Muscat: Oman’s spectacular geological heritage will be showcased at an international forum that promises to give new impetus to the government’s goal of promoting the Sultanate as a geo-tourism destination.
The 3rd International Geo-tourism Conference will be held in Muscat from October 30 to November 1, 2011. It is being jointly convened by Oman’s Ministry of Tourism and Professor Ross Dowling, Advisor for the UNESCO Global Network of National Geoparks.
Around 300 delegates, including a number of leading specialists on geo-tourism, are due to attend the two-day forum. It will not only provide a platform for the launch of a number of geo-tourism trails in the capital region, but also highlight the potential for the establishment of geo-parks, caving sites, and other attractions based on the country’s rich geological heritage.
Geological processes that began many hundreds of millions of years ago have bequeathed the Sultanate with an abundance of anticlines, unconformities, ophiolites and other formations, some of which are billed are unique in the world.
For example, Oman is home to the world’s largest ophiolite – a massive 600-kilometre-long and 150-kilometre-wide outcrop that was once at the bottom of the ocean. This belt is believed to hold a potential trove in mineral deposits.
Elsewhere, in the southeast of the country is the Huqf – a vast desert swathe that was covered by ice sheets some 300 million years ago. At other times, it was under a shallow sea, which is evident in the abundance of fossilized seashells found all over the desertscape. Mohammad Ali bin Said, Acting Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, commented: “The Sultanate’s natural wonders are a core element of the national tourism strategy. Few destinations in the region can match the diversity and powerful imagery of our landscapes, so we are very delighted to host this event.”