oman FEATURE 21
spending a night in the desert, walking in the mountains, cycling to an oasis or swimming in a wadi there are ideal activities for kids,” adds Fraser. Development is not limited to hotels –an
oceanarium and aquarium are being constructed in Muscat, along with a cruise terminal and a botanical garden. A 13,000sqm National Museum opened last year, others are being refi tted and the country now has a Maritime Museum and a Museum of Omani Dress. Agents learning how to sell this destination will
fi nd themselves on fertile ground which promises high-value bookings and strong repeat business. Destination Oman Senior Travel Consultant
Caroline Burgess said customers generally spend £1,500-£2,000pp; more if they upgrade their fl ights. “We get a lot of repeat clients,” she said.
“With Dubai becoming more and more mainstream, Oman offers customers a real taste of Arabia. Our guests come back asking ‘why didn’t I discover Oman earlier?’”
What’s new Hotels: Asian hotelier Alila Hotels (
alila.com) has
opened its fi rst Middle Eastern property in Oman. Alila Jabal Akhdar has 78 suites and villas and overlooks a 2,000ft gorge in the Hajar Mountains. Al Nahda Resort & Spa will open a boutique desert resort, Dunes by Al Nahda (
alnahdaresort.com/sand- dunes), at the end of this year. It is a 45-minute drive to the main resort. The View (
theviewoman.com), a luxury retreat with 30 pod-style chalets at 1,400m altitude, opened near Al Hamra at the end of 2013. Salalah Rotana Resort (
rotana.com) and Golden
Tulip Seeb Khasab Hotel (
goldentulip.com) in Muscat opened earlier this year. Azaiba Hotel Apartments (
azaibahotel.com) in Muscat will open soon. Airports: A new terminal with capacity for 12 million passengers a year will open at Seeb International Airport, Muscat, by 2016. Salalah will also get a new terminal, also with a one-million-
passengers-a-year capacity. Airlines: Oman Air (
omanair.com) takes delivery of 20 new aircraft later this year. The order includes six Boeing B787 Dreamliners and a further six Airbus A330s. By 2017 its fl eet will be 50-strong, allowing it to offer more long-haul fl ights and increase its service on popular routes.
Tourism talk “Oman has a wide range of award-winning fi ve-star and boutique hotels, fi rst-class air, road and telecommunications networks, and is the perfect destination for leisure, business, conference and incentive travel. In 2013 British visitor
Opposite page: Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel near Muscat. Above (clockwise from left): kayaking the rocky coast; shopping in the souk; Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa
There’s a lot more to Oman than sitting on the beach and taking
day excursions. Encourage clients to spend a couple of nights in the interior; the rewards are huge. Try to combine with some of the weekly markets to really get
under the skin of the country” HUGH FRASER, DIRECTOR, CORINTHIAN TRAVEL
numbers increased by 10%. Oman’s capital Muscat will see the majority of growth this year with more than 720 new rooms opening, with the rest spread evenly across the country. A new aquarium, ports and a national railway project are to come, and Oman’s fi rst UK TV advertising campaign will air this year. “Agents can complete an online training course at omanacademy. com. Those that do have the chance to win a Google Nexus 7 tablet, Amazon Kindle or £10 Love2shop voucher. Agents are also rewarded with shopping vouchers when they register a seven- night, or more, booking at
omanbookingrewards.com”
Alison Cryer, UK and Ireland Director, Oman Offi ce of Tourism
Where to book it PREMIER HOLIDAYS – 08444 937 444
Four nights at Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort’s Al Bandar hotel costs from £1049pp, including return fl ights with British Airways and private transfers, when booked before September 15 2014.
trade.premierholidays.co.uk DESTINATION OMAN – 01792 643019 Five nights at the Crowne Plaza Resort Salalah in February 2015 costs from £1,415pp, including fl ights via Muscat with Oman Air, transfers, a half-day tour of the city and two full-day private
excursions.
destinationoman.co.uk CORINTHIAN TRAVEL – 020 3583 6089 A nine-night chauffeur-driven ‘Oman and the Frankincense Coast’ tour costs from £2,415pp, taking in Muscat, the interior and Salalah. The deal excludes fl ights.
corinthiantravel.co.uk SWAN HELLENIC – 0844 273 4222
A 16-night ‘Jewels of Arabia and the Red Sea’ cruise, departing Muscat on March 29, 2015, costs from £1,882pp. Small ship Minerva will also call at Salalah overnight.
swanhellenic.com
www.sellinglonghaul.com
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