Oman spreads arms to welcome 11 million travellers annually by 2040

Hosts ‘Focus Oman 2025’ in India with unique format to strengthen travel trade ties.

The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Sultanate of Oman is intensifying its efforts to deepen its relationship with the Indian market. While Oman has long appealed to the luxury segment, the destination is now broadening its narrative to highlight its diversity: pristine beaches & mountains, adventure opportunities, cultural heritage, and facilities for meetings and weddings.

As part of this push, the Ministry recently hosted Focus Oman, a four-day B2B showcase in Jaipur from August 18 - 21. The event brought together 25 leading Omani exhibitors, including hotels, DMCs, and attraction partners, who engaged directly with more than 150 luxury travel planners, wedding specialists, and MICE operators from across India. The initiative was designed in an innovative style, to reinforce Oman’s positioning as a premier short-haul luxury destination for Indian travellers.

Speaking on the sidelines, Yousuf Khalaf Al Mujaizi, Assistant Director, Business Development Department, Ministry of Heritage & Tourism, Oman, outlined the destination’s evolving strategy to attract a larger share of the Indian outbound market.

Segments on the radar

Mujaizi shared that adventure remains the key project. “Not only for youth but also for older people and families,” he said. The variety of experiences, he added, spans from soft to mid to hard adventure, offering strong potential to attract Indian travellers.

Weddings and MICE also continue to be a focus area. “Oman has been active in attracting wedding organizers and wedding planners, where they can not only enjoy the infrastructure and five-star hotels, but also the cuisine and related services that make the experience exceptional and memorable. The level of luxury in Oman is different. If you look at hotels across different categories, the standard is far superior to what you can even imagine.” he explained.

On the cultural front, Mujaizi highlighted heritage as a unique differentiator. “We have more than 1,000 castles and forts spread across the country, and some of them are open to welcome tourists with authentic life experiences,” he noted.

Response so far; Strategy

Mujaizi shared that Oman’s tourism sector contributed 2.7 per cent to the national GDP and projected to reach 5 to 10 per cent by 2040. “Tourism is a key sector and we are looking to welcome 11 million travellers annually by 2040,” he said.

India, he noted, had consistently remained the top source market for Oman. At the same time, GCC countries continued to drive strong numbers. “When I say GCC countries, the UAE came on top,” Mujaizi explained, adding that Europe was also a strong contributor with the UK, Germany, Italy and France leading the way.

Reflecting on recent performance, he said, “In 2023, we made a historical achievement by approaching 4 million travellers. Before the pandemic, we used to receive 3.2 million; however, after the pandemic, the number jumped historically to 4 million.” He acknowledged that 2024 saw a slight dip, recording 3.9 million arrivals, largely due to the unstable situation in the Middle East.

Supporting the growth, Mujaizi explained that Oman’s geographic location had always given it a natural advantage as a year-round destination, welcoming tourists from all over the world.

He also highlighted the opportunities to engage visitors through authentic cultural experiences. “We have old houses that go back many years, which have been renovated and licensed by the Ministry to serve as unique accommodation. In addition, most of the service providers are Omani. It benefits not only the tourists but also supports the economy, providing work opportunities and daily income during the season,” he noted.

Between 2019 and 2024, Oman recorded more than 40 per cent growth in tourism, from India market. Mujaizi stressed that the focus now is on strengthening the country’s presence in India. “We are keen to support the partners and operators through joint marketing initiatives, familiarisation trips for trade and media, B2B gatherings, and participation in major events such as SATTE. These are part of our plans for next year and will be confirmed before the beginning of 2026,” he said.

Looking ahead, Oman intends to continue engaging Indian audiences through a blend of on-ground and digital initiatives. “We do outdoor activities to target local audiences and the wider Indian segment. Influencers are also a key tool, we use them to attract and target different segments from the Indian market,” he added.

Focus Oman 2025

Explaining the concept behind Focus Oman, Mujaizi recalled, “In the past, our business partners and the private sector used to come here, and we would go from city to city meeting various agents,” he said.

However, the format had its limitations. “The trouble was that at one time there would be around 100 travel agents, and none of them really got the chance to meet everyone,” he noted. This challenge prompted the creation of Focus Oman. “The idea was to bring our partners to one location, have them stay in a particular hotel with us for three or four days, and invite travel agents from across India to come there,” he explained.

The event drew participation from influential agents familiar with Oman as well as “fence-sitters” who had the potential to push the destination further. To maximise engagement, the organisers ensured a structured format. “We set up meetings with each one of them. Every agent met every exhibitor for around nine minutes, so they could actually discuss business. It wasn’t just about shaking hands and walking away, some even managed to sign contracts on the spot,” Mujaizi shared.
 

Obstacles & Opportunities

Reflecting on recent trends, Mujaizi acknowledged the challenges posed by the pandemic. “What we experienced during the pandemic was not easy, it was a tough challenge,” he said.

He pointed out that India offered a clear example of changing traveller behaviour. “We noticed that most tourists from India, and from other countries as well, were more drawn to nature and adventure activities,” he explained. “Travellers extended their stays to more than seven to eight nights. In fact, visitors from some source markets stayed more than 10 nights, and from certain countries even up to 14 nights.”

Another area Mujaizi highlighted was the scale of the Indian market. “I do not want to call it a challenge because India is a continent, not a country. To cover a continent with such a huge population and vast area was never an easy task,” he said.

He explained that Oman’s strategy had therefore been built on patience and sustainability. “Yes, we want to reach one million visitors, but we believe in building a solid ground that ensures stable and sustained growth,” he emphasised.

Initially, we had focused on select areas, but over time it expanded its reach. “At Focus Oman, we had 150 companies covering 39 cities. In 10 of those cities, it was our first time to touch base. We are going gradually, with the aim of eventually covering all of India,” Mujaizi explained.