Oman has called for stronger integration and more effective cooperation among Gulf countries to boost the region’s competitiveness and establish the GCC as a leading global tourism destination.
The call came during the 10th meeting of GCC Ministers
Responsible for Tourism in Manama, where Oman was represented by the Ministry
of Heritage and Tourism. The Omani delegation was headed by Sayyid Ibrahim Said
Al Busaidi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism.
In Oman’s address, Al Busaidi said tourism in the Arabian
Gulf is the fastest-recovering and fastest-growing tourism sector in the Middle
East.
He urged GCC states to adopt joint initiatives and
coordinate expertise through clear executive programmes and timelines that
allow progress to be measured and implementation monitored.
He said closer cooperation would help create an integrated
Gulf tourism destination capable of competing more effectively in international
markets.
Al Busaidi highlighted Al Jabal Al Akhdar in Oman as an
example of integrated tourism development. The wilayat has 95 hotel
establishments offering more than 1,060 rooms. Visitor numbers rose 9% from
203,629 in 2024 to 222,151 in 2025, according to figures presented at the
meeting.
GCC tourism ministers agreed to accelerate priority
initiatives, including implementation of the tourism sector recovery plan,
development of joint tourism packages, programmes and routes, and stronger
unified international promotion.
They also agreed to advance a GCC-wide system for tourism
data and statistics, while expanding cooperation in innovation, digital
transformation and human-capacity development.
The meeting further addressed a unified tourist guiding
licence and a guiding manual for hotel classification.
Ministers also discussed supporting Saudi Arabia’s candidacy
for membership of the Executive Council of UN Tourism, representing the Middle
East region for 2028-2031.
The measures reflect a shared commitment to developing a more competitive, sustainable and coordinated Gulf tourism sector and strengthening the region’s profile in global tourism markets. -TradeArabia News Service
