A unique one-stop app ‘Pinch’, which provides citizens and tourists in Oman comprehensive information about tourists spots and facilities, is just what the doctor ordered, given the upcoming long Eid break

Have you ever been caught in the wilderness or at the crossroads in Oman and wondered which way to head to? Do you often feel lost when your GPS goes on the blink and search engines leave you wanting?

Just ‘pinch’ yourself, and you would be on the right track in seconds, heading to your destination, learning more about landmarks and locations and getting enlightened about the significance of each trip.

It’s that simple – just download a new effective app on your smart phone, called ‘Pinch’, and scroll through immense information about sites, trekking routes, forts and castles, landmarks, cities, towns, fishing villages, adventure sports, dining options, educative tours, et al. And if your’re wondering ‘why Pinch’, it’s exactly what you do on your smartphone screen to zoom out or into get details about various locations on your fingertips.

Developed by a talented entrepreneur, Fahmi al Ma’awali, this app has been designed to go one step further than the search engines which give inadequate information to people visiting Oman or any other places in the world. Fahmi’s app serves just as a personal guide, giving seekers exactly what they want to know. And, one can also leave back feedback or seek personal assistance via a phone call, in case of any bottlenecks or hurdles.

“The difference between my app and those of all the existing app developers is that I have a marketing angle,” says Fahmi, explaining that, besides this, he also has been networking with a lot of government agencies and is aiming to use that angle to give this app the much-needed legitimacy to take it forward.

“Once we get into the Ministry of Tourism, we would be able to actually explore Saudi Arabia, and specifically Germany,” he said, adding, “What is great about this app is that an Omani can use it right away to travel to four countries – Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan – with all locations ready, rather than research about them. The pins provided on each of the locations are just like the Google searches but there is additional information available on Pinch to  actually select exactly what one is looking for, like trekking, diving, mountain climbing, etc.

Fahmi says he hit upon developing this app during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he had extra time on hand, to enable domestic tourism in Oman pick up. He now sees it as a formidable tool in the hands of tourists and visitors who can experience the beauty of Oman without having to hire out expensive tour operators or guides to show them around.

Pinch.om has three primary objectives – to boost domestic tourism; empower guides and monetise expertise, besides ensuring safety of visitors and eliminating the mystery in some destinations which often causes loss of time In fact, he admits that he chose to develop this ad when he himself faced dead ends when visiting certain places for which no information or guidance was available.

Fahmi uphold the role of guides who, he says, play a crucial role in giving visitors to Oman a genuine experience without any hurdles. And this app will also serve as a handy tool for guides to divulge information to visitors as well as save their time and money in getting lost in detours due to incorrect information.

Pinch.om currently has many features and will subsequently add more layers of information, based on feedback from users who can share their experiences as well as suggest how new information can be added to make their own trip easier and more meaningful, he asserts.

The app also comes with a trail recorder, a feature that offers a comprehensive guide for users to dream, plan, book, experience and share their adventures seamlessly. There is also a forts and castles locator with information on 850 relevant sites.

While enabling users to effortlessly find and book tickets to explore Oman’s rich history, it also allows monetisation and a sustainable income stream for contributors. Fahmi hopes that Pinch.om will subsequently become a global directory of sorts, providing relevant information to travellers to different countries around the world.

“When people come to Oman, they don’t know what to look for and where to seek information – however with this app, they can download the app and get all the information they need to thoroughly make their plans before coming here. They can select and plan all the activities they are interested in, in advance,” he said, adding, “They can also interact directly with the guides and prepare their itineraries for different countries before setting out. In future, with the help of AI, we can also help generate suitable itineraries for interested tourists.”

Pinch is targeted at individuals, guides, groups as well as ladies/senior citizens who can independently plan their own trips and enjoy their trips around Oman or other destinations, Fahmi says adding that he is planning to make the app more interactive and efficient in coming months and that he has a sound technical team helping him out with the logistics.

Fahmi disclosed that he recently met the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, Ali al Shidhani, who was very impressed by this new app and assured him of able support to get it launched during the next Comex as an effective tool for boosting tourism to Oman.