FEATURE OMAN
SHAMIRA KAUMAYA- HATT, commercial director, Sunset Faraway Holidays
“Oman provides the ultimate Arabian experience. Sales to almost all Oman hotels are up, primarily due to the number of strong offers since the beginning of the year. The destination is now a strong competitor to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The beaches are safe, clean and rustic in style compared to Egypt, Tunisia and UAE destinations.”
MALCOLM DAVIES product manager, Middle East, Funway Holidays “First and foremost, it’s
the people themselves that make Oman special. Everyone’s smiling, friendly and helpful – they speak very good English, too. It’s likely to become a much bigger destination: I recently went on an Oman Air fam trip and saw the new Millennium Resort Mussanah. It’s on the coast about 100km north of Muscat and the prices
Above clockwise from left: high quality accommodation; Muscat's mountain backdrop; shopping in the souks; ramadhan tents
are fantastic – around $90 for a room for two in a brand new four-star hotel.”
Room Report The Millennium Resort Musannah opened in early 2011. Within easy driving distance of Muscat, it’s a modern, well-priced hotel with its own marina – there are 234 smart rooms and suites, as well as 74 apartments. Closer to the centre of town, the established Al Bustan Palace was recently rebranded as a Ritz Carlton and offers a majestic slice of Arabian luxury. Marriott’s first property in Oman was unveiled in 2010 – the Salalah Marriott Resort has 237 rooms and suites, and is spectacularly located between rocky peaks and white sands on Mirbat Cove in the south.
Where To Book It KUONI – 0844 488 0166
www.kuoni.co.uk A three-night stay at the exclusive Six Senses Zighy Bay resort, a village-style collection of luxury pool villas located on the Musandam Peninsula in the north of the country. Access is via Dubai, just a 90-minute drive away. The
cost is from £1268pp, including flights from London- Gatwick and breakfast, based on a May 2012 departure. The resort fronts a mile-long sandy beach, and can be reached via a speedboat arrival.
KIRKER HOLIDAYS – 020 7593 1899 www.
kirkerholidays.com A three-night stay at the five-star Chedi Muscat is from £978pp in low season (from £1,189pp in high season). This includes return scheduled flights, accommodation with breakfast and car transfers. The Chedi is located on a beach 10 minutes from the city centre.
WESTERN & ORIENTAL – 020 7666 1211
wwww.wandotravel.com A six-night holiday at Shangri-La’s Barr al Jissah Resort is from £929pp, including accommodation with breakfast, flights from London Heathrow and transfers from Muscat Airport (the resort is around 45 minutes from arrivals).
Who Flies There Direct: OMAN AIR – 0844 4822309
www.omanair.com Indirect: BRITISH AIRWAYS – 0844 4930787
www.britishairways.com BMI - 0844 8484888
www.flybmi.com ETIHAD – 020 34507300
www.etihadairways.com GULF AIR - 0844 4931715
www.gulfair.com QATAR AIRWAYS – 0870 3898090
www.qatarairways.com
Agent Training
OMANACADEMY.CO.UK •
28 December 2011 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
BY BEN LERWILL “I didn’t know what to expect
from Muscat. Given the character of
some of the other capitals in the Gulf region, I’d half-envisaged somewhere more notable for its modernist tower- blocks than its atmosphere, which made the reality all the sweeter. I found a city fringed by the craggy Western Al Hajar mountains and marked by a distinctly Arabian feel, with traditional buildings clustered around its historic ports and white-robed shoppers packing frankincense-scented souks. There was evidence of a long, rich history – most notably in the time- warmed squares and lanes of Old Muscat – but clear signs too of somewhere moving with the times. So much so, in fact, that the sight that impressed me the most was the exquisitely vast Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, open for only 10 years but far more impressive – to my eyes – than any of the high-rise architecture shaping the skylines in Dubai or Doha.”
Selling Tip
"Suggest a treatment in The Chedi’s new spa,
the largest in Oman" Nikki Hain
Premier Holidays
© CHRISTOPHE MIGEAN
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68