Oman plans to oversee $31bn of investment in the tourism sector by 2040, according to Azzan Qassim Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism.

The news emerged ahead of off of ITB Berlin travel exhibition.

Al Busaidi pointed out that last year, Oman received a record-breaking 4m visitors, up from 2.9m in 2022, a rise of almost 38 per cent.

He noted that 231,000 of these visitors were from Germany – up 182 per cent on the previous year.

He explained that the Ministry of Heritage and Culture focuses on creating an environment where tourism can flourish and grow.

This is achieved through streamlining visa application processes and easing visa restrictions for citizens of more than 100 countries, as well as investing in infrastructure and attractions, said Al Busaidi.

He said: “In fact, we have ambitious plans for our tourism sector, with more than $5.9bn of investment currently funnelled into over 360 projects.

“We lay emphasis on Oman’s 2050 Net-Zero target, sustainable practices and our responsibilities to future generations, these range from hotel accommodation and resorts to the preservation of heritage sites and historical monuments”.

He pointed out that a total investment of $31bn is targeted by 2040.

Haitham Mohammed Al Ghassani, Director-General of Tourism Promotion at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, pointed out that the Ministry will showcase the exhibits of 70 government and private sector establishments within an area of 800sq m.

This is in addition to two additional galleries for promoting adventure tourism and the culinary skills most common in Oman, he added.

Al Ghassani pointed out that, during 2023, the Sultanate of Oman saw a rise in the number of inbound tourists to 4m tourists by 2023, compared to 3.5m in 2019.