The Tourism Sector’s Steering Committee held a meeting to discuss the developments of the National Programme for Enhancing Economic Diversification (Tanfeedh) on Sunday.
It reviewed the performance indicators and assessed the progress in implementing the sector’s initiatives.
The committee discussed a range of issues and approved allocation of local land plots for cafés and restaurants in Al Azaiba and Al Sarooj in the Governorate of Muscat and Salalah.
It discussed facilitating the establishment of integrated tourism complexes, hotels and tourist attractions and discussed the status of the comprehensive tourism layouts in several wilayats.
The Ministry of Tourism has floated tenders to develop comprehensive tourism layouts for Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah, Dhofar and South Al Sharqiyah governorates.
The ministry also awarded the tender for developing an integrated tourism layout for the Governorate of Musandam. The committee also discussed the establishment of one-stop station as a centre for investor and customer service at the Ministry of Tourism through operating the customer-service centre.
A model of the customer service centre has been presented to provide facilities for investors.
The initiative to facilitate the follow up of issuing tourist visas for the new tourist exporting markets was also reviewed. The team is developing a marketing plan for the sponsored visas and e-visas and is also following up to introduce the e-visa.
Tourism Observer
www.tourismobserver.com
Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Showing posts with label Salalah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Salalah. Show all posts
Tuesday, 18 July 2017
Friday, 23 June 2017
OMAN: Ever Been To Oman? Listen To This
The former capital of Oman offers cooler weather, architectural sites to die for and a valley that's surprisingly green
THE CAPITAL of the Sultanate of Oman between 1932 and 1970, the coastal city of Salalah is a popular holiday destination during the khareef season, when the normally arid mountain ranges and pastureland take on a refreshing green hue.
The sky is brushed with grey and blue streaks by the Indian Ocean monsoon from June until September, making the summer here considerably cooler than in other parts of the Arabian Gulf.
The average mean temperature in Oman in summer is 44 degrees Celsius but in Salalah, it’s a balmy 35 degrees. While we don’t get a lot of rain, we are blessed with the monsoon from June to September, and the cooler climate draws tourists from Yemen, the Emirates and India, the local guide says.
Spread over the southern Omani coast, Salalah is the country’s second largest city after Muscat and the capital of Dhofar Governorate, where Sultan Qaboos bin Said was born and grew up.
Located 925 kilometres from Muscat, Oman Air’s flight takes just one hour and 15 minutes to arrive in Salalah and I take full advantage of my luxury business class seat and in-flight facilities to make the most of my journey.
Rich in nature and cultural interest, Salalah has a backdrop of lush mountains, white beaches, and a charming old town to explore.
It is also famous for high-quality Arabian frankincense used for creating essential oils for massage treatments, incense and wedding products representing fortune and the beginning of good life.
Salalah was the leading dried sardine exporter but now people tend to prefer king fish. Today, we export frankincense, frankincense oil and other merchandise to India.
I join a city tour the next morning and a local guide leads us to the well-preserved Taqah Castle in the heart of old town.
Built in the 19th century, it originally served as a private stronghold for Sheikh Ali bi Timman Al-Ma’s ashani and in 1984 was converted into the official residence and administrative centre for local governors (Walis).
The walls are fashioned from solid blocks of Taqah stone, a local limestone composed of fossilised shells and corals was used widely in ancient constructions.
Inside the complex the atmosphere is intimate, just like a real home and the principal rooms are furnished with refined handicrafts.
The food store on the ground floor displays large quantities of dried fish, grain, dates and other vital supplies and offers an interesting reflection of how people lived in bygone days.
A well in the courtyard ensured an abundant supply of fresh water for drinking and an outdoor oven provided for the well-ventilated roasting of meat and daily cooking.
The living room in the well-preserved Taqah Castle is decorated with beautiful hand-embroidered cushions and draperies
The luxury family suite on the upper floor is designed as a living room, where family members enjoyed light meals and shared news during the day.
Adjoining the living room is a reception area, where the wali would hold private discussions with special guests.
Colourful and elegant, each room is adorned with locally made cotta pottery, porcelain plates and bowls obtained through trade with China, India, Europe and Zanzibar, as well as beautiful hand-embroidered cushions and draperies.
Leaving the castle, we head to the Wadi Darbat valley, passing camels and donkeys making the most of the pastureland.
Reaching the top of hill, visitors are spoiled with a picturesque panorama of a turquoise crystal lake. Boat rides on the lake are offered with prices starting at OMR 3 (Bt260) for a 30-minute paddleboat for two and OMR 5 (Bt442) on a motorboat.
People living outside the area have 10 to 20 camels and let them graze on the land.
They will come to see their camels once or twice a week and feed them with sardines. Most villagers raise camels for meat. Camel meat has low fat and people always give it to the guests as a gift.
We use camel milk to make cheese too. During the Khareef season, the mountain is very green and potatoes taste sweeter. You will see plenty of healthy looking cows because they can feed on the grass to eat.
The government also has a project to provide water and electricity for houses on the mountains at no charge.
We return to the old town and continue for another 20 minutes to Marneef Cave and Al Mugsayl Beach, a much-loved picnic spot for local folks and tourists.
The cave is formed from eroded limestone and the beach entertains travellers with three stunning blowholes, from which the water shoots up as high as 28 metres.
Back in town we visit the Al Baleed Archaeological Park, the Unesco World Heritage Site, which is home to the ruins of the ancient city on the Indian Ocean and the Museum of Frankincense.
The complex has several rooms in different sizes and a water basin linked to a range of drainage channels that date back to 750-950 AD.
The Al Baleed Castle occupies 5,000 square meters and is built with large stones showcasing the craftsmanship in the Iron Age. Another impressive building is the Al Balled Mosque. B
uilt in 850 AD, it boasted 144 columns parallel to the qibia wall, mostly octagonal or cylindrical, with square bases and crowns decorated with floral ornaments.
THE CAPITAL of the Sultanate of Oman between 1932 and 1970, the coastal city of Salalah is a popular holiday destination during the khareef season, when the normally arid mountain ranges and pastureland take on a refreshing green hue.
The sky is brushed with grey and blue streaks by the Indian Ocean monsoon from June until September, making the summer here considerably cooler than in other parts of the Arabian Gulf.
The average mean temperature in Oman in summer is 44 degrees Celsius but in Salalah, it’s a balmy 35 degrees. While we don’t get a lot of rain, we are blessed with the monsoon from June to September, and the cooler climate draws tourists from Yemen, the Emirates and India, the local guide says.
Spread over the southern Omani coast, Salalah is the country’s second largest city after Muscat and the capital of Dhofar Governorate, where Sultan Qaboos bin Said was born and grew up.
Located 925 kilometres from Muscat, Oman Air’s flight takes just one hour and 15 minutes to arrive in Salalah and I take full advantage of my luxury business class seat and in-flight facilities to make the most of my journey.
Rich in nature and cultural interest, Salalah has a backdrop of lush mountains, white beaches, and a charming old town to explore.
It is also famous for high-quality Arabian frankincense used for creating essential oils for massage treatments, incense and wedding products representing fortune and the beginning of good life.
Salalah was the leading dried sardine exporter but now people tend to prefer king fish. Today, we export frankincense, frankincense oil and other merchandise to India.
I join a city tour the next morning and a local guide leads us to the well-preserved Taqah Castle in the heart of old town.
Built in the 19th century, it originally served as a private stronghold for Sheikh Ali bi Timman Al-Ma’s ashani and in 1984 was converted into the official residence and administrative centre for local governors (Walis).
The walls are fashioned from solid blocks of Taqah stone, a local limestone composed of fossilised shells and corals was used widely in ancient constructions.
Inside the complex the atmosphere is intimate, just like a real home and the principal rooms are furnished with refined handicrafts.
The food store on the ground floor displays large quantities of dried fish, grain, dates and other vital supplies and offers an interesting reflection of how people lived in bygone days.
A well in the courtyard ensured an abundant supply of fresh water for drinking and an outdoor oven provided for the well-ventilated roasting of meat and daily cooking.
The living room in the well-preserved Taqah Castle is decorated with beautiful hand-embroidered cushions and draperies
The luxury family suite on the upper floor is designed as a living room, where family members enjoyed light meals and shared news during the day.
Adjoining the living room is a reception area, where the wali would hold private discussions with special guests.
Colourful and elegant, each room is adorned with locally made cotta pottery, porcelain plates and bowls obtained through trade with China, India, Europe and Zanzibar, as well as beautiful hand-embroidered cushions and draperies.
Leaving the castle, we head to the Wadi Darbat valley, passing camels and donkeys making the most of the pastureland.
Reaching the top of hill, visitors are spoiled with a picturesque panorama of a turquoise crystal lake. Boat rides on the lake are offered with prices starting at OMR 3 (Bt260) for a 30-minute paddleboat for two and OMR 5 (Bt442) on a motorboat.
People living outside the area have 10 to 20 camels and let them graze on the land.
They will come to see their camels once or twice a week and feed them with sardines. Most villagers raise camels for meat. Camel meat has low fat and people always give it to the guests as a gift.
We use camel milk to make cheese too. During the Khareef season, the mountain is very green and potatoes taste sweeter. You will see plenty of healthy looking cows because they can feed on the grass to eat.
The government also has a project to provide water and electricity for houses on the mountains at no charge.
We return to the old town and continue for another 20 minutes to Marneef Cave and Al Mugsayl Beach, a much-loved picnic spot for local folks and tourists.
The cave is formed from eroded limestone and the beach entertains travellers with three stunning blowholes, from which the water shoots up as high as 28 metres.
Back in town we visit the Al Baleed Archaeological Park, the Unesco World Heritage Site, which is home to the ruins of the ancient city on the Indian Ocean and the Museum of Frankincense.
The complex has several rooms in different sizes and a water basin linked to a range of drainage channels that date back to 750-950 AD.
The Al Baleed Castle occupies 5,000 square meters and is built with large stones showcasing the craftsmanship in the Iron Age. Another impressive building is the Al Balled Mosque. B
uilt in 850 AD, it boasted 144 columns parallel to the qibia wall, mostly octagonal or cylindrical, with square bases and crowns decorated with floral ornaments.
Friday, 2 June 2017
OMAN: French Journalists Visit Salalah
The Frankincense Land Museum in Salalah received a delegation of journalists and representatives of tourism offices in France, hosted by the Directorate General of Tourism in the Governorate of Dhofar during this period within the framework of the Ministry of Tourism to promote the Sultanate in general and the Governorate of Dhofar in particular as a unique tourist destination in all seasons.
The delegation toured the halls of the museum where they learned about the cultural and historical elements of the Sultanate’s various sites in general and the frankincense sites in particular, as well as watching a documentary in the multimedia hall about the Omani sites listed on the World Heritage List.
The delegation also toured Al Baleed Archaeological Park to learn about the historic importance of this city and the development projects carried out by the Office of His Majesty’s Advisor for Cultural Affairs.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs represented by the Directorate-General of Nature Conservation seeks to preserve natural resources through laying down laws and regulations pertaining to the management of conservation of nature reserves, according to Sulaiman al Akhzami, Director-General of Nature Conservation at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs.
In the Sultanate of Oman, nature reserves are established by Royal Decrees as protected areas managed by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, Al Akhzami said in an interview.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs has laid down plans and programmes that are suitable for nature tourism.
The ministry currently focuses on several nature reserves including the As Saleel Nature Park in South Al Sharqiyah Governorate through implementing and developing a plan for nature tourism. Besides, the ministry will speed up the implementation of touristic plans in Qurm Nature Reserve in Muscat Governorate, Al Jabel Al Akhdhar Sanctuary for Natural Sceneries, the Wetlands Nature Reserve in Al Wusta Governorate and the Turtles Reserve in South Al Sharqiyah Governorate.
The ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism has laid down regulations for investing in nature reserves in a way that preserves biodiversity while working to achieve the goal for which these reserves were set up, Al Akhzami said.
Asked about the most prominent challenges facing nature reserves in the Sultanate, Al Akhzami said: “Nature reserves face a number of challenges such as the increasing population and economic activities which affect the wildlife and the safety of natural habitats. Lack of finance restrains infrastructure development which, in turn, affects the management and protection of natural resources.”
The delegation toured the halls of the museum where they learned about the cultural and historical elements of the Sultanate’s various sites in general and the frankincense sites in particular, as well as watching a documentary in the multimedia hall about the Omani sites listed on the World Heritage List.
The delegation also toured Al Baleed Archaeological Park to learn about the historic importance of this city and the development projects carried out by the Office of His Majesty’s Advisor for Cultural Affairs.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs represented by the Directorate-General of Nature Conservation seeks to preserve natural resources through laying down laws and regulations pertaining to the management of conservation of nature reserves, according to Sulaiman al Akhzami, Director-General of Nature Conservation at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs.
In the Sultanate of Oman, nature reserves are established by Royal Decrees as protected areas managed by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, Al Akhzami said in an interview.
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs has laid down plans and programmes that are suitable for nature tourism.
The ministry currently focuses on several nature reserves including the As Saleel Nature Park in South Al Sharqiyah Governorate through implementing and developing a plan for nature tourism. Besides, the ministry will speed up the implementation of touristic plans in Qurm Nature Reserve in Muscat Governorate, Al Jabel Al Akhdhar Sanctuary for Natural Sceneries, the Wetlands Nature Reserve in Al Wusta Governorate and the Turtles Reserve in South Al Sharqiyah Governorate.
The ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism has laid down regulations for investing in nature reserves in a way that preserves biodiversity while working to achieve the goal for which these reserves were set up, Al Akhzami said.
Asked about the most prominent challenges facing nature reserves in the Sultanate, Al Akhzami said: “Nature reserves face a number of challenges such as the increasing population and economic activities which affect the wildlife and the safety of natural habitats. Lack of finance restrains infrastructure development which, in turn, affects the management and protection of natural resources.”
OMAN: Village Attracts Tourists
Wilayat of Taqah is the second largest city in Dhofar Governorate and is located on south western part of the Sultanate. The place offers varied tourist attractions, either on its outspread plains, grasslands or wide wadis.
Wadi Darbat in the wilayat embraces one of the spectacular scenes in the governorate. The wadi is distinguished by its virgin nature and thick botanical cover, besides natural springs and number of caves, especially Teeq Cave. Wadi Darbat is another scenic spot in Salalah, especially for the mountain and spring lovers.
Taqah has witnessed many development projects in education, health, electricity, water, telecommunications and roads. The yet to be opened Taqah’s fisheries harbour offers much economic significance. Taqah includes many attractions that connect between the past’s legacy and the present’s prosperity.
Among the historic landmarks that exist in the wilayat is the Taqah castle.
Located about 33 kilometres east of Salalah, the castle is regarded as the most popular castle to visit in the governorate. The castle became the property of the government during the time of Sultan Said bin Taimur, the father of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.
During the 1960s the castle was expanded by adding the outer wall and its four towers. The castle was recently renovated and reopened as a museum in 1994.
The Sultanate of Oman should tap its tremendous tourism potential and vast mineral resources towards achieving economic diversification, which is the need of the time to attain further development of the nation, said Dr Tun Mahathir Mohamad, former prime minister of Malaysia, while delivering a lecture on “Strategic Planning: the Malaysian Perspective” at the Grand Hall of Sultan Qaboos University’s Cultural Centre on Tuesday.
Dr Mahathir said that strategic planning is equally important for governments and business organisations to achieve their targets and future goals.
In Malaysia, politicians, the cabinet, civil servants, experts and consultants are involved in the process of economic planning. Malaysia implemented 5 year plans to make it a fully developed nation.
The vision was to make Malaysia fully developed by 2020.
Mahathir said that there are some difficulties in governing a multiracial country like Malaysia. The population of the country is multiracial and multi-religious, a factor that poses some difficulties for governance and sustainable development.
Despite the differences, Malaysians live together peacefully by means of benefitting from its national resources, sharing power and fulfilling their responsibilities towards the nation.
Dr Mahathir said that as Prime Minister, his first priority was to correct the imbalances and determine the goals.
For this, we identified areas where we can develop and sustain the economy. Initially, we focused on agriculture and plantation.
This was one way to develop the nation. We have fertile soil and availability of rain in all parts of Malaysia. We brought rubber and palm trees from Brazil and West Africa.
Through science and research, we improved the yield of the rubber and palm tree plantations cultivated in Malaysia. We could achieve more than 10 times yield than their native varieties. Efficient use of land for agriculture and plantation was a priority.
When market conditions changed for rubber and palm oil exports, our focus turned towards manufacturing and industry. In fact, Malaysia did not have prior experience in rapid industrialisation.
That is why we decided to invite foreign investment to the country by making it a business friendly nation.
This move helped to reduce unemployment in the country as a large number of people was employed in the industry. To meet the requirements, we even had to bring workers from foreign countries to work in the industry in Malaysia.
As time changed, we focused on sophisticated products such as microchips and other electronic devices that have huge demand in the global market at present. To start manufacturing such sophisticated products, we had to depend on foreign investment and expertise, he said.
Dr Mahathir further said that Malaysia was always keen to limit its budget spending within its means. For making proper planning for infrastructure development, we analyse and prepare a blue print of future needs of the country. To attract foreign investment in the country, we make sure that Malaysia has a strong infrastructure for power generation and distribution.
As industrialisation progressed, a large number of people from the rural areas of the country started migrating to the cities.
Subsequently, the government focused on creative a strong human resources potential by imparting quality education to our children and the young generation. We established many schools and several universities to provide good education to our people.
Before, Malaysia used to send its citizens to foreign countries for higher studies. Those who came back to the country with quality education from abroad also contributed to building human resources and workforce in the country.
According to Dr Mahathir, Malaysia has always been keen to add value to its resources whether they are agricultural products or industrial products. The Economic Planning Unit of the country (EPU) constantly do research on products and come up with new ideas to implement in the business and agricultural sectors.
Building proper foundation in the form of assets is important for nation’s development. If you have strong assets, you could think about diversification of assets for enhanced development and sustainability. Mahathir believes in the role of the private sector in driving the engine of growth and development.
He added that proper utilisation of natural resources is key to attain economic development. Malaysia has set a good example of income diversification by making the country, a leisure tourism destination. Today leisure tourism and medical tourism contribute substantially to the country’s exchequer.
The government in Malaysia has always been keen to control the prices of essential commodities such as rice, sugar, flour, pulses, etc to maintain price hike and inflation. At one time, when currency traders started selling Malaysian currency exorbitantly, we had to devalue our currency to maintain stability and promote economic growth.
Malaysia is a favourite tourism destination for Omanis. More than 30000 Omanis visit Malaysia every year for medical and leisure tourism.
Wadi Darbat in the wilayat embraces one of the spectacular scenes in the governorate. The wadi is distinguished by its virgin nature and thick botanical cover, besides natural springs and number of caves, especially Teeq Cave. Wadi Darbat is another scenic spot in Salalah, especially for the mountain and spring lovers.
Taqah has witnessed many development projects in education, health, electricity, water, telecommunications and roads. The yet to be opened Taqah’s fisheries harbour offers much economic significance. Taqah includes many attractions that connect between the past’s legacy and the present’s prosperity.
Among the historic landmarks that exist in the wilayat is the Taqah castle.
Located about 33 kilometres east of Salalah, the castle is regarded as the most popular castle to visit in the governorate. The castle became the property of the government during the time of Sultan Said bin Taimur, the father of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.
During the 1960s the castle was expanded by adding the outer wall and its four towers. The castle was recently renovated and reopened as a museum in 1994.
The Sultanate of Oman should tap its tremendous tourism potential and vast mineral resources towards achieving economic diversification, which is the need of the time to attain further development of the nation, said Dr Tun Mahathir Mohamad, former prime minister of Malaysia, while delivering a lecture on “Strategic Planning: the Malaysian Perspective” at the Grand Hall of Sultan Qaboos University’s Cultural Centre on Tuesday.
Dr Mahathir said that strategic planning is equally important for governments and business organisations to achieve their targets and future goals.
In Malaysia, politicians, the cabinet, civil servants, experts and consultants are involved in the process of economic planning. Malaysia implemented 5 year plans to make it a fully developed nation.
The vision was to make Malaysia fully developed by 2020.
Mahathir said that there are some difficulties in governing a multiracial country like Malaysia. The population of the country is multiracial and multi-religious, a factor that poses some difficulties for governance and sustainable development.
Despite the differences, Malaysians live together peacefully by means of benefitting from its national resources, sharing power and fulfilling their responsibilities towards the nation.
Dr Mahathir said that as Prime Minister, his first priority was to correct the imbalances and determine the goals.
For this, we identified areas where we can develop and sustain the economy. Initially, we focused on agriculture and plantation.
This was one way to develop the nation. We have fertile soil and availability of rain in all parts of Malaysia. We brought rubber and palm trees from Brazil and West Africa.
Through science and research, we improved the yield of the rubber and palm tree plantations cultivated in Malaysia. We could achieve more than 10 times yield than their native varieties. Efficient use of land for agriculture and plantation was a priority.
When market conditions changed for rubber and palm oil exports, our focus turned towards manufacturing and industry. In fact, Malaysia did not have prior experience in rapid industrialisation.
That is why we decided to invite foreign investment to the country by making it a business friendly nation.
This move helped to reduce unemployment in the country as a large number of people was employed in the industry. To meet the requirements, we even had to bring workers from foreign countries to work in the industry in Malaysia.
As time changed, we focused on sophisticated products such as microchips and other electronic devices that have huge demand in the global market at present. To start manufacturing such sophisticated products, we had to depend on foreign investment and expertise, he said.
Dr Mahathir further said that Malaysia was always keen to limit its budget spending within its means. For making proper planning for infrastructure development, we analyse and prepare a blue print of future needs of the country. To attract foreign investment in the country, we make sure that Malaysia has a strong infrastructure for power generation and distribution.
As industrialisation progressed, a large number of people from the rural areas of the country started migrating to the cities.
Subsequently, the government focused on creative a strong human resources potential by imparting quality education to our children and the young generation. We established many schools and several universities to provide good education to our people.
Before, Malaysia used to send its citizens to foreign countries for higher studies. Those who came back to the country with quality education from abroad also contributed to building human resources and workforce in the country.
According to Dr Mahathir, Malaysia has always been keen to add value to its resources whether they are agricultural products or industrial products. The Economic Planning Unit of the country (EPU) constantly do research on products and come up with new ideas to implement in the business and agricultural sectors.
Building proper foundation in the form of assets is important for nation’s development. If you have strong assets, you could think about diversification of assets for enhanced development and sustainability. Mahathir believes in the role of the private sector in driving the engine of growth and development.
He added that proper utilisation of natural resources is key to attain economic development. Malaysia has set a good example of income diversification by making the country, a leisure tourism destination. Today leisure tourism and medical tourism contribute substantially to the country’s exchequer.
The government in Malaysia has always been keen to control the prices of essential commodities such as rice, sugar, flour, pulses, etc to maintain price hike and inflation. At one time, when currency traders started selling Malaysian currency exorbitantly, we had to devalue our currency to maintain stability and promote economic growth.
Malaysia is a favourite tourism destination for Omanis. More than 30000 Omanis visit Malaysia every year for medical and leisure tourism.
Thursday, 27 April 2017
Qantas No More Melbourne-Dubai-London Flights
Qantas Airways has plans to drop the Melbourne-Dubai-London flights it is currently operating with Emirates in order to boost its services on the UK route and meet high demand from the Asian market.
The move also comes in the wake of heightened security measures that affect flyers from Dubai and other parts of the Middle East.
The Aussie carrier revealed the plans on Thursday when it announced the sale of tickets for its upcoming non-stop flights between Perth and London, which will begin on March 24, 2018.
The new Perth-London service will fly passengers from Melbourne to the UK and back without passing through Dubai, eventually reducing the travel time by more than one hour.
“The new QF9/10 will replace Qantas’ existing Melbourne-Dubai-London services,” Qantas said in a statement released on Thursday.
“With a faster flying time and quicker connections in Perth, customers travelling to London from Melbourne will reduce their total travel time by more than an hour compared with existing Qantas A380 services.”
The airline’s A380 that currently serves the Melbourne-London route will be redeployed to meet periods of high demand from Melbourne and Sydney to destinations in Asia, such as Singapore and Hong Kong, Qantas added.
The airline, however, assured that its partnership with Emirates will continue to deliver services for the European market.
Qantas customers in Melbourne will have the option to fly with partner Emirates on Qantas code to Dubai and then direct nearly 40 destinations in Europe. Emirates is up-gauging its third daily flight from the Victorian city from a Boeing 777-300ER to an A380 service from the 25th March, 2018.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the route will boost tourism in Australia and meet the growing demand from travellers. He noted that since its announcement in December 2016, the Perth-London service had attracted a lot of interest.
This route makes Western Australia a new tourism gateway for Australia. We know from our research that there’s a lot of appetite to explore the West, not just from British and European visitors but also from Aussies on their way to London.
A lot of business travellers, particularly in the resources sector, will stop off in Perth on their way to the UK.
Oman’s new budget airline SalamAir will operate as many as 12 Airbus A320 narrow body jets by 2020, as it aims for profitability by the end 2018, its chief executive said on Wednesday.
Launched in January, SalamAir has started flights from Muscat to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Salalah in Oman.
It plans to increase its fleet to between 10 and 12 A320s by 2020 from the three it has leased from Chile’s LATAM Airlines, CEO Francois Bouteiller said in Dubai.
Two to three of those will be added in 2018, he said.
Bouteiller said the airline is yet to decide if it should purchase or continue to lease aircraft but that it would only be interested in current model Airbus A320s and not the ‘neo’ variant.
SalamAir expects to carry between 750,000 and 800,000 passengers in 2017 with a load factor or how full its planes are of between 70 per cent and 80 per cent.
Bouteiller said the airline would mostly fly to destinations within three hours flying time of Oman.
The carrier, owned by the Omani government pension funds and the Muscat municipality, will launch up to five new routes from May: Medina in Saudi Arabia, Sialkot, Karachi and Multan in Pakistan and Dhaka in Bangladesh, Bouteiller said.
SalamAir is the second airline operating in Oman after state-owned Oman Air. SalamAir operates a single economy class product with 174 seats.
Malaysia Airlines has offered to lease Airbus A330 jets from Alitalia if the struggling Italian airline is wound up, the Asian carrier’s chief executive said on Wednesday.
Alitalia is preparing for special administration proceedings after workers rejected its latest rescue plan, making it impossible for the loss-making airline to secure funds to keep its aircraft flying.
Workers are hoping the Italian government will step in with an alternative rescue deal.
Malaysia Airlines could take between six and eight Airbus A330s from Alitalia, CEO Peter Bellew told Reuters in Dubai. “I hope Alitalia stays in business but it doesn’t look good to me today. I think it’s hard to see how they are going come back from the pressure they are sitting on at the moment,” he said.
An Alitalia spokesman declined to comment.
Malaysia Airlines is emerging from a turnaround after suffering two tragedies in 2014, when flight MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared in what remains a mystery, and then flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over eastern Ukraine.
Its load factors or how full its planes are averaged around 80 per cent in the three months to March 31, Bellew said.
Malaysia Airlines wants to lease between six and eight A330s or Boeing 777s for use from 2018 and a further seven to nine from 2019, he said, expecting to finalise most of those deals in the next four to six weeks.
This is an increase on the six for 2018 and six for 2019 he told Reuters last month he was interested in. “The world really is awash right now,” Bellew said with regard to spare wide-body aircraft, adding that he also saw opportunities to take aircraft from Middle East carriers.
There are really good deals out there at the moment. It’s a buyer’s market right now. Bellew also said he planned to make a decision on an order for 30-35 new Airbus A330neo or Boeing 787-9 wide-body planes in the next four to six months to replace existing aircraft in its fleet from the end of 2019.
If the prices are good we will do an order, he said.
But they need to sharpen their pencils because they are still unrealistic with the pricing in the current market. Malaysia Airlines would look for more leases if it doesn’t get the pricing it wants, he said.
It could also convert or add to an existing order for 25 of Boeing’s new generation 737 MAX 8 narrow body aircraft or the proposed bigger MAX 10 version currently being offered informally to the market by the US plane maker.
Bellew did not say how many could be ordered or when a decision might be made.
Industry sources said on Tuesday that Boeing was nearing a decision to launch the MAX 10 plane at the Paris Airshow in June.
Malaysia Airlines plans to trim its narrowbody fleet to between 35 and 40 aircraft from 54 currently and increase its number of wide-bodies from 15 to 35.
The airline is aiming for a return to profitability by 2018 and stock market listing in March the following year.
Bellew said he believed a majority of the airline would be listed.
The move also comes in the wake of heightened security measures that affect flyers from Dubai and other parts of the Middle East.
The Aussie carrier revealed the plans on Thursday when it announced the sale of tickets for its upcoming non-stop flights between Perth and London, which will begin on March 24, 2018.
The new Perth-London service will fly passengers from Melbourne to the UK and back without passing through Dubai, eventually reducing the travel time by more than one hour.
“The new QF9/10 will replace Qantas’ existing Melbourne-Dubai-London services,” Qantas said in a statement released on Thursday.
“With a faster flying time and quicker connections in Perth, customers travelling to London from Melbourne will reduce their total travel time by more than an hour compared with existing Qantas A380 services.”
The airline’s A380 that currently serves the Melbourne-London route will be redeployed to meet periods of high demand from Melbourne and Sydney to destinations in Asia, such as Singapore and Hong Kong, Qantas added.
The airline, however, assured that its partnership with Emirates will continue to deliver services for the European market.
Qantas customers in Melbourne will have the option to fly with partner Emirates on Qantas code to Dubai and then direct nearly 40 destinations in Europe. Emirates is up-gauging its third daily flight from the Victorian city from a Boeing 777-300ER to an A380 service from the 25th March, 2018.
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said the route will boost tourism in Australia and meet the growing demand from travellers. He noted that since its announcement in December 2016, the Perth-London service had attracted a lot of interest.
This route makes Western Australia a new tourism gateway for Australia. We know from our research that there’s a lot of appetite to explore the West, not just from British and European visitors but also from Aussies on their way to London.
A lot of business travellers, particularly in the resources sector, will stop off in Perth on their way to the UK.
Oman’s new budget airline SalamAir will operate as many as 12 Airbus A320 narrow body jets by 2020, as it aims for profitability by the end 2018, its chief executive said on Wednesday.
Launched in January, SalamAir has started flights from Muscat to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Salalah in Oman.
It plans to increase its fleet to between 10 and 12 A320s by 2020 from the three it has leased from Chile’s LATAM Airlines, CEO Francois Bouteiller said in Dubai.
Two to three of those will be added in 2018, he said.
Bouteiller said the airline is yet to decide if it should purchase or continue to lease aircraft but that it would only be interested in current model Airbus A320s and not the ‘neo’ variant.
SalamAir expects to carry between 750,000 and 800,000 passengers in 2017 with a load factor or how full its planes are of between 70 per cent and 80 per cent.
Bouteiller said the airline would mostly fly to destinations within three hours flying time of Oman.
The carrier, owned by the Omani government pension funds and the Muscat municipality, will launch up to five new routes from May: Medina in Saudi Arabia, Sialkot, Karachi and Multan in Pakistan and Dhaka in Bangladesh, Bouteiller said.
SalamAir is the second airline operating in Oman after state-owned Oman Air. SalamAir operates a single economy class product with 174 seats.
Malaysia Airlines has offered to lease Airbus A330 jets from Alitalia if the struggling Italian airline is wound up, the Asian carrier’s chief executive said on Wednesday.
Alitalia is preparing for special administration proceedings after workers rejected its latest rescue plan, making it impossible for the loss-making airline to secure funds to keep its aircraft flying.
Workers are hoping the Italian government will step in with an alternative rescue deal.
Malaysia Airlines could take between six and eight Airbus A330s from Alitalia, CEO Peter Bellew told Reuters in Dubai. “I hope Alitalia stays in business but it doesn’t look good to me today. I think it’s hard to see how they are going come back from the pressure they are sitting on at the moment,” he said.
An Alitalia spokesman declined to comment.
Malaysia Airlines is emerging from a turnaround after suffering two tragedies in 2014, when flight MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared in what remains a mystery, and then flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over eastern Ukraine.
Its load factors or how full its planes are averaged around 80 per cent in the three months to March 31, Bellew said.
Malaysia Airlines wants to lease between six and eight A330s or Boeing 777s for use from 2018 and a further seven to nine from 2019, he said, expecting to finalise most of those deals in the next four to six weeks.
This is an increase on the six for 2018 and six for 2019 he told Reuters last month he was interested in. “The world really is awash right now,” Bellew said with regard to spare wide-body aircraft, adding that he also saw opportunities to take aircraft from Middle East carriers.
There are really good deals out there at the moment. It’s a buyer’s market right now. Bellew also said he planned to make a decision on an order for 30-35 new Airbus A330neo or Boeing 787-9 wide-body planes in the next four to six months to replace existing aircraft in its fleet from the end of 2019.
If the prices are good we will do an order, he said.
But they need to sharpen their pencils because they are still unrealistic with the pricing in the current market. Malaysia Airlines would look for more leases if it doesn’t get the pricing it wants, he said.
It could also convert or add to an existing order for 25 of Boeing’s new generation 737 MAX 8 narrow body aircraft or the proposed bigger MAX 10 version currently being offered informally to the market by the US plane maker.
Bellew did not say how many could be ordered or when a decision might be made.
Industry sources said on Tuesday that Boeing was nearing a decision to launch the MAX 10 plane at the Paris Airshow in June.
Malaysia Airlines plans to trim its narrowbody fleet to between 35 and 40 aircraft from 54 currently and increase its number of wide-bodies from 15 to 35.
The airline is aiming for a return to profitability by 2018 and stock market listing in March the following year.
Bellew said he believed a majority of the airline would be listed.
Thursday, 3 November 2016
OMAN: Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara To Open
The multi-million Rial beachfront hotel in Salalah is the last word in luxury with villas opening on to a private beach. It's set to become the jewel in the crown of Oman's future tourism drive.
“We have seen bookings coming in strongly from Germany for the coming months along with France, Italy, Switzerland and the UK. GCC business is picking up very quickly now that we have opened all our online channels and within Oman we are inundated with requests for leisure bookings as well as corporate and groups,” said James Hewitson, general manager of the resort.
“We have a special offer available on Anantara.com of 25 per cent off room rates as our opening offer.
“The team has reached almost 280 people on board with 70 Omanis occupying various roles from Hotel Manager, senior department heads, middle management and line staff (25 per cent).
“I have been impressed with the local workforce from Salalah who without any formal hotel training have demonstrated a great passion in their training and demonstrate the warm hospitality that you find when entering any Omani’s home,” he added.
Ahead of the opening, CEO of Omran James Wilson said, “We are delighted with the opening of Anantara Salalah. This hotel has been developed in partnership with Omran and Mohammed Barwani and is a good example of Omani private sector investors partnering with Omran, the master developer of tourism projects in Oman.
“With its world class beach, low rise development and located next to the Al Baleed Archaeological Site, Al-Balid UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Land of Frankincense, we are sure this beach resort will add significantly to the upscale tourism offering in the Dhofar region.
It has been a good development and delivery experience, working with Mohammed Al Barwani group and the executives of Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al Rawas, Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan for Cultural Affairs,” Wilson said.
Tuesday, 10 May 2016
OMAN: New Airline To Be based In Salalah
Oman’s airport operator wants new airline Salam Air to set up its base at Salalah International Airport, a move it believes would increase the profile of the country’s second largest airport.
A new 2 million-passenger capacity terminal opened at Salalah International in June replacing the old 500,000-passenger terminal. Meanwhile, Oman awarded a licence to state-owned Muscat National Development and Investment Company (ASAAS) in January to establish budget carrier Salam Air, the country’s second airline.
“We are pushing them to go to Salalah but I think they are pushing back to stay in Muscat,” Oman Airports Management Company chief executive Aimen Ahmad Sultan Al Hosni said at an exhibition in Dubai on Monday.
The budget airline will start operations by early 2017 as per an agreement with Oman’s aviation authority and plans to fly medium and short-haul flights, according to Salem Awad Saeed Al Yafaey, Salalah International general manager. It will operate the narrow body Boeing 737 aircraft, Al Hosni said.
Oman is investing in five airports across the country, including building a new passenger terminal at main airport Muscat International that is facing further delays.
“We are targeting 2017 and inshallah we can deliver,” Al Hosni said.
Oman said in January the new terminal would open by the end of 2016, around a year behind its last target opening date. It was originally set to be completed in 2014 but issues with illegal workers and technical difficulties have contributed to delays.
Al Hosni declined to say when in 2017 the terminal could open, saying it is up to the Ministry of Transport to “set the timing.”
Salalah, a popular regional holiday destination, handled 1 million passengers between January 1 and December 17, up from 840,000 in 2014, Al Yafaey said, adding that Oman Airports has approached Bahrain’s Gulf Air and Saudi Arabia’s budget carrier flynas to fly to the airport.
“I hope they Salam Air take the base in Salalah because that definitely will add value to the airport,” Al Yafaey said.
Oman Airports will issue a request for proposal (RFP) by the end of the year to establish aircraft maintenance services at Salalah International, he added.
Construction on terminal buildings for new airports in Sohar, in the country’s north, and Ras Al Hadd in the country’s east, will start this year and in late 2017, respectively, Al Hosni said, adding that Air Asia’s Thailand joint-venture Thai Air Asia will start flights from Bangkok to Muscat in late July or early June.
A new 2 million-passenger capacity terminal opened at Salalah International in June replacing the old 500,000-passenger terminal. Meanwhile, Oman awarded a licence to state-owned Muscat National Development and Investment Company (ASAAS) in January to establish budget carrier Salam Air, the country’s second airline.
“We are pushing them to go to Salalah but I think they are pushing back to stay in Muscat,” Oman Airports Management Company chief executive Aimen Ahmad Sultan Al Hosni said at an exhibition in Dubai on Monday.
The budget airline will start operations by early 2017 as per an agreement with Oman’s aviation authority and plans to fly medium and short-haul flights, according to Salem Awad Saeed Al Yafaey, Salalah International general manager. It will operate the narrow body Boeing 737 aircraft, Al Hosni said.
Oman is investing in five airports across the country, including building a new passenger terminal at main airport Muscat International that is facing further delays.
“We are targeting 2017 and inshallah we can deliver,” Al Hosni said.
Oman said in January the new terminal would open by the end of 2016, around a year behind its last target opening date. It was originally set to be completed in 2014 but issues with illegal workers and technical difficulties have contributed to delays.
Al Hosni declined to say when in 2017 the terminal could open, saying it is up to the Ministry of Transport to “set the timing.”
Salalah, a popular regional holiday destination, handled 1 million passengers between January 1 and December 17, up from 840,000 in 2014, Al Yafaey said, adding that Oman Airports has approached Bahrain’s Gulf Air and Saudi Arabia’s budget carrier flynas to fly to the airport.
“I hope they Salam Air take the base in Salalah because that definitely will add value to the airport,” Al Yafaey said.
Oman Airports will issue a request for proposal (RFP) by the end of the year to establish aircraft maintenance services at Salalah International, he added.
Construction on terminal buildings for new airports in Sohar, in the country’s north, and Ras Al Hadd in the country’s east, will start this year and in late 2017, respectively, Al Hosni said, adding that Air Asia’s Thailand joint-venture Thai Air Asia will start flights from Bangkok to Muscat in late July or early June.
Sunday, 21 February 2016
OMAN: Nature And Heritage Make Tourism In Salalah Sustainable
The sustainability of Salalah as a major tourist destination in the Arab region is quite high as the destination has several natural attractions, which are being strengthened with modern amenities and facilities. Known earlier for three months of majestic Khareef season, Salalah has caught the imagination of European tourists for Winter tourism and if its resources are properly tapped the destination can emerge as a major revenue earner for the Sultanate.
This was the general reaction of the tourism experts in their comments to the Observer. The experts, ranging from Ministry of Tourism officials, hoteliers and hospitality managers, put thrust on the fact that Salalah has many natural attractions and the destination kept attracting visitors even when tourism did not develop as an organised sector.
To prove his point Khalid bin Mussalam al Rowas, Director-General of Tourism in Dhofar Governorate, said that he had recently honoured some tourists who spent in Salalah 1009, 600 and 500 nights respectively. “Had it not been sustainable they would not have come here time and again. There is something which attracts people, make them comfortable and feel safe and secured in the lap of nature.” “Today tourism has emerged as a proper sector and Salalah is on the international tourism map.
It, however, is a fact that the concept of organised tourism has started taking shape in 1980s and many tourists were coming here from the Gulf and other Arab countries,” said Al Rawas. According to Al Rawas, the Government of Oman outlining tourism as a key sector in the latest 5 Year Plan 2016-2020 and vision Oman 2040. He cited the National Centre for Statistics (NCSI), which suggested a record 500,000 tourists visited the Governorate from June to August 2015, showing a 21 per cent increase from the same period in 2014.
Confronting the idea of tourists relocating to other destinations in future, Ahmed Dabbous, CEO of Muriya, said “It takes time in getting a destination popular and once it is popular among the tourists and the facilities are in place, the tourists keep on pouring. And Salalah as a destination is quite sustainable for its combination of sea, mountain and desert.”
“Moreover the destination is rich in history and culture. Security and safety appeals them and they take home very positive memories from Oman. If you see the growth in tourist arrival besides those coming during Khareef season, the number is quite impressive. From one charter flight in 2005, Salalah has now 7 weekly charter flights and in all likelihood there would be 10 weekly charters by the end of the year,” he said.
The growth indicators, according to him, are quite high. “Now Salalah has an airport of international standards, more hotels rooms are available and many more are in the pipeline,” he said and endorsed the destination highly. Robert Zogbi, Chairman and CEO of UAE based Innovationz Hospitality Group FZE, also endorsed Salalah as a sustainable tourist destination and called for new facilities to entertain the tourists. “There is huge scope for Salalah. Growth is on expected lines, yet more needs to be done,” he said.
This was the general reaction of the tourism experts in their comments to the Observer. The experts, ranging from Ministry of Tourism officials, hoteliers and hospitality managers, put thrust on the fact that Salalah has many natural attractions and the destination kept attracting visitors even when tourism did not develop as an organised sector.
To prove his point Khalid bin Mussalam al Rowas, Director-General of Tourism in Dhofar Governorate, said that he had recently honoured some tourists who spent in Salalah 1009, 600 and 500 nights respectively. “Had it not been sustainable they would not have come here time and again. There is something which attracts people, make them comfortable and feel safe and secured in the lap of nature.” “Today tourism has emerged as a proper sector and Salalah is on the international tourism map.
It, however, is a fact that the concept of organised tourism has started taking shape in 1980s and many tourists were coming here from the Gulf and other Arab countries,” said Al Rawas. According to Al Rawas, the Government of Oman outlining tourism as a key sector in the latest 5 Year Plan 2016-2020 and vision Oman 2040. He cited the National Centre for Statistics (NCSI), which suggested a record 500,000 tourists visited the Governorate from June to August 2015, showing a 21 per cent increase from the same period in 2014.
Confronting the idea of tourists relocating to other destinations in future, Ahmed Dabbous, CEO of Muriya, said “It takes time in getting a destination popular and once it is popular among the tourists and the facilities are in place, the tourists keep on pouring. And Salalah as a destination is quite sustainable for its combination of sea, mountain and desert.”
“Moreover the destination is rich in history and culture. Security and safety appeals them and they take home very positive memories from Oman. If you see the growth in tourist arrival besides those coming during Khareef season, the number is quite impressive. From one charter flight in 2005, Salalah has now 7 weekly charter flights and in all likelihood there would be 10 weekly charters by the end of the year,” he said.
The growth indicators, according to him, are quite high. “Now Salalah has an airport of international standards, more hotels rooms are available and many more are in the pipeline,” he said and endorsed the destination highly. Robert Zogbi, Chairman and CEO of UAE based Innovationz Hospitality Group FZE, also endorsed Salalah as a sustainable tourist destination and called for new facilities to entertain the tourists. “There is huge scope for Salalah. Growth is on expected lines, yet more needs to be done,” he said.
OMAN: Oman Tourism Strategy Implemented Since Beginning Of 2016
Ahmed bin Nasser al Mehrzi, Minister of Tourism, said that Oman Tourism Strategy, which is being implemented since the beginning of 2016 after it was approved by the Council of Ministers, focuses on several objectives, the foremost of which is enhancing domestic tourism, particularly the recreational sector, which the ministry is currently executing. In a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), he pointed out that the domestic tourism, its trends and objectives, as well as due to its importance, dominated about 50 per cent from the strategy. He added that this requires utilities and installations that meet demands of the tourist as the Omani tourist looks for recreational tourism related-installations and services.
Al Mehrzi pointed out that the total investments expected for this sector during the upcoming years exceed RO one billion. He added that there are projects being implemented, others were issued licences to be established and other projects understudy. The Minister of Tourism further said that among the recreational tourism projects, which were approved, include the construction of two waterparks in Salalah and the other world-class waterpark that will be established by one of the pension funds in Al Athaibah in the Governorate of Muscat, in addition to a project for Muscat Municipality, in cooperation with one of the investment companies to establish a world-class recreational city in the Wilayat of Al Seeb, a family recreational project in the Wilayat of Al Musannah stretching over 5 million square meters and a project to set up a zoo as the investor will be supported for this project, as well as other upcoming projects.
Al Mehrzi affirmed that as planned by 2020, which the end of the current five-year plan, there will be 20,000 hotel rooms “3 to 5 stars” in the Sultanate. He explained that if the tourism sector continues to grow, the Sultanate will achieve this figure before 2018. He added that the strategy includes the construction of 50,000 hotel rooms “3 stars and above” during the next 25 years with permitting to build budget hotel rooms, but they will not be listed within the strategy. The Minister of Tourism unveiled that Masirah Island will witness during the upcoming period the implementation of a tourist project that aims at enhancing the tourism sector in the island that enjoys good tourist potentials. He pointed out that two sites were presented before an investor as one of the two sites is selected to set up yachts marina, tourist resort and chalets.
He stressed the necessity of operating a commercial airline route to Masirah Island to facilitate travel to the island and activate tourist and economic movement, especially after the remarkable success made by the National Ferries Company (NFC) in the number of passengers from and to the island.
Al Mehrzi pointed out that the total investments expected for this sector during the upcoming years exceed RO one billion. He added that there are projects being implemented, others were issued licences to be established and other projects understudy. The Minister of Tourism further said that among the recreational tourism projects, which were approved, include the construction of two waterparks in Salalah and the other world-class waterpark that will be established by one of the pension funds in Al Athaibah in the Governorate of Muscat, in addition to a project for Muscat Municipality, in cooperation with one of the investment companies to establish a world-class recreational city in the Wilayat of Al Seeb, a family recreational project in the Wilayat of Al Musannah stretching over 5 million square meters and a project to set up a zoo as the investor will be supported for this project, as well as other upcoming projects.
Al Mehrzi affirmed that as planned by 2020, which the end of the current five-year plan, there will be 20,000 hotel rooms “3 to 5 stars” in the Sultanate. He explained that if the tourism sector continues to grow, the Sultanate will achieve this figure before 2018. He added that the strategy includes the construction of 50,000 hotel rooms “3 stars and above” during the next 25 years with permitting to build budget hotel rooms, but they will not be listed within the strategy. The Minister of Tourism unveiled that Masirah Island will witness during the upcoming period the implementation of a tourist project that aims at enhancing the tourism sector in the island that enjoys good tourist potentials. He pointed out that two sites were presented before an investor as one of the two sites is selected to set up yachts marina, tourist resort and chalets.
He stressed the necessity of operating a commercial airline route to Masirah Island to facilitate travel to the island and activate tourist and economic movement, especially after the remarkable success made by the National Ferries Company (NFC) in the number of passengers from and to the island.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)