MuscatThe heritage and tourism sectors remain central to Oman’s economic diversification strategy, H E Sayyid Ibrahim bin Saeed al Busaidi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, said on Monday.
Speaking at a media briefing, he said tourism investments under the Tenth Five-Year Development Plan reached RO2.6bn, with all phases completed within the plan period. Further investments are under way in more than 12 integrated tourism complexes across the sultanate.
He said several historic landmarks had been restored and invested in, alongside the publication of 50 academic studies documenting Oman’s cultural heritage.
H E Azzan Qassim Mohamed al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Tourism, said total visitor numbers reached about 3.9mn by the end of 2025. Cruise tourism recorded 71 ship calls by the end of November 2025, carrying 112,556 passengers and generating an economic impact of more than RO2.36mn.
He said 533 licences had been issued for hotel projects across the governorates, adding 7,923 rooms. Between 2020 and 2025, Oman licensed 15 integrated tourism complexes valued at RO2.8bn.
Promotional campaigns generated direct revenues exceeding RO69.8mn and accounted for more than 325,000 hotel nights in 2025. Charter flights reached 588, generating over RO30mn, while wedding tourism revenues exceeded RO5.5mn.
H E Ibrahim al Kharousi, Undersecretary for Heritage, said 90 historic sites across several governorates had been documented using three-dimensional virtual reality technology to improve access and promote sustainable tourism. He said archaeological discoveries in Oman now exceed 100,000, with work under way on a national archaeological atlas and a central antiquities repository.
More than 100 restoration and maintenance projects were completed between 2021 and 2025 using local materials and traditional techniques, with 27 projects planned for 2026. Restoration of the historic House of Wonders in Zanzibar has reached 55% completion.
He said Oman holds 5.6% of the world’s documented meteorites, with more than 7,000 fragments recorded, placing the sultanate among global leaders in the field.
Preparatory designs and tender documents are being finalised for the Maritime History Museum, while construction tenders are being prepared for the Natural History Museum.
The number of licensed private museums and heritage houses reached 22 by 2025. Visitor centres at the Dibba archaeological site in Musandam have reached 96% completion, while centres at Qalhat in South Sharqiyah and Bat, Al Khatm and Al Ain in Dhahirah have reached 40%. Construction has begun on the Wadi Dawkah Visitor Centre in Dhofar, with completion expected in the third quarter of 2027 at a cost of RO3mn.
