Moving forward to attract more tourists during the upcoming tourism season, Oman’s Ministry of Tourism held a promotional event in Riyadh recently.

The event, organized in collaboration with Oman Air, aimed to reinforce the joint venture between both parties to promote Oman as the leading tourist destination for short breaks.

The session included informative and interactive presentations on Oman’s tourism infrastructure and facilities along with the announcement of attractive and cost-effective holiday packages designed for GCC visitors, including luxury hotel stays and return tickets from Oman Air.

Oman has emerged as one of the top destinations among GCC travelers for short breaks, registering a 17 percent increase in GCC Citizens numbers at the end of 3rd quarter. According to the latest statistics by the National Center for Statistics and Information, over 701,311 inbound tourists from the GCC visited Oman until September 2014.

The proactive measures undertaken by the Omani government to sustain the seamless expansion in the country’s tourism sectors have complemented this growth.

The country has witnessed a spurt in developing activities in its infrastructural facilities, including airports, roads and rail networks, and maritime sectors.

Salem Adi Al-Mamari, director-general Of Tourism Promotion, Oman Ministry of Tourism, said: “Compared with other countries, Oman offers a wide range of variety in its geographical features, making it an attractive destination for all-year-round tourism.”

He said: “From ancient forts to most modern hotels, beaches to mountains, cuisines to spas, and recreation to relaxation, we have something to satisfy the needs of even the most discerning travelers.

Oman also boasts of world-class airports, wide network of highways, superior ports to make the travel inside and outside the country more smoothly. We have partnered with Oman Air to offer economical and interesting travel packages to attract potential travelers to see our country as well as remind the existing travelers to visit again.”