typically frowned upon. However, without the required skills, the quality of service is questionable. Gig jobs are performance-based, and I am not talking about gig economy start-ups.
While temporary work can be exciting and provide extra money for everyone, it is a second source of income, particularly for those who have a fixed contract job; if, in case, the gig is performed under a visiting entry, then, it is a good opportunity to make some money while on 'holiday.'
The emergence of gig employment will certainly have an impact on other sectors of the economy, including education and society. Opportunities are out there to be grabbed, mostly when events are at their peak.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
