Muscat: Under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Kamil bin Fahad Al Said, Assistant Secretary General for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT), in cooperation with Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group)  will organise Oman Tourism Forum (OTF) from today.

The two-day forum will discuss the reality of adventure tourism, its future and its contribution to the development of local communities. It will review the experiences of some tourism companies specialized in adventures and avid individuals who are fans of this product. The forum features some panel discussions that will address the contribution of adventure tourism to domestic tourism and its significance in identifying people with the most important landmarks and tourist destinations in the Sultanate of Oman.

The Sultanate is characterized by its geographical and biological diversity that contributed to the multitude of natural attractions including stunning mountain ranges, caves, valleys, plains, deserts, rocky hills, coastal areas and beaches. This turned Oman into an attractive tourist destination for millions of tourists all year round.

This forum is organized as part of the MHT’s efforts to enrich the tourism sector and maximize the benefits from the tourist attractions enjoyed by the Sultanate. It will discuss the future aspirations to promote adventure tourism as one of the most important tourism products that are witnessing a steady growth in the world.

The Ministry seeks to establish the position of the Sultanate as one of the most important destinations of adventure tourism worldwide in light of the increasing demand on this product. It pays great attention to this type of tourism and strives to create the appropriate environment for it by enacting various legislative, regulatory and executive rules and encouraging the investment in the projects that support this product.

The forum will discuss some topics including the reality of adventure tourism in the Sultanate, the role of MHT in developing and promoting this product, the best way to make advantage of the beaches in the Sultanate and the necessary mechanisms for attracting investments in adventure tourism. The ministry is set to implement a clear long-range vision for the period from 2022 – 2027 with the objective of promoting and benefiting from the geographical diversity and stunning natural and geological features enjoyed by the Sultanate.

The panel discussions of the forum will examine the local community development initiatives through adventure tourism. They will also review the efforts made to encourage small and medium enterprises to enter into investment projects related to this type of tourism and the MHT’s efforts exerted in collaboration with various governmental and private entities to create an in-country added value for adventure tourism. The sessions of the forum will touch upon the licensing procedures, security and safety requirements and the important role of academic institutions that integrate adventure tourism in their curricula. The contributions of modern technologies, digital platforms, electronic publications, virtual reality and augmented reality in promoting the adventure tourism will also be discussed.

Source: Times of Oman