Business | Tourism
Impact on tourism will take time
It will take at least six months to assess the impact of the global recession on tourism in Oman, believes Dr Rajha Bint Abdul Ameer Bin Ali, Oman's Minister of Tourism.
- By Sunil K. Vaidya, Bureau Chief
- Published: 23:29 December 24, 2008
Muscat: It will take at least six months to assess the impact of the global recession on tourism in Oman, believes Dr Rajha Bint Abdul Ameer Bin Ali, Oman's Minister of Tourism.
Speaking to journalists after formally inaugurating the Dubai-based Majid Al Futtaim Group's new 20,600 square metre mall in Qurum City Centre yesterday in Muscat, the minister said that currently there are not enough hotel rooms to accommodate the tourism traffic into Oman.
"The year 2008 was very good but the impact of the global economic crisis will only be known after six months as this is also the high season for inbound tourism traffic," she pointed out. She sidestepped a question on the impact of declining oil prices on tourism integrated projects in the country.
Talking about the new mall in Qurum, she said that these kinds of malls were needed to support the growing tourism business.
"The tourist would find it easy to shop for branded products from malls like City Centre," he said.
"Like many of the regional markets in which we are expanding, Oman's retail sector is growing at a tremendous pace with more and more customers eager to explore and shop at internationally recognised stores," said Ahmad Bin Braik, Deputy CEO of the Majid Al Futtaim Group.
"With Qurum City Centre we are taking the next step in meeting this demand, raising the standards set in shopping by offering the people of Qurum a wide and varied international range of fashion, food and beverage and service outlets," he added.
As well as a variety of shops and restaurants, visitors to Qurum City Centre can make use of services and amenities including eight ATMs, prayer rooms for men and women, currency exchange outlets, taxi services and wheel-chairs and strollers for children.
Qurum City Centre, the second shopping mall in Oman from the Majid Al Futtaim Group, is strategically located in the heart of the local community at the Qurum roundabout.
Visitors from the Ruwi and Muttrah areas can take the left turn from Qurum roundabout to enter the mall, while those coming from Al Hail and Seeb can either take the southern expressway, or take a right turn from Qurum roundabout.
The Qurum City Centre is home to over 75 retail outlets with anchor store Carrefour and popular brands such as H&M, BHS, Mango and Borders.
The merchandise mix includes a strong representation in key categories such as fashion, food and beverage and other service sectors.
The shopping centre has a designated food court, convenient access to and from the mall, with more than 900 parking lots and a taxi pick-up facility.
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