Travel, tourism sector set for historic growth

Travel, tourism sector set for historic growth

The 2024 Economic Impact Research of World Travel and Tourism Council  has unveiled a promising future for Oman’s travel and tourism sector.Muscat – The 2024 Economic Impact Research of World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)  has unveiled a promising future for Oman’s travel and tourism sector. With strong government support and strategic initiatives, the sector is poised to not only recover but show unprecedented growth this year.

In 2023, the travel and tourism sector’s contribution to GDP surged almost 35%, totalling RO2.8bn, on track to surpass previous records. The sector witnessed robust job growth of 15%, now employing 191,500 individuals nationwide.

The global tourism body is forecasting the sector will grow its GDP contribution to more than RO3.3bn in 2024 – or 7.6% of the country’s economy – and employ more than 206,000 individuals across the country, with one in 14 people working in the sector.

Last year, international visitors injected RO1.1bn into the economy, a remarkable 69% increase from 2022, while spending by domestic travellers rebounded to RO1.4bn.

Domestic visitor spending is predicted to continue growing, to reach RO1.5bn, beating the 2019 level by just over 8%. Although international visitor spending is forecast to still be behind 2019 levels by RO142.3mn, it is