Oman is diligently working on a non-oil future strategy as master developer Omran plans to hire 1,000 people to run three new hotels and train 10,000 Omanis over the next five years to meet tourism, real estate & hospitality demands, said a report.

According to Omran CEO James Wilson, the government-appointed body running real estate projects and tourism development in the sultanate wants to future-proof Oman’s economy, said a report in Times of Oman.

Today, Oman’s ministers of commerce and Industry, transport and tourism will officially launch an RO500 million ($1.29 biliion) redevelopment project that will reshape the very future of the country.

The Mina Al Sultan Qaboos Waterfront Project is a flagship redevelopment plan that will help the economy to move away fro oil and gas dependency, according to Wilson

As part of the government’s strategy, Omran will help train 10,000 Omanis in just 60 months. Three global hotel chains are in talks to achieve this, he said, and 1,000 staff will be hired next year to work in three hotels set to open in Oman.

The training will be done at the tourism college, which has been entrusted to Omran.

The tourism college is expected to feature an outlet mall, wedding hall, a “teaching” hotel run by students, professors and a core hotel staff plus quality student accommodation.

Negotiations are currently under way with three hospitality brands - Starwood, Anantara and TAJ for the on-campus hotel.

At today’s launch, Omran will reveal investors and sign the first construction contract for Sultan Qaboos Waterfront.

The RO500 million ($1.29 billion) Mina Al Sultan Qaboos Waterfront project will have homes, retail units and luxury hotels besides other entertainment and lifestyle attractions over a one million square metre area. The project is aimed at transforming Mina Al Sultan Qaboos port into a major tourism-based mixed-use waterfront destination.

It will be developed in four phases and is likely to be completed by 2027.