135,334 Omani tourists visited the Emirate in 2012, more than double the previous year’s number.
MUSCAT – Sharjah has hit the road once again as part of its latest road show to woo the massive and most promising tourism market in Oman and rest of the Gulf region. The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority hosted a very successful workshop and dinner interaction in the Omani capital Muscat (Wednesday, April 17) to showcase the emirate’s richly diversified and popular tourism experience which is increasingly drawing visitors from across the region and around the globe.
The Sharjah road show in Muscat, conducted in cooperation with the flagship popular airline of the emirate Air Arabia, was attended by a select gathering representing Oman’s leading travel and tourism players and attracted considerable attention in the national media and tourism market.
In the past few years, Oman has emerged as one of the most important and promising tourism markets for Sharjah, second largest after Saudi Arabia, with the emirate attracting an increasing number of families and other travellers to the emirate. A whopping 135,334 Omani tourists visited Sharjah in Year 2012, which is a 147 per cent increase over the previous year – 54,794. Sharjah hopes to further build on this growing interest in the emirate and the distinct tourism and cultural experience it offers to the Omani tourists and other GCC visitors.
Speaking at the presentation, the Sharjah officials emphasised the deep cultural, economic and tourism relations Sharjah and the UAE have historically enjoyed with the neighbouring Gulf nation. Highlighting the rich cultural landscape, numerous holiday and leisure options, endless shopping opportunities, familiar language and culture and above all proximity that Sharjah offers to the visitors from Oman and other Gulf countries, they said the emirate presents a complete and yet distinctly different holiday experience for international travellers.
Oman is well connected with Sharjah and the UAE both by road and by air, particularly thanks to the convenience and affordable connectivity offered by Air Arabia which flies to both the capital Muscat and Salalah, the vibrant city in the south. Beginning May 2013, the airline will further increase its flight frequency to Salalah.
During the past several years, the emirate renowned as the Cultural Capital of the Arab and Islamic world has been regularly hosting road shows in Oman and in the rest of the region in its attempts to tap the massive and fast expanding Gulf tourism market and expand cultural and economic cooperation with the Gulf neighbours.
The guests at the Muscat workshop and dinner were also briefed about the numerous cultural and family tourism festivals and events hosted by Sharjah throughout the year. With festivals and events like Sharjah Water Festival, Sharjah Light Festival and Sharjah Grand Prix, not to mention Sharjah Biennial, Sharjah International Book Fair and Sharjah Heritage Days etc., the emirate boasts a very colourful and diverse calendar for both residents and international visitors to enjoy throughout the year. The next stop on Sharjah’s road show is the Gulf emirate of Kuwait where the SCTDA will host a workshop and presentation in the Kuwait city on April 21, Sunday.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
