MUSCAT, March 4 -
Oman is positioning itself as a well-knit cruise tourism destination is evident from the rising number of tourists visiting the country in the recent years.
December 2017 alone witnessed a massive 82.3 per cent rise in the number of cruise tourists to the country compared with the previous month.
According to figures from the National Centre for Statistics and Information, 35,000 visitors reached the Omani shores in the last month of 2017, while the total number till the end of last year stood at 222,000.
In December 2016, the number of cruise tourists arriving from different continents was pegged at 19,000.
Europeans topped the list with 89 per cent, of which 38.6 per cent were from Germany with arrivals from the country reaching 80,619 in 2017.
Visitors arriving from Germany by other means over the same period also rose substantially during the year, indicating a growing market for air travel.
“Increase in visitors from Germany has been buoyed by a strong showing in the cruise ship segment, with passenger numbers from the country up by almost 14,000 year-on-year,” said a recent report.
According to travel experts, the growth in the number comes on the back of rapid expansion in the wider tourism industry in recent years.
“The Ministry of Tourism has been making all-out efforts to provide attractive facilities for tourists to enjoy a range of water sporting activities — from diving and surfing to traditional boating experiences,” said Solomon D’souza, a travel expert.
The Oman government has pledged to invest RO 20 billion on tourism development in the country.
“There is huge potential for growth. Tourists see Oman as the safest place to visit in the region. Moreover, the exotic locations, Arab culture and heritage are unique to Oman,” he said.
The planned new waterfront facility at Port Sultan Qaboos is a great initiative and will give a boost to cruise business, Solomon added.
International visitors to the Sultanate totalled 3.3 million in 2017, putting the country on target to achieve its 2040 tourism target.
At the same time, revenue from three- to five-star hotels amounted to RO 20.8 million during December 2017 as against RO 20.3 million in the same month in 2016. The total number of guests at hotels during December 2017 reached 144,000 as against 145,000 with a marginal decrease of 0.5 per cent compared with the corresponding month last year.
The total occupancy rate in hotels during the same period stood at 64.1 per as against 65.4 per cent last year.
According to statistics from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the global cruise industry continues to grow at pace with a record 27.2 million passengers projected to sail in 2018. More than 27 new ocean, river and specialty ships are set to debut this year.
“The cruise industry’s ongoing success story presents opportunities galore for Middle East travel companies to strike while the iron is hot and sell this exciting product to their customers,” CLIA said in a report.
At December’s Seatrade Middle East Cruise Forum, some of the cruise industry’s leading players discussed how the extension of the Middle East cruise season from October to May could soon be possible, fuelled by consumer demand for pan-Gulf cruises and the development of more land-based activities in countries featuring on itineraries, including Oman, the UAE and Bahrain.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
