GULF STREAM Oman
With its beaches, luxury hotels and desert excursions, Oman is positioning itself as a viable and unique alternative to Arabian
Peninsula giants Dubai and Abu Dhabi, says Colin Ellson
OMAN Top Selling Tips...
• Southern comfort... “Clients looking for something less extravagant than Muscat’s luxury hotels will find the city of Salalah, in the south of the country, offers a more affordable option”
COLIN BIRCHENOUGH Gold Medal
• Cool summer deals... “Look out for ‘free night’ offers during the April to September period”
MALCOM DAVIES Funway Holidays
• Cost-cutting... “The Omani government has cut the cost of a tourist visa: Clients staying 10 days or less are entitled to a reduced visa- on-arrival fee of around £8”
COLIN BIRCHENOUGH Gold Medal
• Float an idea….“Suggest the M/V Veronica, Oman’s only floating hotel. It has more than 200 standard, deluxe and luxury rooms, restaurants, a gym, pool and theatre.”
COLIN ELLSON Travel Writer
2010, HM The Queen was among the guests at the ceremonies in Muscat. Now, the speculation is that the
W
Omani ruler, who also visited London in 2010, will reciprocate the Royal mark of respect by attending her majesty’s Diamond Jubilee in June this year. Such a visit would be in keeping with
the strong ties Britain and Oman have. The business links remain strong but Oman also sees the UK as a major source market for leisure tourism. More than 100,000 Brits arrive in the Sultanate, at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, every year, a figure forecast to rise as Oman is seen as an alternative – or add on – to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. From the enchanting capital of Muscat
to the southern city of Salalah, via sandy beaches, forts and castles, rugged mountains and desert, Oman claims to cater to every type of visitor from families to adventure tourists. Smiling staff take visitors on desert safaris, to watch green turtles hatching their young, and introduce them to adrenalin- pumping activities such as water sports, diving, sailing, climbing, trekking, caving and off-road driving. In addition to the Oman Ministry of Tourism, which has put in place
hen Sultan Qaboos of Oman celebrated 40 years on the throne in
several initiatives to promote tourism from the UK, Oman Air – which in the past two-and-a-half years has grown from a moderate operator to the winner of several international awards – is a mover and shaker in the country’s progress towards becoming a prime Gulf destination. While several airlines serve Oman
from the UK with one-stop en route, the national carrier offers the only direct, non-stop flights to the Sultanate, its Airbus A330s flying daily from London Heathrow in seven hours. Behind a number of moves to put Oman on the map, the airline’s most recent innovation was to join forces with the Ministry of Tourism and other stake holders in a campaign to entice passengers to stopover in Oman. This includes one free night’s stay at participating resorts and hotels until late December this year.
Above: A Nizwa mosque pierces the blue sky. Below: Two boys at the Omani Heritage Village, at Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort.
The subliminal message is that one
night will not be sufficient to enjoy all that Oman can offer, encouraging transient visitors to linger a while longer.
What’s New Muscat’s long-awaited Royal Opera House opened last October with a performance of Puccini’s Turandot, conducted by Spanish tenor Placido Domingo. One of several prestigious projects in the Sultanate, it will be followed by the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in 2014. A number of boutique hotels are being developed, as are golf facilities and sports venues. Oman Air launched a No. 1 Traveller lounge for business class passengers at London Heathrow in autumn 2010 and has joined with Bahwan Travel Agencies to form Oman Air Holidays, to promote both inbound and outbound tourism. Some 40% more ships are set to dock
at the capital’s new terminal at the Mina Sultan Qaboos port this year, as several cruise operators expand their Middle East programmes.
www.sellinglonghaul.com • April 2012 53
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 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76