FEATURE OMAN
MALCOLM DAVIES Middle East Product Manager Funway Holidays
“Our clients tend to be interested in culture and history rather than the beach, with touring programmes selling well. The destination is easy to sell due to great, non-stop flights with Oman Air. The diving opportunities off the coast are world class.”
JACKIE MCCLEAN Consultant, Haslemere Travel, Haslemere, Surrey “Oman suits the majority
Tourism Talk ALISON CRYER
Director UK & Ireland Oman Ministry of Tourism Office
“UK visitors numbered around 107,000 last year, a figure set to rise as more hotels and attractions open and new marketing initiatives take effect. These include the launch of the stopover campaign in partnership with Oman Air, and new visa arrangements. “This year, the Ministry is organising a
Pan European Road show, to be staged in London on May 28, Manchester on May 29, and Glasgow on May 30. “The show will be a great opportunity
for our private sector partners to train travel agents.”
Clockwise from top left:The new Sahab Hotel at Al Jebel Al Akhdar; an Omani tent; the new Sifawy hotel at Jebel Sifah.
From The Front Line PETER HILTON
Middle East Product Manager, Cox & Kings “Oman offers fantastic
opportunities for touring, with a range of cultural experiences and historic sites, but also has excellent beach resorts close to Muscat. The capital is a good alternative to Dubai for a long weekend in guaranteed sunshine, and can be combined with the northern Musandam Peninsula for a contrasting experience.”
DAVID OAK General Manager Destination Store “Craggy mountains,
stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, warm seas, smiling people and ancient civilisations are the standard fare of Oman and provide endless opportunities for a fascinating holiday.”
of our clients, including families, who are especially catered to. Muscat is a star attraction, along with the desert and the opportunity to go up into the hills for a couple of nights at luxury tented camps.”
Where To Book It ABERCROMBIE AND KENT -
0845 485 1527
www.abercrombiekent.co.uk The seven-night Classic Oman itinerary is from £2,395pp, including three nights in Muscat, one each at Wahiba Sands and Sur and two in Salalah, with British Airways flights. Highlights include staying at a Bedouin encampment, traditional boat building, turtle-watching in Sur, and the frankincense-scented city of Salalah.
PURE LUXURY - 0844 846 8000
www.pureluxuryholidays.co.uk Five nights at the five-star deluxe Al Bustan Palace in Muscat costs from £1,149pp from May 1 to September 24, rising to £1,729 from October 10 to December 9, including flights. •
UP CLOSE & PERSONAL
BY COLIN ELLSON “I turned my back on camping long ago, after two uncomfortable weeks under canvas in France as a student. But I took it up again in Oman. Not that the ‘tented accommodation’ in the Sultanate bears any resemblance to the rudimentary facilities I experienced. The encampments on my itinerary came as close to being labelled ‘luxury hideaways’ as any visitor could wish; no lumpy ground sheets, treks to the loo or luke-warm baked beans here. The Al Naseem Camp at Ras Al Junaiz (
www.desert-discover.com), for example, provides sleeping facilities in A-framed cabins enclosed with palm fronds, including full en suite facilities, and there is an entertainment area where guests can enjoy Omani cuisine. It is also a short stroll to an adjoining nature reserve to watch green turtles coming ashore at night to lay their eggs. Desert Night Camps at Al Wasil (www.
desertnightscamp.com) is similarly stylish, with 26 air-conditioned tents incorporating bedrooms and en suite bathrooms. Dining is at the Two Dunes Restaurant or outdoors under the stars. Definitely my sort of camping!”
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THE SIFAWY
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