OMAN IS SET FOR A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN HOLIDAY INTEREST.

Oman with its stunning mountainous coastline and sandy deserts has long been a country popular with the few but unknown to the many. In fact it has been said that the famous hotel ‘ Al Bustan Palace’ was better known that the country it was in. The opening in January 2006 of the Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa coupled with Gulf Airs non-stop flights to Muscat from Heathrow look set to change Oman’s profile.
The Al Waha hotel of the Shangri-la resort has been receiving guests before its official opening, mainly of families living in Muscat. Ibrahim Said of the Oman based internet tour operator ‘OMAN Holiday’ (www.omanholiday.co.uk) took lunch in the Samba restaurant set near to pool of the Al Waha hotel. He commented “the setting for our table was superb with views of the honey coloured mountains behind the pool plaza and the Gulf of Oman sparkling in beyond the hotels private beach’. Mohammed Al Amri also of OMAN Holiday said ‘our clients prefer to have first hand descriptions of their experience in Oman so our staff must try the dining experience in the Shangri-la’.
Ibrahim also said that there was growing interest in Oman from Hotel chains among the most interesting being a boutique hotel designed, equipped and managed by world-famous London hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray to be built at The Blue City project. The Oman Minister of Tourism Dr. Rajha Bint Abdul Ameer has said that Oman hopes to achieve growth in its tourism arrivals by offering tourism products of high quality in Oman. He said that 2006 and 2007 look like being years of growth for his company and tourism in Oman.
Elsewhere in Muscat the Ministry of Tourism has been upgrading facilities with the well known Souq in Muttrah and the Muttrah Corniche being key examples. Mohammed Al Amri explained that most visitors to Muscat will visit the Souq in Muttrah and we are delighted that it is now a place which ‘OMAN Holiday’ can proudly show our clients.

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OMAN Holiday www.omanholiday.co.uk is based in Muscat Oman. The company specializes in quality tourism and tours within the country. Contact them at arabesquetours@omanholiday.co.uk.