Muscat – The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT) on Wednesday entered into an agreement with Al Hosoon Heritage Trading company for the running of the Khabourah Castle, a prominent monument in North Batinah governorate.

Located just under 2km from the main centre of Sohar in the wilayat of Khaboura, the castle features a central courtyard and the main entrance on the northern side.

The sultanate has recently started engaging private sector entities for the management of various historical sites and monuments to foster investments and employment.

It seeks to empower the private sector, specifically small and medium-sized enterprises and productive families, while creating marketing channels for artisans, the ministry stated.

This initiative is the fallout of a thorough study on how to improve the tourism sector and related industries. Implementation of value-added projects was found to be appropriate in engaging the local community and revitalise cultural heritage sites, all in line with the Oman Vision 2040 and the tenth Five Year Plan (2021-25).

MHT’s commitment lies in developing and offering diverse tourist destinations across Oman, elevating historical monuments as prominent tourist attractions.

‘This endeavour aims to showcase the richness of Omani civilisation, the authenticity of its cultural heritage, and the unique Omani culture,’ it stated. Forts and castles in Oman hold great appeal for tourists due to their significance in the history.