Muscat – The first phase of Al Nakheel Integrated Tourism Complex in Barka will be launched on Sunday, according to the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT).

The project, spread over 500,000sqm in three phases of development, is located in Al Rumais in the wilayat of Barka.

In a statement, MHT said that H E Salim bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, will grace the launch ceremony of the first phase of the project on Sunday.

H E Mahrouqi said recently that over the next two years there will be a change in the level of services provided at various tourist sites. “Oman will open its largest entertainment project – Al Sharq – by mid-2024 in Barka. The other new projects include Al Nakheel ITC in Barka and another in Quriyat.”

The government aims to attract investments worth RO3bn by 2023 with a focus on developing public beaches in partnership with small and medium enterprises, H E Mahrouqi has stated.

In 2017, an agreement was signed by MHT and the Palm Beach Company for the Al Nakheel ITC development.

The project will include three hotels, hotel apartments, 1,436 residential units, a shopping mall, a traditional souq, an international school, restaurants, a water park, and other entertainment and service facilities.

Notable features of the project are an 830m waterfront overlooking the Sea of Oman and the Crystal Lagoon and promenade covering an area of 51,000sqm at the heart of the development.