‘Oman has a lot to learn from Spain’s vast experience in the tourism sector’

In the framework of the conference ‘Oman, the hidden jewel of the Middle East’, held on 29 October at the Villamagna Hotel in Madrid, Atalayar had the opportunity to interview the Undersecretary of Heritage and Tourism of the Sultanate of Oman, Azzan Al Busaidi.

Your Excellency, thank you for your attention. Oman is the oldest independent state in the Arab world, but perhaps the Spanish public’s knowledge of it is not as profound as it should be. What can Spanish tourists find there?

It is a pleasure to talk to you. Spanish tourists will find many of the things they expect to see in Oman, starting with its culture and historical heritage, for which the Sultanate is known. We have, for example, five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which is an example of what tourists can enjoy there. But in addition to culture, we have multiple possibilities for all profiles: luxury tourism, ecotourism, adventure tourism, just to give a few examples. In short, it is a very diverse product, but above all a very authentic one.

Your country is developing a major campaign to promote the tourism sector, based on the Oman Vision 2040 plan. What are the main objectives of this plan and what milestones have you achieved so far?

Indeed, the plan aims for the tourism sector to contribute a specific percentage of Oman’s GDP by 2040. We are on track to achieve this target proposed in the ‘Oman Vision 2040’ plan. And with regard to figures, Oman reached in 2023 the historic number of 4 million tourists, which is an increase of around 38% compared to pre-pandemic levels. We believe that the Spanish market is going to be a very important part of this expansion plan moving forward. Through it, we will be an increasingly interesting and growing tourist market in Europe. We want to offer the product that European tourists are looking for in a Gulf country.

A very important aspect for the development of the tourism sector is infrastructure and communications. What efforts has Oman made in this respect?

The infrastructure in Oman, be it roads, airports or even ports, is considered world class by various international indices around the world. This allows tourists today to easily access not only the capital, Muscat, but also many other tourist destinations located throughout the country. The government has spent a significant amount of resources on the creation and maintenance of these infrastructures, which are of vital importance to serve tourists travelling to our country.

Today you had the opportunity to meet Spanish businessmen from the tourism sector, a very important sector for the economy of the country. What can Spain contribute to Oman in this sector?

Spain can contribute in many different ways, apart, of course, from sending more tourists to Oman. Spain has a wide and interesting experience in the tourism sector, going back many years, and I think Oman has a lot to learn from this tourism experience. Spanish companies working in this sector also have a very diverse product, a product that ranges from tourism-related services to even the technological aspect. Therefore, Spanish companies can offer a lot to the growing demand in Oman’s tourism market. There are many other elements, including culture, World Heritage sites, gastronomy… In Oman we are developing, apart from our tourism, gastronomy or culinary arts. I think there is a lot that Spanish companies can contribute in this aspect by working with their counterparts in Oman, with whom they have held meetings during this day. Several Omani companies have participated in it, and Spanish companies have had the opportunity to interact with them for the first time and understand more about these opportunities.

Speaking of Spain and Oman, how would you describe the relations between the two countries in diplomatic and commercial terms?

The relationship between the two countries is very strong. The leaders of Spain and Oman are in direct contact and there have always been possibilities to demonstrate the strength of this relationship. Our commercial relationship is growing. Specifically in tourism we can see that we are recovering, going back to pre-pandemic numbers, the number of Spaniards visiting Oman and vice versa. I believe that the potential is much greater than what we are currently achieving and, for this reason, from the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism we are proposing a number of initiatives here in Spain to take advantage of this great potential.

Finally, as a representative of Oman tourism, what message would you like to send to Spanish citizens to convince them to visit your country?

The tourism product in Oman is very diverse, it is authentic and always has something to appeal to every traveller. Today, our tourism sector is growing in a healthy way, registering growth that is far from that seen before the pandemic levels. And there are many ties between the Spanish and the people of Oman: friendship, hospitality, tranquillity and much more that could be experienced first-hand in Oman. That said, I would like to welcome all Spanish tourists visiting my country, so that they can experience for themselves all that we have been presenting during this journey.

More about Oman as a tourist destination