Hotel & Tourism SMARTreport #42

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
FACTS & FIGURES
Hotel & Tourism
SMARTreport #42
2019 Spring Edition 27
27
OMAN KICKS
OFF FIRST EVER
BEACH EVENT
Sur Al Hadid Beach in Oman
has been transformed for the
Sultanate’s first-ever beach
event. From 7 to 9 March
2019, the Sur Al Hadid Beach
Carnival was a display of
home-grown brands and funfilled
activities.
The event was brought to the local
audience through a partnership
between Muscat Municipality and
the Ministry of Tourism and Oman
Tourism Development Company
(OMRAN), as part of an initiative to
promote what Oman has to offer
to the community and visitors.
The carnival hosted 70 SMEs, food
trucks and popular brands who were
presenting various delicacies and
refreshment at the market, including
delicious Omani food freshly made
by local home businesses from the Al
Seeb community.
The outdoor market also featured
a selection of gifts, perfumes,
jewellery, childrens and family goods.
Sur al hadid beach carnival
Arts and crafts activities were held as
well, including clay moulding and
face painting, together with a series
of outdoor games such as a bouncy
castle, pony riding, Jenga, balloon
darts and educational workshops
for children to promote sustainable
practices in environment protection.
Eng. Abdul Wahid Al Farsi, Director of
Business Integration at OMRAN, the
main partner of the event, and the
Head of the Organising Committee
of Sur Al Hadid Beach Carnival
commented: “We have devoted
ourselves to ensuring creative ways
to bring out Omani’s excitement
towards outdoor activities. From
water sports, outdoor games, music
and the market, we make sure
everyone in the family will have a
favourite activity during the threeday
event.” The beach carnival did
not only strategically contribute to
domestic tourism “but was also set
a healthy business environment for
the SMEs in the country,” he said
Haitham Mattar
CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism
Development Authority
RAS AL KHAIMAH
LAUNCHES NEW
THREE-YEAR
STRATEGY
Haitham Mattar is Chief Executive
Officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism
Development Authority. We asked
him how tourism is progressing in Ras
Al Khaimah and how figures compare
to his destination strategy goals.
2018 was another remarkable year for
the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in terms of
achievements and milestones accomplished.
Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development
Authority launched its first three-year
destination strategy in 2016 outlining the
vision and mission for tourism in the emirate,
with the goal of attracting one million visitors
to Ras Al Khaimah by 2018. The emirate
exceeded these targets in 2018, with a
reported 1,072,066 visitors from domestic
and key international markets. The 10%
growth in visitors compared to 2017 was led
by the UAE domestic market generating 38%
of overall visitors. Germany continued to be
the leading international source market with
83,605 visitors to Ras Al Khaimah in 2018,
followed by Russia and the UK