Dubai: Oman has seen a significant rise in tourism, welcoming around two million foreign visitors in the first half of 2024, marking a 7 per cent increase from the previous year.
Emiratis topped the list with 578,351 visitors, followed by Indians at 316,890, Yemenis at 107,705, Germans at 83,054, and the British at 49,069.
In June alone, Oman hosted 141,188 GCC nationals, 91,038 Asians, 16,520 Europeans, 5,582 Americans, 5,523 Africans, 41,281 other Arabs and 1,090 from Oceania. Despite the rise in visitors, the number of departures slightly decreased, with 4 million people leaving the country compared to 4.1 million in the same period of 2023.
To further boost tourism, Oman is also offering a visa exemption for nationals from 103 countries, allowing them to stay for up to 14 days with requirements such as a confirmed hotel booking, health insurance, and a return ticket.
