Muscat – A two-day meeting for the promotion of adventure tourism in Oman began at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) coinciding with the World Tourism Day on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT), in cooperation with Omran Group and Visit Oman platform opened the Oman Tourism Meet under the patronage of H H Kamel bin Fahad bin Mahmoud al Said, Assistant Secretary General for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers.

Informing the audience at the opening ceremony that this year’s meet was dedicated to developing adventure tourism in the sultanate, Saeed bin Hareb al Obaidani, Director General of Tourism Development at MHT, highlighted the role of the ministry in taking advantage of Oman’s adventure tourism resources, to leverage the sultanate as one of the best destinations in the world for adventure tourism activities.

He emphasised on the importance of exchanging ideas and presenting practical experiences that will enable adventure tourism to grow systematically and professionally in coordination with partners from the public and private sectors, as well as interested individuals.

Obaidani also stressed on raising awareness among adventure tourism operators for the need to provide security and safety requirements; and for making the most of this growing tourism product.

Speaking at the meet, Saeed bin Salem al Shanfari, CEO of Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, said, “The focus for this year’s meet on adventure tourism is due to the geographical and biological diversity of the sultanate, which includes our magnificent mountain ranges, coastline, beaches and marine life, as well as our caves, wadis, sandy and rocky desert plains, and wildlife. These make Oman a highly attractive destination for adventure tourism – and for adventure tourists – throughout the year.”

On the first day, experts from the sector participated in a panel discussion – ‘The Reality of Adventure Tourism in the Sultanate of Oman’ – during which Obaidani, Khalid bin Mohammed al Ajmi, General Manager of Diversity and Projects at Omran; and Shabib bin Mohammed al Maamari, CEO of Visit Oman, made presentations on various aspects of adventure tourism.

Khamis al Anbouri, General Manager of Commercial Affairs at Oman Sail, and Ahmed bin Khalfan al Rahbi, one of the most respected and prominent stakeholders in mountain-related tourism, also moderated a dialogue session.

On Wednesday, experts will focus on a number of topics, most notably licensing procedures, security and safety requirements, and the role of modern technologies in the development of adventure tourism.

The meet aims to bring local tour operators, travel agencies, airlines and suppliers together under one roof to showcase the most prominent services and offers they provide in the field of tourism in general, and adventure tourism in particular.

Alongside the meet, an exhibition is also being held, offering a platform to 22 exhibitors representing hotel industry, travel companies, and adventure and exploration tour operators.