UAE-based Hospitality Management Holdings said work at its 4-star deluxe property, Coral Muscat Hotel & Apartments, was progressing well and was on track to open by the third quarter.

The countdown to the opening of Coral Muscat Hotel & Apartments has begun with the hotel entering the final phase of development, said a company statement.

Owned by Mustafa Sultan Enterprises, the 4-star hotel has been designed to meet the critical needs of the growing tourism industry. Offering an alcohol-free, safe environment, it holds unique competitive advantage in a prime location.

Announcing the launch, Laurent A. Voivenel, the Hospitality Management Holdings CEO said, "Coral Muscat Hotel & Apartments is a flagship property for HMH and is on track to welcome its first guests by the third quarter of 2014. We are thrilled to see the progress on site and expect the Coral sign to go up shortly."

Located in Qurum, a merely 20 minutes-drive from Muscat International Airport, the deluxe property features 88 furnished rooms and apartments. On site is an international all-day-dining restaurant, pool deck, terrace lounge, superb meeting venues as well as excellent leisure facilities.

Abdulredha M. Sultan, the managing director, Mustafa Sultan, said, "Despite being the diplomatic and commercial centre, Qurum continues to be underserved by hospitality options and Coral Muscat Hotel & Apartments is poised to fill this need for first rate accommodation. We are glad to have HMH as our operator."

"Over the years Coral Hotels & Resorts has established an excellent reputation in the region offering the highest standards in hospitality with the right local know-how and expertise and we are confident it will not only live up to but surpass market expectations," he added.

Laurent described Coral Muscat Hotel & Apartments as a very significant project for HMH as it signals strategic expansion for the group in Oman.

"Oman is certainly a very promising market and it is very exciting to be here. We believe Coral Muscat Hotel will serve as the perfect ambassador for our brand demonstrating its strength and unique appeal for travellers seeking our signature hospitality," he stated.

"Visitations are likely to increase exponentially from 2015 once new Muscat airport is operational and we are definitely keen to take advantage of this massive opportunity by expanding our footprint here," he added.

The new project comes in line with Omani government’s 'Vision 2020' which aims to boost its room count to 20,000 by 2015 and welcome 12 million visitors annually by 2020, an increase well above 2,184,000 visitors in 2013.

"To achieve its goal the government has been investing in tourism under its 2011-2015 plan to bring infrastructure and services up to par with upgrades of road infrastructure and airports as well as the development of Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre with a 3,200-seat auditorium set to open in 2016," stated Laurent.

Large sums are being spent to boost visitors to Oman, such as $6.1 billion into the expansion of its international airports.

Muscat International Airport’s new terminal will be able to handle 12 million passengers when it opens next year, with plans to expand annual capacity to 48 million passengers.

To meet the growing demand the number of hotel rooms in the Muscat governorate could reach between 5,000 and 6,000 by 2015, ranging from three- to five-stars.

As per the ministry of tourism forecasts, a total of 3,000 rooms will open by the end of 2014. The World Travel & Tourism Council expects the tourism sector to contribute 9.9 per cent by 2019 to the Sultanate’s gross domestic product, up from 6.7 per cent in 2009.-TradeArabia News Service