Muscat: Luxury yachting is a new addition to the tourism experience in Oman but is catching on among European tourists.
"Oman has tremendous potential to develop luxury yachting," Bruno Meier, Director of Marine Operations with Art marine, told Gulf News. The Dubai-based company is an Abraaj Capital venture and the Middle East's largest importer and distributor of luxury motor yachts.
Art Marine has joined hands with Oman's Go Marine to make luxury yachts available in Oman which tourists as well as residents can charter. The company has designed a five-night six-day package that includes some of Oman's best natural getaways.
"We are offering a different perspective for tourists to enjoy Oman's beauty from the seaside," said Constantinos Constantinou, Art Marine President and CEO, during the media tour of the luxury yachts at the Marina Al Bander Al Rowdha in Muscat last week
Saeed Nasr Bin Badr Bin Hamad Al Busaidi, President and Chief Visionary Officer of Go Marine, hoped that the new luxury yachting offer would add value to the country's growing tourism industry.
"We hope to make our own contribution to the tourism industry in the country," he added.
Sayyid Nasr said that Oman's long coastline offered "unique opportunities for those interested in exploring the azure sea in the region".
Meier echoed Al Busaidi's sentiments and said that the luxury yachting would give people experience of Oman's rich coral colonies as well as some of the best diving spots. The six-day packages on board three-bedroom luxury yachts would end with a desert safari "so that tourists can enjoy Oman's vast natural beauty from sea to desert sand'.
Constantinou told Gulf News that the luxury yachts would also give people the opportunity to access some of the locations in Oman that are extremely difficult to reach by road.
"Oman's second to none when it comes to exploring natural wonders, and hopefully people can now enjoy it from sea," added Constantinou. "Art Marine's vision is to increase awareness of yachting in the region."
Two luxury yachts — Azimut 68S and the Four Winns H 240 — were brought to the Marina for the media tour.
The fleet is complemented by an additional 55 feet fly bridge motor yacht, dedicated specifically to chartering.
Art Marine said it has already sold an Azimut 70 Fly bridge motor yacht to an Oman-based customer.
"From 18 feet recreational boats to 50 metre luxury yachts and beyond, we are able to cater to all sea lovers," added Constantinou. The boats cost from 10,000 to 500,000 Omani riyals. The company is aiming to sell three larger motor yachts and around 10 smaller yachts annually in Oman.
Meier, however, added that the company's current focus would be chartering luxury yachts for residents as well as tourists. The charter packages start from 850 riyals (Dh8,075).
"The waterfront integrated property are increasing in Oman and that signals that water sport and luxury yachting has a great future in Oman," Meier said.
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