Muscat: Civic authorities in Muscat began enforcing new rules at the weekend requiring massage parlours to introduce a segregation policy for their male and female clientele.
Under the new measures that came into effect on Friday, female masseurs can no longer offer massage treatments to male customers.
Conversely, parlours catering to female customers are strictly off-limits to male masseurs.
The new segregation policy, reported by a local newspaper on Saturday, is yet another attempt by Muscat Municipality to regulate the city's burgeoning massage and spa treatments industry.
Recent media reports alleging that some of the parlours are fronts for prostitution had led to the crackdown.
Dozens of health clubs and massage parlours offering exotic spa and health rejuvenation treatments from Thailand, China, India and elsewhere, have mushroomed across the city in recent years.
Under the latest guidelines, such commercial establishments cannot advertise themselves as health treatment centres, this option being the prerogative of specialised clinics registered with the Ministry of Health.
Furthermore, the new civic rules require all masseurs to produce proof of their training and professional qualifications, and to adhere to a proper dress code while on duty.
Also, massage parlours and health clubs can no longer operate from residential buildings, and must relocate to commercial or semi-commercial premises, the newspaper quoted Muscat Municipality's Director of Public Relations, Khalil Balushi, as saying.
