Muscat – The Environment Authority (EA) is inviting interested parties to invest in the Khor al Mughsail Nature Reserve in Dhofar governorate.

EA has given this call to boost eco-tourism projects in the governorate.

Positioned at Jabal al Qamar’s eastern tip, Khawr al Mughsail – spanning over half a square kilometre – serves as a crucial habitat for a myriad of both local and migratory birds, attracted to the year-round abundance of food.

Bird species travel from as far as Africa, Europe, and India to inhabit the lagoon, while others make it their permanent home. This confluence of species highlights the region’s importance in global bird migration.

The EA sees a wealth of untapped opportunities for businesses, institutions, and investors eager to delve into eco-tourism at the Khor al Mughsail Nature Reserve. To this end, it has extended an invitation for Expressions of Interest (EoI) as per the agreed future investment and management model.

Investors must submit a comprehensive development plan, including the project’s components, its construction, and management strategy, officials informed. Preliminary and initial designs should comply with EA policies, Ministry of Heritage and Tourism guidelines, Omani law, and sustainable tourism principles, they further stated.

‘Careful attention must be given to preserve natural and cultural heritage and prohibit activities potentially harmful to the site’s environmental and cultural values’.

Alongside this, the EA officials stressed that ‘prospective investors need to present a strategy for managing the project’s and visitors’ impact on natural resources, accompanied by aerial projections of the site and its components, along with relevant maps and coordinates’.

The EA also requires details about the company, its organisational structure, and proven expertise in managing ecotourism ventures.