OFA hosts discussion on adventure tourism

OFA hosts discussion on adventure tourism

Muscat – To promote adventure tourism in the sultanate, an event titled ‘Tourism in Oman – Global Adventure’ was hosted by Oman French Association (OFA) at Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel, on Wednesday.

The event was held under the auspices of H E Veronique Aulagnon, Ambassador of France, to the sultanate. Almost 100 participants, including tour operators and adventure sportsmen, attended the event that discussed how to grow a strong, safe and respectful tourism industry with employment opportunities in Oman.

A team of athletes from France presented a video they shot in the sultanate following their arrival recently exploring sites conducive for mountain biking in Oman.

This was followed by a panel discussion.

According to panelist Dr Khaled Abdul Malak, a Muscat-based dentist and explorer, the tourism industry “needs to involve more locals as guides and our main job must be to preserve the environment”.

He also noted the requirement of a programme wherein Omani youth go to France for training in the tourism industry. “When they return, they can bring their experiences and expertise to the field and help Oman evolve more as an adventure tourism destination.”

Also in the discussion, Thomas Manfe, project manager of Sidekick Company, a tour operating company from France,