Tourism

In the post pandemic period, Embassy of India, Muscat has been making continuous efforts to promote tourism cooperation with the Sultanate of Oman. Towards these efforts, Embassy has organized several events both virtual and in-person during the year 2022. The details of these events are as given below:

(i) On 8th February 2022, Embassy organized an India-Oman Webinar for Tourism Promotion to celebrate National Tourism Day. More than 40 tour operators from India and Oman actively participated in this Webinar. The event was graced by DG Ministry of Tourism, Mr. G. Kamala Vardhana Rao and Ambassador Mr. Amit Narang from the Indian side and CEO, Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN) Mr. Hashil Bin Obaid Al Mahrouqi from the Omani side. The two sides spoke of respective strategies to attract tourists and the role of tourist operators to increase overall tourism.

(ii) Embassy organized an ‘Ambassador’s Roundtable’ on India-Oman Tourism on 16 March 2022. Over 40 prominent Omani tour operators participated in the event. During the Roundtable, tour operators gave suggestions and ideas to promote two-way tourist flows, stressed the need for regular B2B meetings, roadshows, FAM trips, and social media campaigns.

(iii) Ministry of Tourism together with Embassy of India, Muscat organized a virtual Tourism Roadshow ‘Incredible India Reconnect 2022 – Oman’ on 26 April 2022. This was the third such event in three months. The stakeholders of the tourism industry from both the sides spoke of respective strategies to attract tourists and the role of tour operators to increase overall tourism.

(v) Ambassador Amit Narang inaugurated the India pavilion at the Oman Health Exhibition and Conference (OHEC) held at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre on 26 September 2022. It had registration of over 150 Omani companies and international players from more than 16 countries. The pavilion had four exhibitors from India.

(vi) As India remains a popular tourism destination for Omani nationals especially for medical tourism, a symposium ‘India-Oman-Together for Better Health' and B2B meet on cooperation in the health care sector was organized by the Embassy on 27 September 2022 to facilitate interaction between Indian health care organizations and hospitals and other medical institutions in Oman. Ambassador presided over the event and Dr. Waleed Khalid Al-Zadjali, President, Oman Medical Association; Dr. Sultan Al Harthi, Director, Treatment Abroad Committee; Mr. Khalifa Al Omari, Director, Diwan of Royal Court Affairs and other distinguished guests participated in the event.

(vii) Since 2nd November 2022, Mission started a new campaign of promoting Incredible India; a year-long 'a theme a day' bilingual tweet series in English & Arabic to showcase the splendid diversity of Indian Cuisine, Dances, Festivals, Nature & Wildlife, Handicrafts, Monuments, and Textiles under AKAM on its social media platform.

Mission is promoting Destination India by playing promotional videos during all its social, cultural, business and tourism related events. Press releases are also being issued post events. Mission is also playing Incredible India videos at the Embassy Consular Hall as well as at BLS, the visa outsourcing agency, regularly.

(viii) During the year 2022, Embassy continuously engaged, liaised and coordinated with all stake holders in the travel and trade sectors including tour operators, airlines, local tourism authorities to promote destination India. Embassy encouraged them to participated in the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention in Indore in January 2023, and visit the major tourists destinations in MP and promote them in Oman. Many visited Indore in January to attend the PBD Convention.

(ix) To actively promote iconic destinations of India, Mission has been pro-actively utilizing opportunities in major events like National Day Receptions, International Day of Yoga, Community Service Programs, etc, by designing, curating and displaying live images of iconic Indian tourist destinations and setting up ‘Selfie with India’ corners at the events.