A youth group comprising 70 members is doing all it can to promote domestic tourism. From organising tourism trips to  climbing mountain, the team called Omani Tourism Ambassadors also seeks to encourage people to consider health as a priority.

In December, the team organised a cycling trip from the wilayat of Khabourah to the wilayat of Ibri over two days covering 230km to promote the tourist areas in that region.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Ameer al Balushi, founder, Omani Tourism Ambassadors, said, “The team was established in 2019 and consists of 70 member from different wilayats of the sultanate. The team aims to promote domestic tourism and support tourism projects of owners of small and medium enterprises.”

Talking about the tours the team organises, Balushi said such events help participants explore varied terrain, including mountains, wadis and deserts. They also help inculcate the culture of fitness among people.

In October 2020, Balushi set off on a solo trip across some wilayats in his car to promote tourism but he stopped the attempt due to COVID-19.

“We organise trips every month. The participants go through plains, wadis and mountains. Most of the time, we choose an unexplored site. The team also organises cycling, swimming and mountain climbing events,” he said.

“The team has organised over 16 tours since 2019 in different wilayats of the sultanate. 

The team plans well before embarking on any trip. The site for the adventure trip is chosen after much deliberation and research. A team is also sent to study the place and the weather conditions. We are also careful when choosing how many people can be taken for a particular trip,” he said. 

The team seeks to hold lectures in schools and universities to raise awareness on the importance of tourism and the preservation of tourist areas in the various governorates of the sultanate. 

“We are planning to do trips outside the sultanate to promote Omani tourism and attract tourists to the sultanate.”