In a bid to boost Qatar's tourism relations with Oman, a delegation of senior representatives from Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) headed to the Sultanate earlier this week to meet with their counterparts there.
The visit brought into action a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries and comes as part of Qatar's efforts to diversify its visitor source markets in the region.
The delegation was led by Hassan al Ibrahim, Chief Tourism Development Officer, and included Nasser al Maslamani, Director of Planning Quality, Omar AlJaber, Director of Shared Services, and Ahmed al Obaidly, Director of Exhibitions, among others.
During their stay, the delegates met with Maitha bint Saif al Mahrouqi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Tourism of Oman, and visited Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran), the Oman Convention Bureau as well as the Oman Exhibition and Convention Center. The three-day visit wrapped up with a roadshow during which QTA's private sector partners will showcase the country's latest offerings to Omani tour operators.
The Omani delegation shed light on the Omani Tourism Strategy 2040 and its components that promote the Sultanate's authentic Omani identity and cultural aspects. Similarly, the visit allowed the QTA delegation to share insights regarding its work towards launching the next chapter of the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy (QNTSS) 2030 which charts a pathway for developing a thriving hospitality and tourism sector in Qatar.
According to Hassan al Ibrahim, the strategy's main pillar is diversification: of products, of services and of source markets to guarantee the tourism sector's sustainability and its continued growth in spite of any changes in the world around us.
Ibrahim added,"Qatar and Oman enjoy a long history of collaboration, and the activation of the MoU is testament to our ongoing commitment to energising tourism in both our countries as we each embark on our journeys to 2030 and 2040 respectively."
In 2015, the QTA signed a MoU with the Omani Ministry of Tourism enabling the two countries to establish a framework for more joint projects that have the potential to create a tangible impact on tourism in both countries. Through the agreement, Oman and Qatar have been able to build on existing successful collaborations such as the joint Oman-Qatar tourist visa and their participation in the Cruise Arabia Alliance.
Qatar Tribune
12 July
