Muscat – Dakhliyah governorate has invited bids for development and management of Nizwa Gate, a huge arched signature gate that stands on Highway 21 along the original Muscat-Nizwa Road.

Nizwa Gate was built in 2015 and is one of the most important monuments in the wilayat, which showcases its resplendent heritage.

Dakhliyah governorate is looking to partner with private sector entities for managing and developing the gate for which a tender has been floated, an official at Dakhliyah Governor’s office said.

The tender documents can be collected till February 15, while the last date for submission of bids is March 30.

This development project has been taken up with an intention to attract tourists and support domestic tourism in Nizwa, an ancient city which is renowned for its silver jewellery and excellent Khanjar making.

In October last year, H E Salim bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, on Twitter had shared images of several tourism related projects that he said would be implemented soon.

Nizwa Gate project was one of those he had mentioned in his tweet, saying that the project would cost RO350,000.

It would have a tourist information centre, including electronic screens that display the cultural history of Dakhliyah governorate.

The tourism sector of Oman is steadily becoming strong with continuous development and growth in number of tourists in different governorates.

Also, the number of monuments recorded a significant increase in Oman to reach 22,259 in 2020 compared to 7,064 in 2016, a growth of 215 per cent, according to the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

The governorates of North Batinah and Dakhiliyah have the largest number of castles and forts.
According to NCSI data, Nizwa in Dhakilayah governorate received the largest number of visitors in 2020.

The Nizwa Fort received 143,767 visitors in 2019 and 44,047 in 2020. While Muttrah Fort received 14,781 visitors in 2020, Taqah (4,457), Mirbat (691), Khasab (10,429), Bukha (6,367), Buraimi (1,068), Bahla (11,304), Jibreen (19,977) and Sansilah Fort (1,395).