The Sultanate of Oman has recorded a 12.37% growth in Indian tourist arrivals with 357,147 travellers visiting the country from January to December 2018 vis-à-vis 317,844 in 2017 making India the second highest source market for Oman.
This marks a remarkable growth of 39.4%over the last five years, as per the statistics released by Oman’s National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The country received 1,484,063 international travellers in 2018 vis-à-vis 1,369,199 in 2017, which is significantly higher, showcasing a growth of over 8.39%. The numbers do not include regional travelers from other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, who do not require a visa.
Speaking about the incredible growth, Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative, Ministry of Tourism, Oman said: “2018 has been a splendid year for the Ministry of Tourism. India represents a substantial and vast market for Oman, given the high percentage of travellers willing to travel abroad and experience new destinations.”
“India has been an important market for us and we are delighted to say that it has been one of the best performing countries, reaching the status of second highest source market after GCC. Several initiatives have contributed to this success, such as launch of the Electronic visa, direct flight connectivity from various cities in India and opening of the new passenger terminal at Muscat International Airport, among others,” she added.
With growing number of travellers each year, the Oman Tourism Strategy, developed by the Ministry of Tourism (MOT), foresees at least 11.7mn international and domestic tourists by 2040, triggered by domestic and international investments into the sector of around OMR 20 billion over the period.
The significant increase in incoming tourism has been the result of the economic diversification strategy adopted by the government of Oman. Last year saw the opening of the state-of-the-art Muscat International Airport, giving the country a plush gateway offering unrivaled service and earning the prestigious best new airport in the world. Also, to attract more travellers to visit the country, Oman announced a new short-term tourist visa at 5 Omani Riyal (OMR) equivalent to approximately INR 930, for a 10-day visit.
Oman Air, the national carrier is connected via direct flights with major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Lucknow, Kozhikode, Kochi, Goa, Jaipur and Thiruvananthapuram. Besides, Air India, Jet Airways, SpiceJet and IndiGo are also well connected to Oman from various cities of India.
