Oman's Ministry of Tourism has announced plans to develop tourism and hotel sites in North Al Batinah, with government institutions partnering with the private companies for these developments. The Tourism Ministry has also introduced several development sites for investment in tourism, including plots of land for hotels. The Ministry will allocate this land to hotel or entertainment projects depending on the immediate need for each sector.
The Ministry is currently analyzing the North Al Batinah's need for hotels and other tourist attractions and determining which sector should be prioritized. The market is already on track to expanding with two hotel projects set to begin construction in tourist areas. One is a hotel slated to open in the Wilayat of Shinas in the Al Aqar district while the other is an environmental tourist camp in the Wilayat of Saham in the Al Samaida district near Al Batinah Expressway.
North Al Batinah currently has a portfolio of 13 hotels and 13 serviced apartments. The governate's pipeline includes two guest house projects along with one eco-friendly hotel project.
The Department of Tourism is also working to attract investment in the industry by issuing tourist licenses for all types of hotels and travel agencies. The department has been conducting regular follow-up meetings with these companies to monitor the level of service they provide travelers.
Colliers International predicted a positive outlook for Oman’s entire tourism industry in March 2018. The group forecast that the number of tourist arrivals in Oman will increase 13 percent between by 2021. Colliers International also expects travelers from the GCC, who accounted for 48 percent of visitors in 2017, will drive this growth.