Tag Archives: Oman

Following a period of extensive enhancements, Al Bustan Palace has reopened in Muscat. The Ritz-Carlton property includes redesigned rooms and suites, refreshed Ritz Kids experiences and new culinary options. A symbol of Omani culture and hospitality, the palace hotel offers new and inspiring experiences that bridge heritage with state-of-the-art technology and modern design. Commenting on the reopening of the hotel, HE Maitha bint Saif Al Mahrouqi, Undersecretary, Ministry of Tourism, Sultanate of Oman, said, “Oman continues to welcome record number of international visitors, thanks to our commitment to offering world-class experiences for the modern global traveller that honour and celebrate our beautiful natural surroundings, rich culture and history. The renovation of Al Bustan Palace supports this vision and we are confident that the hotel will continue to contribute to the Sultanate’s thriving tourism industry.” Royal Estates’ Royal Court Affairs in Oman carried out the design of most of the refurbishment works, while renowned luxury integrated design firm WATG and affiliated design studio Wimberly Interiors provided the other architecture and interior renovation under the supervision of the Royal Estates.

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has boosted awareness of the UAE capital as a travel destination in Oman after a successful trip to the neighbouring country with a promotional roadshow. The roadshow, which focused on the products and offerings specifically in Al Ain, took place at the Grand Millennium hotel in Muscat on September 5. The event welcomed a group of travel trade members from Oman who enjoyed several presentations from DCT Abu Dhabi and its stakeholders, networking sessions and one-to-one meeting opportunities. Nabeel M. Al Zarouni, Regional Promotion Manager Middle East & Africa, Promotion & Overseas Offices Department for DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “We are keen to boost hotel guest numbers from the Oman market into Abu Dhabi and we hope this roadshow has reinforced our penetration into the hearts and minds of the Omani travel trade. The roadshow at the Grand Millennium hotel follows up a previous roadshow to Oman earlier in the year, with this particular event focusing mainly on Al Ain. The oasis city’s close proximity adds to the destination’s appeal to Omani travellers, who we hope are also inspired by Al Ain’s diverse offerings, which include Al Ain Oasis, Al Ain Zoo and also the Wadi Adventure park. We are keen to re-emphasise the huge range of diverse attractions and experiences – both touristic and cultural and we hope that this roadshow forges closer ties with our friends in the Oman travel trade.”

Travelport has announced a new long-term technology partnership via its distributor in Oman, with Eihab Travels. Eihab Travels will use Travelport’s industry leading point of sale solution, Travelport Smartpoint, to provide corporate as well as leisure travel services to major multinational corporations, prominent Middle East firms and individuals. Aided by Travelport’s support, the company’s consultants will benefit from intelligent, fast and accurate search of high quality content from over 400 airlines, 650,000 hotel properties and 35,000 car rental locations. With over 250 airlines signed up to use Travelport’s unique merchandising technology, the company is able to display, gain powerful information around, and sell branded fare families and ancillary products (such as paid seat assignments, baggage fees, priority boarding, etc.) from these airlines. Having recently become the first global distribution system (GDS) to be certified by IATA as a “Level 3” Aggregator under its New Distribution Capability (NDC) initiative, Travelport will soon further benefit the company by creating NDC connections with airlines as they become available.

Located in the modern community of Al Mouj, Muscat, the five-star Kempinski Hotel Muscat is an unparalleled luxury destination in the capital of Oman. The hotel features 310 rooms and suites, state-of-the-art meetings and events facilities, world-class restaurants and bars, a fully equipped fitness centre and a luxury spa, allowing visitors to revel in the beauty of both the location and warm Omani hospitality. Serving as the gateway to authentic Omani adventure, visitors can experience the unbeatable mix of local traditions and world-class European luxury at the luxury hotel.

Continuing its expansion in the GCC, Swiss-Belhotel International has entered into a management agreement with Al Salaam International Hotel to operate Swiss-Belinn Muscat in Oman. Expected to open in 2019, the three-star hotel enjoys an outstanding location in Seeb in close proximity to Muscat International Airport. Equipped with 120 standard rooms and 10 varieties of suites, Swiss-Belinn Muscat is being developed to offer its guests a comprehensive range of facilities including an all-day-dining restaurant, flexible meeting and conference venues, gym, Wi-Fi access and 24-hours room service. Given its fantastic location near the airport, the hotel will serve as the perfect abode for transit passengers looking for stop-overs and airline crews as well as corporate travellers on a short visit to Oman or those facing unexpected flight halts.

The Ministry of Tourism has launched a new promotional website ‘www.experienceoman.om’ which will serve as a one-stop shop for all Oman Tourism related information. The website was launched under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Minister of Heritage and Culture during a gala dinner hosted on the sidelines of the 2nd UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture. The launch of the website comes as a part of the Ministry’s initiatives to support the development of the tourism sector in all areas, especially in the use of electronic platforms and digital marketing. Providing insights into suggested travel itineraries, list of tour operators, hotels and services, MICE opportunities; the website also orients tourists with the latest events in Oman and can be viewed in six languages. The website promotes the Sultanate as a unique tourism destination with distinct cultural, historical and natural components, and enables tourists to obtain the information they need to visit tourism attractions. ‘www.experienceoman.om’ will complement the existing ‘Oman Tourism’ website to provide comprehensive and diverse information regarding Oman tourism.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN) announced the opening of Crowne Plaza Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in Muscat. The newly opened hotel will be the second Crowne Plaza in the capital and the fifth in Oman, demonstrating the increasing popularity of the brand in the Sultanate. The 296-room hotel is located 10 minutes from the New Muscat International Airport and is a part of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) project. OCEC is Muscat’s state-of-the-art commercial hub for business and international events. This precinct is one of many innovative communities currently being developed that are designed to world-class standards in support of the Sultanate’s growing tourism sector. While guests will benefit from the centre’s 22,000m² of exhibition space, they will also enjoy overlooking a natural waterway and the surrounding parklands, a wadi, and a nature reserve. Crowne Plaza Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre also offers great facilities for a broad range of visitors including two pools, a children’s playground, a large fitness zone, three large meeting rooms and an independent function centre.

Salalah Rotana, a five-star hotel in Oman renewed its partnership deal with Polish tour operator Itaka. The deal directly complements the government’s effort in promoting Oman as a destination of choice to travellers. The renewed partnership will see 180 guests arrive weekly to the resort. Hossam Kamal, General Manager, Salalah Rotana Resort, said, “The renewal of our partnership signifies the success of our journey with Itaka. We pride ourselves in the level of service provided by our colleagues and achieving high guest satisfaction. The Sultanate’s appeal in terms of safety, political stability and unique tourism offering continues to be an attraction for travellers to Oman. Piotr Wrzesniewski, Charter Produce Director, Itaka said “Our journey with Salalah Rotana has been a very rewarding one. The resort has been a great holiday destination to our guests with exceptional service. Oman has gained popularity in the Polish market and it is our pleasure to facilitate the movement of our guests to Oman’’.

Dubai Airports welcomed the inaugural flight of Oman’s first budget carrier SalamAir at Dubai International’s Terminal 2. The new arrival was celebrated with a traditional water salute for the flight followed by a cake cutting ceremony at the terminal attended by representatives of the airline and the airport, as well as passengers.

Travelport hosted a two-day conference to provide insight into emerging new trends in the market and future of the sector with AI technology at Shangri-La, Oman. Over 230 customers from 14 countries attended the event. Kathryn Wallington, Country Manager, UAE Travelport welcomed the guests and explained the interactive opportunities at the conference. In his opening remarks, Matthew Powell, Managing Director, Middle East and South Asia, Travelport explained that Travelport had transformed from a regular GDS to a travel commerce and distribution platform to enable more opportunities in their portfolio. He reiterated how their platform enabled travel providers and their evolving technologies to deliver relevant content for travel buyers and consumers. He also spoke of how the platform provided new tools and solutions to customers and created a frictionless path to work with speed and accuracy, automated operations and the latest B2B travel payments. He reiterated that there was an expected opportunity of $8.6 billion in mobile travel sales in Middle East and India by 2022.