Bank of Beirut Inaugurates a New Branch in Sohar – Sultanate of Oman

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Under the patronage of His Excellence the Governor of Sohar, Sayyid Hilal Bin Bader Bin Ali Al Busaidi and His Excellence the Ambassador of Lebanon to the Sultanate of Oman, Mr. Afif Ayoub, Bank of Beirut hosted a gala dinner on Sunday, March 8th, on the occasion of the inauguration of a new branch in the Sultanate, namely in the region of Sohar.

Bank of Beirut Chairman explained that the opening of Sohar branch embodies the expansion strategy set by the Bank two years ago, upon the inauguration of its first branch in the Sultanate. It is to mention also that Bank of Beirut is working to expand its network in a number of Arab and European countries, seeking thus to be a universal Lebanese Bank in the region.
Source: www.iloubnan.info

Larsen & Toubro shortlisted for $1.4 bn Oman airport

Oman has shortlisted six firms including India’s number one engineering firm Larsen & Toubro, global construction company Bechtel of the US and France’s Vinci for a deal to build a 1.4 billion dollar airport terminal, a tender board official said in Muscat.

Passenger traffic through the Muscat airport, excluding those in transit, increased to about 3.2 million last year, up 18 per cent from the previous year, a leading Omani newspaper has said.

The lowest bidder is a consortium of the local NRI-owned Galfar Engineering & Contracting Company and India’s L&T, the Middle East Economic Digest(MEED) reported last week.

The new project involves building the northern runway, taxiway system, apron, roads, utility buildings and civil works. The new terminal will be connected to the existing terminal by a rail link and the work will be completed by 2011.

The airport formerly known as the Seeb International Airport handles 4.5 million passengers a year but will have a capacity for 12 million passengers once the work is completed. Additional phases could raise the capacity to 48 million passengers a year.

Foreign firms eye $200 mln Oman airport project

The firms bidding for new airport in Oman include India's Larsen & Toubro, South Korea's Hanjin Heavy Industries and Korea's Daewoo Engineering & Construction, an official said on Wednesday.

The tender board official said other companies bidding for the Duqm airport project, which is expected to be worth up to $200 million, include France's Thales , India's Dodsal, Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Co and Turkey's Makyol.

"We received the bids for the approximately $200 million dollar contract for the Duqm airport for the construction of the airfield and infrastructural projects," the official told Reuters.

Last month Economy Minister Ahmed Mekki told Reuters that the Gulf Arab state was going ahead with a $1.8 billion port project at Duqm as part of its development plan despite the global downturn and expected lower oil income.

Duqm, which will be the site of Oman's second international airport, is also earmarked for other major projects, including a refinery, a shipyard and tourism resorts.

Oman plans to diversify its economy away from oil income dependency, which makes up about 75 percent of state revenue, and is pursuing a number of large-scale infrastructure projects.

Source: in.reuters.com

Oman reports record fiscal surplus in 2008

Strong oil prices allied with higher crude output to boost Oman's fiscal surplus to a record high level in 2008 despite a sharp increase in actual expenditure, the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) reported yesterday.

The budget surplus totalled around RO1.58 billion (Dh15.2bn) and officials said it would allow the government to boost its reserves and cut debt.

But it was sharply lower than the surplus during the first 11 months of 2008, when it exceeded RO1.8bn. The decline was apparently caused by lower oil prices in December and the Gulf country push to support its State Reserve Fund by chopping off part of its oil revenues.

The record surplus last year was a result of a large increase in Oman's income, which climbed to an all time high of RO7,984.2m.

Spending also soared to a record RO6,404.1m during the year and more than 70 per cent of it was in current expenditure. The expenditure last year is nearly 23 per cent higher than the RO5.2bn actual spending in 2007, the figures showed.

Citing estimates by the Ministry of Finance, CBO put the country's oil income at around RO5,458m, more than 70 per cent of the total revenues. Gas earnings stood at RO913m.

Buoyed by the large surplus, Oman has joined Saudi Arabia in approving a record 2009 budget of RO6.424bn compared with a budgeted expenditure of RO5.8bn in 2008.

Revenues were also estimated higher at RO5.614bn in 2009 compared with projected earnings of RO5.4bn in 2008.

The increase in spending nearly doubled the forecast budget deficit to RO810m from RO410m in 2008.

A breakdown for the 2008 budget showed Oman suffered from a deficit of around RO399 million in December after spending surged to RO275m from RO195m in November and revenues dipped to nearly RO238m in December from RO904m in November. The decline was a result of a sharp fall in oil income, which dived to only RO19.3m from RO686m in the same period. The Central Bank gave no reason for the sharp drop.

In the first three quarters of last year, Oman's export income surpassed its total revenues of around RO5.9bn during 2007, according to CBO.

The oil price average of nearly $95 in 2008 was around 42 per cent higher than the $70 price average in 2007 while Oman's crude output continued to steadily rise in 2008 as it is pushing ahead with a major capacity expansion programme.

Oman's average oil production swelled to around 745,000 barrels per day in the second quarter of last year from around 707,000bpd in the first quarter.

The increase was in line with plans by the government to push up crude output to an average 790,000bpd in 2008 after a steep fall in output over the past five years because of lower than expected oil investment to fund gas projects.

Oman, which is not a member of the 12-nation Opec, pumped nearly 714,000bpd of crude oil in 2007, far lower than the 2002 peak of 898,000bpd. Production has steadily receded during that period, dropping from 328 million barrels in 2002 to 299 million barrels in 2003 and 285 million barrels in 2004. It reached 283 million barrels in 2005 and 269 million barrels in 2006.

Production dived to 259 million bpd in 2007 but the government said output would recover this year as it based its 2008 budget on higher oil production.

Last year, the government announced plans to invest nearly $10bn until 2011 to lift crude output capacity to 900,000bpd and increase gas supplies. Like other Gulf oil producers, strong oil prices have turned Oman's fiscal deficits into surpluses over the past five years and sharply boosted growth its economy, which galloped by nearly 13 per cent from about RO13.73bn in 2006 to RO15.5bn in 2007. Oman's proven oil and gas reserves were estimated this year at around five billion barrels and 30 trillion cubic feet respectively.
Source: www.business24-7.ae

MVNOs poised for Oman launch

There have been a few false dawns in the short history of virtual networks in the Middle East, but it now looks as though Oman, which issued five reseller licences last year, will be the first country in the region to have an operational MVNO.
Renna, the brand name of Majan Telecommunication, is confident that it will launch by the end of March, but it faces stiff competition from fellow Oman Mobile reseller Friendi. Friendi Oman CEO Antti Arponen says that that there are four basic requirements of an MVNO; funding, a licence, a wholesale agreement and a distribution agreement, all of which, he says, Friendi has. "There's not much more we need to do," he says.

One of the remaining three companies to have been granted a Class II reseller licence, as the regulator prefers to describe it, is Mazoon Mobile. Although it does not yet have a reseller deal with either of Oman's network operators, CEO Mohamed Alhashili says Mazoon will be ready to launch within 40 days once a wholesale deal is agreed.

Alhashili, who is waiting for a response to his reseller proposals from Nawras and Oman Mobile, says there are a range of possible sections of the market for Mazoon to target, from the low end expatriate communities, locals "below a certain ARPU level", youth, and rural communities.
None of the MVNO CEOs wants to alert their rivals to the segment of the market that they will target, but with Renna and Mazoon choosing to brand their operations with playful cartoon characters it suggests the focus will be on the lower end, youth market.

Renna CEO Niklas Nielsen won't say exactly which segment of the Omani market Renna will target, but he is clear about where the customers will come from saying that after "a lot of time and resources" surveying customers, the majority will be disaffected Nawras customers.

Seemingly in anticipation of an assault on the youth market, Nawras moved to bolster its 44% share of Oman's mobile market with the launch of ‘Shababiah', a youth-focused tariff for 16-25 year-olds which was unveiled in November last year.

Just as the CEOs are reluctant to reveal who they will target, they prefer to stick to vague figures when it comes to discussing how many of Oman's 2.8 million subscribers they want to attract. As with some of their branding, the targets appear pretty similar.

"If you look at Europe and other regions, combined market share of all MVNOs is 20-25% when operating for a few years and we expect that in a five year horizon combined market share will be 20-25% and we hope to have a good proportion, one third of combined market share in five years time," Nielsen says. A 25% share of Oman's mobile market would be 720,000 customers, a third of which would give Renna 240,000 customers.

Similarly, Alhashili says that an MVNO will survive in the Omani market if it can gain between 3-10% of the market, which would be as much as 288,000.

Telecoms analyst and MVNO specialist John Strand says that it will be a battle for all of the MVNOs to survive. "I think it will be tough. We can see from countries like Norway that a few companies are successful and a lot fail," he says, adding that distribution will be key.

"Supermarkets and shopping malls will be an important distribution channel - those who can get access will be able to create a successful business," he says.

The Omani MVNO CEOs all insist that the distribution of their Sim cards and recharge vouchers is taken care of. Nielsen says that Sim cards will be sold at 200 locations around Oman, with recharge cards available from "several thousand" locations. There will also be "two handfuls" of branded Renna shops in the "major populated areas" including Muscat, Salalah and Nizwa once Renna has fully rolled out its service.

Friendi top-up vouchers will be available at "thousands of outlets" according to Arponen, while Alhashili says that Mazoon has signed agreement with some "eight or ten" main distributors and each one of them has a network of dealers giving Mazoon access to 4,000 dealer points in Oman.

Also important to long-term success will be extracting the most amount of value from investments in equipment, premises and expertise through replicating services across the Middle East, North Africa, Central Africa, India, Pakistan and South East Asia are some of the markets earmarked by Nielsen, and Alhashili sees Saudi Arabia as a market that is ripe for an MVNO.

Friendi has established its business with the aim of a pan-regional operation across the SAMENA area, which Arponen says will benefit the nascent network.

"The good thing is that the critical mass of required subscribers in one country becomes very small. Of course, we want as big a customer base in Oman as possible," he says.

But before any of the brands can be moved around the region, the market of Oman must be tackled.

Source: www.itp.net

New management for HIP Oman operations

Property agency Hamptons International & Partners (HIP), the subsidiary of real estate giant Hamptons International, has announced a change of management for its Oman operations.

The firm is the latest in a line of construction and real estate companies looking to diversify business in the GCC away from a UAE focus, as the country adjusts to deal with the impact of the financial crisis.

The HIP new management team in Oman will be led by Mohamed Ayjaz. The firm stated that one of its key objectives is to become “the Sultanate’s leading property services provider.”

“The new focus of the Oman office underscores the regional expansion of Hamptons, which already has a firm foothold within the UAE and the GCC region,” the company said in a statement.

Despite a recent slide in prices, the Oman market has faired better than others across the region, Ayjaz said.

“The property sector in Oman has shown considerable resilience, and demand continues to be robust encouraged by realistic price corrections,” he said.

“In the current economic context it is important to understand market requirements and meet them proactively. We are therefore strengthening our portfolio of affordable stock.”

The reshuffle will also see the creation of a dedicated research arm that will include valuations, research, global investment advice and asset management services. HIP has also expanded into management services.

“We have established stronger linkages with the Hamptons global network and can offer customers the advantage of accessing properties from an international database,” said Hamptons International – Mena managing director Nasser Rafi.

HIP’s Mena regional headquarters is based in Dubai. A number of firms have decentralised regional operations in recent weeks in a bid to spread risk across GCC markets.

On Saturday Dubai-based construction giant Arabtec announced the formation of a new joint-venture in Saudi Arabia, to take advantage of the country’s construction boom.

The new firm – Arabtec Saudi Arabia – will be 40% owned by Arabtec, with a 35% stake taken by CPC Services, a member of the Saudi Bin Ladin Group, and 20% by Prime International Group Services.

Source: www.constructionweekonline.com

Oman Shipping Commissions ‘LR2 Haima’

Oman Shipping Company (OSC) commissioned LR2 Haima, a carrier of oil derivatives as 18th vessel on the company’s fleet. The carrier is built by Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding company of Japan.

A ceremony was held in Japan presided over by Adil bin Abdullah Al Raisi, Adviser at the Ministry of National Economy for Economic Affairs and member of the OSC’s board to mark the commissioning of the ship. LR2 Haima is fitted with the most advanced navigational equipment enabling it to operate in various climatic conditions.

With a weight load of 110,000 tonnes of oil derivatives, LR2 Haima is 245 metres long and 42 metres wide.

In another related development, Gulf Energy Maritime (GEM), a joint venture subsidiary of the state-owned Oman Oil Company, took delivery of ‘Gulf Muttrah’, a 46,000 dwt vessel from a Korean shipbuilder.

Source: Khaleejtimes

Over 70 properties handed over at The Wave, Muscat

Sunday, March 8, 2009

The Wave, Muscat took part in a 3-day Tourism Festival held recently at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in which Abdulla Al Shidi, Deputy CEO, The Wave, Muscat gave a presentation to students specialising in the tourism industry.

Speaking about the project, Al Shidi said: "Construction at The Wave, Muscat is well underway with over 800 homes now under way. By the end of 2009 over 300 properties will have been completed. Over 70 properties have been handed over to customers and we already have families living in their new homes."

Al Shidi spoke about the importance of leveraging the potential of tourism projects within the Sultanate whilst still maintaining and nurturing the natural beauty and the culture which makes Oman the jewel of Arabia.

Knowledge Horizon signs up for Origin Oman

The Origin Oman Campaign has recently welcomed local Training Centre Knowledge Horizon as a member of the Origin Oman Portal. 'At Knowledge Horizon we place real value on being part of the local community and, as a company, technology is central to our offer, so signing up for the Origin Oman portal and showing our support for the Campaign was completely logical,' said Abeer Al Jasim, General Manager of Knowledge Horizon Training Centre.

The General Manager went on to say:

'Oman has so much to offer on the business and manufacturing front and the Origin Oman campaign is doing a great job in promoting this and we're delighted to be able to support what they're doing. In fact, the Origin Oman Team should be congratulated on the important job they're doing.'

Al Jasim continued: 'For me the real strength of our offer as a nation is our people. That's the heart of the Origin Oman Campaign in my opinion. Our people are the backbone of all our industry whatever form that takes. I see this every day in the commitment people across Oman have to training - to upgrading their professional qualifications - not just to move themselves up the career ladder but also to improve their performance in the jobs they already do. This really has to be applauded.' 'What always strikes me is how willing individuals, training officers and companies are to embrace new concepts in this field if they think they'll get the right results. I've seen this in particular with the response there's been to e-Learning. I have to say that ITA is doing an excellent job in making technology more and more part of our day-to-day life and this is fully reflected in the training arena. Of course, another reason that e-Learning is proving popular these days is that it makes economic sense - you can get more people trained for less cost and yet you can still guarantee the quality of the input. Indeed, and this is often something that surprises people, in many cases training via e-Learning can be more exactly tailored to the individual's training needs and individual learning style.'

The Origin Oman Campaign encourages the use of local suppliers and service providers and promotes the economic, social and environmental benefits that this engenders: 'The Oman business community is full of quality producers and service providers and the Origin Oman Campaign is about getting that message out,' says Ibtisam Al Faruji, Origin Oman's Marketing Director. 'Tapping into local service providers and buying local means we strengthen the domestic economy, create local jobs and we can ensure the quality of what we're getting. This aspect of the Origin Oman Campaign, that Omani means quality, is vitally important. We need to show people that locally produced goods and locally offered services are of an excellent standard and match, if not surpass, the standard of their international counterparts. In this respect we're delighted to welcome Knowledge Horizon to Origin Oman - they are a training centre that is dedicated to quality and innovation. They're an excellent example of the top quality service that is on offer in Oman.'

Infocomm's Zahran Al Balushi and Origin Oman webmaster added: 'originoman.om, is one of the first places companies wanting to do business in the sultanate look, so those registered on it are at an immediate advantage - I'm talking about service providers as well as manufacturers here. The portal also gives its members the opportunity to advertise job vacancies and career opportunities. originoman.om has a great role to play in developing the local business community; by presenting a united front through the portal local businesses can get better recognition regionally and internationally. On top of that, there's no charge for registering and members can tap into various initiatives run by the Origin Oman Campaign free of charge.'
Courtesy: www.ameinfo.com

Website on Sultan Qaboos Wins Two Awards

A website on Oman’s visionary leader, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, won two prestigious awards at the Oman Web Awards 2008.

The website, www.oman-qaboos.net, in its maiden year now, won the special appreciation award and the Gold Award in the personal websites category.

The fourth Oman Web Awards is a member of the Pan Arab Web Awards Committee which oversees and awards the best websites in the Arab region.

The website can be accessed in seven different languages — Arabic, English, Hindi, Korean, Portuguese, Farsi and French. The contents are organised in sections like birth, education, interests, achievements, speeches, photo gallery, national songs in a simple navigable structure.

After the awards the site launched in March 2008, qualifies to enter regional competition at the prestigious Pan Arab Web Awards 2008 to compete with winners from the other Arab countries. Speaking about the award, website designer Hamoud Mohd Alazri stated: “We have managed to fit a range of contents into a simple structure bearing in mind the theme and the hallmark of quality.”

“We are very delighted to achieve this distinction in our maiden attempt and would like to dedicate this award to His Majesty in earnest sincerity,” he said.

The Oman Web Awards, was organised by the SJS Group in association with the Pan Arab Web Awards, to recognise the best Omani websites in various categories.

Courtesy: www.khaleejtimes.com

Zahara wins Gold at Oman Web Awards

At a glittering ceremony held at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel, Zahara Travel was declared the Gold Award winners at the 4th Oman Web Awards for its high interactive website www.zaharatravel.com.
After having won the bronze award in 2006, Zahara has upgraded its website and have added several new unique features that benefit the web browsers which has led them to win the Gold Award on this occasion.

Gautam Broota, General Manager at Zahara Travel, says:

'We are extremely delighted for this recognition. We tied up with leading suppliers who have the best rate selections to enable clients to do their own research from the variety of options our portal provides. Being a reputed local company, the people in Oman can rely on Zahara and can also seek added services from us. The client having chosen the flights, hotels, holiday packages goes on to purchase thru a secure payment gateway, all of this in the comforts from where they may choose to be at any time of the day. Our portal will assist travelers, on a real time basis, with relevant and accurate information on everything pertaining to their travel needs. This means that they are able to know if the services they choose is available or not at that very moment.'


For the local corporates in Oman we have a B2B solution and they are able to open their own online travel account to manage their own flight and hotel options, issue tickets and hotel vouchers, receive invoices and make the payments. Their account can be seen only by them thus providing them with total control and privacy.

Now a person can simply log on to Zahara Travel and Zahara Holidays websites and plan their trip. Wide choices of Flights, Hotels, Holiday Packages, Car Rental etc are available from Zahara's leading worldwide supplier chains thus providing the web browser great freedom to take their own decision. The portal serves both B2C and B2B solutions 24/7 in the comforts of home, office or outdoors.
Courtesy: www.ameinfo.com

Anti plastic bag campaign reaches Nizwa in latest roadshow

Last week, the people of Nizwa enthusiastically jumped on board the Environmental Society of Oman's (ESO) latest campaign in a whirlwind three-day roadshow, aiming to rid the Sultanate of plastic bag pollution.Part of the ESO's current 'Say No To Plastic Bags' campaign, the Nizwa leg of this educational roadshow drummed up some fantastic support from residents of Nizwa and visitors from the interior areas.

Experts were on hand to offer information and advice on the devastating effects the careless disposal of non-biodegradable plastic bags is having on the rural environment and indigenous wildlife around the Sultanate.

With exciting giveaways of recycled bags and campaign t-shirts, roadshow staff were keen to encourage shoppers in popular venues like Nizwa Souk and Khimjis Mart to switch to reusable cloth bags and minimise the use of plastic bags where possible. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the ESO, the campaign has prompted the major supermarket chains in Muscat
to agree to distribute complimentary ESO jute bags at all points of sale. ESO hopes to roll this out in other cities across Oman in the near future.

H.H. Sayyida Tania bint Shabib Al Said of the ESO said:

'We were amazed at the response we received in Nizwa. Bearing in mind that many of the shoppers and visitors we spoke to had no prior knowledge of recycling or the effect plastic bags are having on the environment and continued to dispose of their plastic in bins, without a thought to reuse them or use cloth bags instead. I think we have changed the views of many shoppers which is our ultimate objective.'

Targeting Oman's future decision makers is also a key objective in ESO's strategy of maximizing the effect of the campaign. As a result, a visit to the University of Nizwa was organised, with hundreds of students gathering to listen to a lecture from Dr Mehdi. As well as giving facts on the effects of plastic bags on the environment, Dr Mehdi discussed how the youth of Oman will be able to change the attitudes of their friends and families simply by choosing to 'go green' themselves.

'We want our youth to be fully informed about how they can make a change for the better,' adds Dr. Brian Buckley, CEO of Oman LNG. 'Only then can they make their own decision about whether to care for their environment and how far to take it. We hope they will want to educate their families and spread the word about how we can all make a difference.'

The next stop of the road show will in Ibra.

Courtesy: www.ameinfo.com

The Wave, Muscat takes part in SQU Tourism Festival

Saturday, March 7, 2009

As part of its contribution to tourism awareness in the Sultanate, The Wave, Muscat took part in a 3-day Tourism Festival held recently at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in which Abdulla Al Shidi, Deputy CEO, The Wave, Muscat gave a presentation to students specialising in the tourism industry.

As the premier Integrated Tourism Community within Oman, The Wave, Muscat recognises and understands the importance of supporting the industry and is committed to sharing its knowledge and learnings with the students in order to further develop the tourism potential of the Sultanate. As the premier Integrated Tourism Community within Oman, The Wave, Muscat recognises and understands the importance of supporting the industry and is committed to sharing its knowledge and learnings with the students in order to further develop the tourism potential of the Sultanate.

Oman woos tourists with expanded air service

Starting March 29, tourists heading to Oman to experience its natural beauty and rich culture will have more choice as Oman Air expands its services from the current seven flights a week to 18. Ghalib Salim Bawazir, Country Manager of Oman Air in Doha, announced this during the GCC Roadshow held recently at the Ramada Plaza. Dubbed ‘Oman Short Breaks!,’ the event, which is part of a collaborative effort between Oman’s Ministry of Tourism and Oman Air to stage the biggest ever marketing campaign in the GCC, started on February 22 and ended on Wednesday. The campaign is supported by Oman’s major hotels and resorts.

The roadshow offered affordable short holiday packages to Oman, inviting visitors to see the country’s natural wonders, such as Jebel Akhdar’s terraces, Sharqiyah’s sands and Mayshayl’s unique blow holes. Desert adventure, rock climbing and turtle watching packages were just some of the attractive short-breaks holiday packages on offer.

With this endeavour, Oman wants to build a very strong presence in Qatar and other GCC countries as their preferred destination.

Dr Rajiha Abdul Ameer Ali, Oman’s Minister of Tourism, earlier said an increase in Oman’s marketing effort in the GCC was signalled to the industry last June. The minister said the marketing effort in the GCC region will take advantage of the increasing popularity of Oman among tourists and the low cost of air access.

The campaign coincides with Oman Air’s ongoing expansion. Peter Hill, Oman’s Air’s Chief Executive Officer, said Oman Air was investing heavily to boost connectivity. “By the end of March, we will operate around 120 services per week to GCC city gateways, a vast improvement on current schedules,” Hill said.

To accommodate the influx of customers, Oman Air is opening a new and larger office in Al Sadd next month, Bawazir announced.

In the realm of the glorious Sultan


It is unlikely that anyone will be taken to challenge the fact that the Sultanate of Oman - one of the most interesting and the identity of the world. One can only sincerely regret that many of us know about it only that it is «one of the oil of the Gulf», located adjacent to the UAE. Meanwhile, Oman existed for thousands of years before the establishment of Emirates, and the mention of it occurs even in Sumerian manuscripts. And residents of this Arab country located in south-eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, one of the first accepted Islam, as evidenced by the message of the Prophet Muhammad, carefully stored in the Omani capital of Muscat today.

In contrast to almost all its neighbors, from Oman - a great and glorious, you can say, imperial history, which began not with the discovery of oil. Suffice it to mention that after the expulsion of the Portuguese conquerors in 1650, in possession of the Sultanate joined the great spaces of East Africa and India. It is safe to say that this country with nothing and no comparable historical heritage, diversity is not tired of striking. Here there is much to discover. More than a hundred forts, each with their secrets, ancient sailing-dou, come once to China, the ancient stone tombs on the planet, resembling a pyramid … And: arrived in Muscat in the days of the traditional festival, we have seen with my own eyes that the people’s traditions and atmosphere, there is no identity to require tourists, but because of commitment to traditional values. Camel races and fighting bulls, folk dances, and plangent balladry Bedouin - are not tourist attractions for fun stopping foreigners, but truly a part of life for the people.

Today, every visitor to Oman can not help notice the natural combination in this country, old traditions and modernity. One does not with another, but rather the opposite: there is a surprising sense of harmony and connection with ancestors, where past and present have become like a single and inseparable entity.

Modern History of Oman has started only a few decades ago - in 1970, which came to power Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said. In his speech during the ascent to the throne, turning to the fellow, he said: «My friends, my brothers, the past was dark, but with God’s help, the bright light vossiyaet for Oman and all its people». Time has shown that these were not empty words. Over the years, the Sultanate has left the old insulation and virtually free of illiteracy impede its progress. If in 1970 there were only three schools, now there are more than a thousand, and there is a university. Young Omanis began to issue funds to continue their education abroad. Modern roads have connected the most remote villages, windows zasiyali electric lights, and their residents first learned that such a modern water supply and irrigation system.

B. Prussian officer with the Ministry of Information of Oman Al Bilushi

It is impossible not to mention the fact that the first days of his reign Sultan Qaboos began to worry about addressing not only physical, but and spiritual needs of his subjects: on his own funds were built hundreds of mosques throughout the country. And in May 2001 under a blue sky Muscat has one of the masterpieces of contemporary religious architecture: the main mosque of Sultan Qaboos. Its construction took more than six years. When visiting the mosque, you know that many years of work and enormous material resources were not spent in vain. As rightly observed one Western journalist, the largest mosque of Oman is «an invaluable contribution to the Islamic heritage, which can rightly be proud of all the inhabitants of the country».

Leaving the same territory of the majestic Sultan Mosque, immediately plunge krugovert in the big city, with the usual problems «traffic» and other required attributes of modern civilization. However, somewhere after fifteen minutes you can be, for example, in front of the Central National Bank. But even the fans of the golden temple of the current bull strikes svoeobychnostyu. Thus, the main gate of the bank, showing the fine taste and skill of local craftsmen, as they say, made of pure gold. When you look at them as if by itself raises the idea that Oman will be able to unscrew from any crisis!

Anyone visiting this country, probably can not help but draw attention to the fact what is beautiful sandy beaches, which are typically half-or unique-wild. In contrast, again, from the neighboring states, the local nature shakes its diversity: marine fjords, picturesque mountains and rocks, rare animals, desert, and even … geysers!

It seems that that all lovers of the exotic, want to get acquainted with the Arab East, one can confidently recommend to come here. Moreover, the residents of Oman does not shun foreigners and do not examine them with suspicion, as it is done in some Middle Eastern countries. Do Omanis - open friendly nature, and they are completely deprived of hypocrisy and false smiles, which are often encountered in other places. As accurately observed by one repeatedly visited the Sultanate of Russian journalist: «here know the country through the people». And this, of course, the best way of learning. On the beach in Muscat, you can often see such a beautiful image: a man in a white woman and dishdashe in a black hijab slowly bredut at the edge of the surf, taking each other’s hands. They are calm, confident and with dignity, as, perhaps, were their ancestors hundreds of years ago. Looking at them, one can not help thinking that life is something more important and significant than any crisis, and other nonsense that we so foolish to spend their very limited power and time. And this, obviously, no need to ever forget. Just like that, the Koran says:

After all power over heaven and earth

belongs to Allah,

And just come back to it all.

Oman’s Hotel Room Occupancy Up

Room occupancy ratio in Oman’s four and five star hotels went up by 8.9 per cent in 2008 compared to 2007. This is largely being attributed to a successful promotional campaign in the Gulf region launched by the government to encourage tourism in the Sultanate.

Statistics by the Ministry of National Economy revealed that while 618,826 people stayed in four and five star hotels and resorts in 2007, their numbers swelled to 674,204 last year.

The occupancy rate in the five star hotels stood at 86.1 per cent in 2008 compared to 64.7 per cent in 2007. The corresponding figures for four star hotels were 66.5 per cent and 74.1 per cent respectively. The promotional campaign was organised by the ministry of tourism in collaboration with Oman Air and all major hotels and resorts to promote the Sultanate as a world class tourist hub.
Courtesy: www.khaleejtimes.com

Khimji's Information and Communication Technology launches AURA in Oman


Khimji's Information and Communication Technology (KICT), the preferred place for the latest in mobile devices and communication equipments, extends an invitation to its distinguished customers to check out the new AURA TMmobile. Motorola's AURA mobile, is the fresh talk of the town. Inspired by luxury watches and handcrafted design, AURA is a combination of superb craftsmanship and distinctive interface that redefines the concepts of luxury, in mobile device design and manufacturing. Elevated with absolute luxury and unmatched quality; AURA is second to none in repute.

AURA prides itself as the world's first 16 million color, circular display with 300 dpi resolution, a 62 carat sapphire crystal lens, Swiss-Made main bearing, 700+ individual components including Aluminum key pad and mirror polish finish, creating the ingredients required for a brilliant masterpiece.

For those who enjoy visual aesthetics and refined taste, the custom-engineering designs of AURA will most certainly capture the imagination of the contemporary, not to mention the 130 precision ball bearings that drive the assisted-opening blade, which closely resembles opening the door of a high-end luxury car.

Finally, this in-vogue design also comprises of a unique feature called the CrystalTalk Technology, a one of a kind innovation from Motorola that offers supreme clarity and deep resonance to every single conversation.

AURA is indeed the right mix of harmony, skill and quality sculptured to near perfection. Test run your imagination; walk-in to thenearest Motorola counters today or call our help team at 99476129, to find more!
Courtesy: www.ameinfo.com

PetroVietnam, Oman Oil to Set Up Investment Fund

Viet Nam Oil & Gas Group, known as PetroVietnam, and Oman Oil Co. will set up a $100 million investment fund to develop oil and refining projects, Lao Dong newspaper reported, without saying where it got the information.

The fund will be increased to between $300 million and $500 million in 2010, Lao Dong said. Oman Oil will contribute 75 percent of the fund and the rest will come from PetroVietnam, the report said.

The Vietnamese state-owned company’s investment arm, PetroVietnam Finance Joint-Stock Co., will be Oman Oil’s partner in the investment, according to Lao Dong.

Courtesy: www.chiasesoft.com

FRiENDi mobile makes regional telecoms history


FRiENDi mobilehas become the first ever Mobile Reseller/Mobile Virtual Network Operator in the SAMENA region (South Asia, Middle East and North Africa) to make a mobile telephone call using its own technical platform.

The company's first test call was completed in Oman using it's state-of-the-art technical platform, and the call was made between the Chairman of FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading... Oman Mr. Mohamed Yousuf Alawi Al Ibrahim and Mr. Antti Arponen who is CEO of FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading... Oman.

Following the conclusion of final testing in the coming weeks, FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading... will be commercially launching its services to consumers in Oman, which will mark a significant milestone for the Omani telecommunications market in particular and the region in general.

Antti Arponen states, "This is a cause for celebration in the FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading... team, and is actually a small piece of regional telecom sector history, as it is the first call ever made by a Mobile Reseller/MVNO in the region, which proves that FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading... is ready for launch and that the Mobile Reseller/MVNO model is indeed now arriving in the SAMENA region."

FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading... is the leader in the emerging Mobile Reseller/MVNO space within the regional mobile telecommunications industry, and is bringing this innovative business model to the region based on successful experience in Europe, North America and Australia. The Mobile Reseller/MVNO model is based on innovative new telecom providers like FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading... using the networks of the existing mobile operators to offer the customers advanced services, open new distribution channels and provide better prices.

Using the network of an existing mobile operator, give FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading... the major advantage of a high quality, countrywide coverage from the very first day of business. "By using the well established and thoroughly tested network of Oman Mobile we can give the FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading... customers the same excellent coverage and superb call quality from day one" adds Antti Arponen.

Mohamed Yousuf Alawi Al Ibrahim continues, "That the first Mobile Reseller/MVNO call in the region has taken place in Oman is an indication of the foresight of the Omani government and it's commitment to drive progress in the telecom and IT sector, and I thank the Ministry of Communications & Transport, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and our operator partner Oman Mobile for their support in making this happen"

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About FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading...:
FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading... is an innovative telecommunications company that offer mobile service across the South Asia, Middle East & Africa regions as a Mobile Reseller/ Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), which is a proven business model that brings significant benefit to customers, telecom operator partners and the countries where FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading... operate.

FRiENDi mobileFRiENDi mobileLoading...'s management team bring together senior level cross-functional experience from successful regional and global mobile operators and MVNOs, and the company is backed by financially very strong, well respected and experienced shareholders based in the region and abroad.

FRiENDi mobile has its global headquarter in Dubai Internet City in the United Arab Emirates, and has established a number of local operating companies and Joint Ventures across the region, with more to come in the near future.
Courtesy: www.zawya.com

National Bank of Oman to open five branches

Thursday, March 5, 2009

National Bank of Oman
Vale, a diversified mining company, launched the first phase of its $1.4 billion industrial complex at the Sohar Industrial Port in Oman for the Middle East’s first pelletising plant.

The plant with an initial production capacity of 9 Mtpy of direct reduction pellets and a distribution centre with capacity to handle 40 Mtpy is expected to meet the demand of the region’s steel clusters when it begins operations towards the end of 2010.

Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki, Minister of National Economy and Deputy Chairman of the Financial Affairs and Energy Resources Council, laid the cornerstone for the Vale industrial complex in the presence of Roger Agnelli, CEO and President of Vale.

The event was attended by a number of Omani ministers, diplomats and businessmen from Oman.

Agnelli said the Sohar venture was his company’s biggest ferrous-related investment outside Brazil. “We want to emerge as the biggest investor in the mining business and the Sultanate of Oman.”

The Sohar Industrial Port’s strategic location outside the Strait of Hormuz fits well with Vale’s growth plans, offering several logistics advantages for the supply of direct reduction pellets to the Middle Eastern, North African and Indian steel markets.

Courtesy: www.khaleejtimes.com

OITE Bags Gold Award In Oman Web Awards 2008

Oite.com has won the Gold for the ‘Media, Media Services and Events Management’ category of the prestigious Oman Web Awards 2008 held recently at Al Bustan Palace. OITE’s sister company, Intevents, also won Bronze in the ‘Sports’ category.

OITE’s website emerged as the gold winner among 11 entries from various sectors. Ahmed Saleh Baabood, OITE’s Executive Chairman accepted the Gold Award saying “My gratitude to the organizer of the Oman Web Awards, the SJS Oman, and the ITA, for inspiring the country’s designers, companies and young talents, to develop their skills in web-designing and encouraging all sectors to get involved in a digital world. The Oman Web Awards is indeed raising the standards of web design and website services, and helping designers develop and showcase their skills and creativity.”

Citing OITE’s new achievement, Sadiq Ahmed Khan, Director sales and marketing said “This is the first that OITE participated in the Oman Web Awards. I am pleased that OITE’s website won the gold award–the highest title in events category.”

“Likewise, I am pleased that Intevents website won the bronze award in sports category. All the website entries competed with creative outputs developed by professional developers from large organizations. These awards are OITE/IE’s new milestone which demonstrates the company’s standard of excellence in events management.”

Organized under the auspices of the ITA, the Oman Web Awards 2008 is a member of the Pan Arab Web Awards (PAWA) Academy, which conducts an annual websites competition in almost all the Arab countries. PAWA is organized in association with the Dubai Internet City, Business Software Alliance and MSN Arabia.

Winners in this year’s Oman Web Awards will compete in the Pan Arab Awards, which will be held in Burj Al Arab, Dubai.

Expressing his thoughts on the two awards, Varun Mehra, web designer at OITE/IE said, “I am very pleased that OITE and Intevents have won such esteemed awards. These awards are dedicated to the hard work and sheer diligence of my team. Further on, this is an inspiration for us to strive for the best in our other prospects.”

OITE is the first and only event organizer in the Sultanate to be an ISO certified company and a UFI member. OITE has combined resources with Intevents LLC, a leading sports management company, aiming to create the largest events management company in the country.
Courtesy: www.designtaxi.com

Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Enters Into Force in Oman

The Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs, adopted in Geneva on July 2, 1999 (the “Geneva Act”) enters into force in respect of the Sultanate of Oman today.

Oman’s accession to the Geneva Act follows two other Arab countries’ accessions to the Act in recent years: Egypt in 2004 and Syria in 2007.

The Geneva Act of the Hague Agreement enhances the Hague system by making it more compatible with the procedures for the registration of industrial designs in countries where protection of industrial designs is sometimes contingent on a more complex examination to determine the acceptability of an application, so as to allow these countries, such as the United States and Japan, to accede to the Hague System.

Back in July 2007, the government of Oman deposited its instrument of accession to the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure of 1977, the Madrid Protocol of 1989 Concerning the International Registration of Marks, the Patent Law Treaty (PLT) of 2000 and the Trademark Law Treaty (TLT) of 1994.
Courtesy: www.ag-ip-news.com

Travelling Bentley Museum reaches Muscat


This unique visit forms part of a tour that was organized by a committee of experienced volunteers, headed by Peter Cameron. The tour is literally an instrument of culture and a traveling museum that includes not only 33 Bentley's, but also 37 classic Rolls Royces, some dating back as far as 1912.

'As the official distributors of Bentley in the Sultanate of Oman, it is a pleasure for the Zubair Automotive Group to support this unique initiative,'

said Mr. Stuart Faid, Group General Manager of Zubair Automotive. Besides promoting tourism, the tour also has the objective to raise money for charity. Zubair is therefore hosting 'A night with the classics', a prestigious charity event on Sunday 8 March to celebrate this unique initiative.

The event will be attended by the tour group of around 150 people, who include top international industrialists and artists from the entertainment world and of course select cars will be available for viewing at the venue. The organizers of the event guarantee a memorable evening, which will also feature entertainment from the Deco Strings and The Rat Pack (a tribute group to the original members, including Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jnr. and Frank Sinatra) in the beautiful ambience of the Amphitheatre at the Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa.

The proceeds of the evening will be donated towards charity through one of Oman's leading charity houses-Dar Al Atta'a (The House of Giving). 'We are also asking for donations of items that can be auctioned during the course of the evening to help raise funds and increase the donation that will be presented to Dar Al Atta'a to assist them in the wonderful work they do throughout the Sultanate and our region,' concluded Mr. Faid.

Loick Peyron joins Oman Sail for Extreme 40 programme

Famous French skipper Loick Peyron has joined the Oman Sail Extreme 40 campaign for this summer's iShares Cup Sailing Series..

Peyron, one of the most important forces behind the evolution of modern multihulls, will compete in the European Series which kicks off in Venice on 15 May. Training with the Oman Sail Racing Team in Muscat, Oman for the first time last month, he commented "There are several reasons why I'm very happy to be joining the Oman Sail Team in the upcoming iShares Cup, and not the least of those is the fact that I've always been fascinated by maritime history, traditions and heritage. So spending time in Muscat confirmed my impression that the Sultanate of Oman did have an ancient and strong seafaring tradition, and the efforts developed by the Oman Sail structure to revive it are inspiring. There is definitely potential, and it's refreshing to see so much enthusiasm. Having been around for a bit of time now, I think I have some experience worth sharing, and I've always believed in passing down the knowledge."

The Extreme 40 campaign sets the bar high for the up and coming Omanis in the Oman Sail Racing Team and gives them a top class International event to aspire to in the future. The clear long term objective is that an increasing number of the crew will be Omanis, working their way up through the newly formed Oman Sail Academy and Oman Sail Racing Team.

Peyron has made an international name for himself racing on both offshore and short courses in multihull sailing, and for the past few years on the Decision 35 circuit on Lac Léman, Switzerland. Peyron most recently returned from his Vendée Globe campaign onboard 'Gitana', unfortunately dismasted in the Southern Ocean after leading the race for a total of 15 days.

"The iShares Cup is a very competitive circuit, and multihulls have long been my weapons of choice. I'm thrilled to now take part in the iShares Cup. I have been keeping my eye on the Extreme 40 class since its conception, and I remember having a conversation about it with its designers even before it was built: yet I've only had the chance to finally sail one recently, given my rather tight schedule. The Extreme 40 is certainly powerful and seaworthy, which is important given the diversity of venues, as in some places, swell or chop can be expected! Close-combat racing is something I've always enjoyed, and if I understand things correctly, we'll be lining up against some top guns so I couldn't be happier."

Supporting sponsors and further team announcements will be made over the coming weeks.

The Oman Sail Team will race two boats at the following iShares Cup events:

Event 1 - Venice, Italy, 15th to 17th May
Event 2 - France, 3rd to 5th July
Event 3 - United Kingdom, 1st to 3rd August
Event 4 - Kiel, Germany, 28th to 30th August
Event 5 - The Netherlands, 25th to 27th September
Event 6 - TBC, Spain, 10th to 12th October

Salim Al Kindi & Emily Caroe

Courtesy: www.bymnews.com

Majis selects IFS Applications to Effectively Manage Its Business Growth

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

IFS, the global enterprise applications company, announced today that is has been awarded a contract by Majis Industrial Services Company S.A.O.C.(MISC) a leading provider of various water utility services at the Sohar Industrial Port Area, Oman - to provide them with an advanced ERP solution to better manage the demands of their growing business and expansion plans. The implementation will see IFS working closely alongside Zawawi Business Machines (ZBM) to deploy IFS state-of-the-art customized ERP solution especially designed for energy and utility companies at MISCMISC in Oman. The IFS ERP solution boasts advanced functionalities enabling MISCMIS to effectively manage a multitude of critical business processes including Finance, Asset Management, HR, Payroll, Supply Chain, Customer billing and projects. MISCMISC also wanted an ERP solution that maximized the performance of their assets hence the IFS solution chosen also encompassed essential asset management and maintenance elements. With the completion of this solution deployment, MISCMISC will be able to maintain a more competitive edge through reduced investment costs as a result of enhanced asset utilization and network reliability by having timely access to all relevant data.

"IFS ERP solutions boast flexible and scalable functionalities and will equip us with the necessary tools to simplify and integrate our business processes," M.G.Premanand, Financial Controller, Majis Industrial Services CompanyMajis Industrial Services Company S.A.O.C "We wanted a partner whose ERP solutions boast strong enterprise asset management, service management as well as business intelligence functionalities as these are important for our company to grow and maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly challenging environment."

Ian Fleming, Managing Director, IFS, Middle East, Africa & South Asia commented on this partnership: "We have worked closely with a number of enterprise businesses in Oman for a few years now and have gained a thorough insight and understanding of the nature of their IT demands.

"MISCMIS is the first Utility customer in the GCC to implement our Utilities solution. Our Utilities ERP solutions have been deployed at over 140 organizations around the world and MISCMISC will be the first Utility customer in the GCC to benefit from our industry expertise in this field. We are delighted to work with MISCMISC and we are confident that our solutions will help them to achieve their growth plans in record time," he added. IFS has a strong track record and history in the utility industry world-wide and hence have an in-depth understanding of MISCMISC specific needs,

In keeping with IFS policy of minimizing disruptions to business workflow, it was important that the new ERP solution implementation went ahead seamlessly at the customer's site. The implementation plan was broken into a number of different phases, allowing for a shorter time-frame for ROI for the customer and also reduced risks versus a "big-bang" implementation.

MISCMISC is a Government of Oman owned company currently providing chlorinated sea water for industrial cooling applications, with future plans to engage in providing process water, potable water, sanitary waste water collection and treated industrial waste water collection services.

The energy and utilities industries are key to IFS where it has more than 140 customers involved in power generation, transmission & distribution and water & sewage. These include the world's largest hydropower plant, Three Gorges (P. R. China), nuclear power plants OKG (Sweden), PBMR (South Africa) and Qinshan (P. R. China), grid operators such as Svenska Kraftnät (Sweden), Statnett (Norway) and TenneT (The Netherlands) as well as distributors such as Vattenfall (Sweden), Fortum (Sweden), and Hafslund Energi (Norway). Reliable and safe Asset management and workforce management are critical processes in the energy and utility industry, to which IFS has provided solutions for more than 20 years.

- Ends -

About IFS
IFS (OMX STO: IFS), the global enterprise applications company, provides solutions which enable organizations to respond quickly to market changes - allowing resources to be used in a more agile way to achieve better business performance and competitive advantage.

IFS was founded in 1983 and now has 2,600 employees worldwide. IFS has pioneered component-based ERP software with IFS Applications, now in its seventh generation. IFS' component architecture provides solutions that are easier to implement, run and upgrade. IFS Applications is available in 54 countries in 22 languages.

IFS has over 600,000 users across seven key vertical sectors: aerospace & defense; automotive; high-tech; industrial manufacturing; process industries; construction, service & facilities management and utilities & telecom. IFS Applications provides extended ERP functionality including customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), product lifecycle management (PLM), corporate performance management (CPM), enterprise asset management (EAM) and maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities. More details can be found at www.ifsworld.com

About MISCMISC is a Government of Oman owned company engaged in providing various water utility services at the Sohar Industrial Port Area. Currently providing chlorinated sea water for industrial cooling applications, we will soon engage in providing process water, potable water, sanitary waste water collection and treated industrial waste water collection services.

For further information please visit http://www.misc-oman.com/index.asp

For more information, please contact:
Sawsan Ghanem, Active PR
Tel: +9714-3900228
E-mail: sawsan@activepr.biz
Shamim Kassibawi, Active PR
Tel: +9714-3900376
E-mail: shamim@activepr.biz



Courtesy: www.zawya.com

Air quality and noise monitoring station launched at Sultan Qaboos University

A mobile Air Quality & Noise Monitoring Station was opened in Sultan Qaboos University yesterday. Prof Amer bin Ali al Rawas, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies and Research, formally opened the station which is established at a cost of RO 20,000. The unit is equipped with meteorological sensors to measure wind speed and direction, humidity and temperature and noise sensors to measure the level of noise in the atmosphere.

It makes use of nanotechnology (thick film sensor technique) which is best for Oman due to its high humidity in the atmosphere. The instruments integrated in the unit can measure pollutants, particulate matter, ground level ozone, sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide levels in the atmosphere. The station is capable for satellite transmission of information and is supported by global positioning system (GPS).

The station is established under SQU research project titled "Urban climate and air pollution in Muscat city-Multi-scale approaches which is funded by His Majesty's Research Fund. Dr Yassin Charabi, Assistant Professor in Geography at the College of Arts and Social Sciences is the principal investigator of this project. Dr Sabah Al Sulaiman, Associate Professor in the College of Engineering is also involved in this project.

Courtesy: www.zawya.com

Yemen, Oman sign agreements in various fields

Transport Minister Khaled al-Wazir described the outcomes of the 9th meeting of Yemeni-Omani Joint Ministerial Committee as a successful and positive.

Speaking to Saba upon his return home on Tuesday, al-Wazir said that the two sides had signed a memorandum of understanding on technical education and vocational training and a number of agreements aims at boosting cooperation between Yemen and Oman.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in environment, agriculture and livestock fields. Aspects related to social affairs, tourism, technical education and vocational training were also came for discussion.

Al-Wazir, who headed the Yemeni side in the meeting, added that the committee will agree to develop the cooperation aspects between the two brotherly countries in various fields.
Courtesy: www.sabanews.net

Oman Air says to fly to 40 destinations by end-09

State carrier Oman Air will fly to 40 destinations by the end of 2009 after taking delivery of nine new Boeing (BA.N) and Airbus (EAD.PA) aircraft, its CEO said on Tuesday. Peter Hill said the airline had already taken delivery of one Boeing 737-800 and would take delivery of four B737-800s and four Airbus A330-300s in the coming months, all as part of previously announced deals. "Our current fleet is 15, with the new deliveries it will go up to 23 by the end of 2009. With new aircraft we plan to fly to new destinations in Europe and Asia," he told Reuters in an interview at an aviation conference in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

"We were a regional carrier until recently but now we are developing our new route structure. New destinations this year include Paris, Frankfurt, Colombo and Maldives. Next year we plan to add some other destinations such as Kuala Lumpur. But by end 2009, we will fly to 40 destinations," he said.

Oman Air will also receive three A330-300s in 2011 and six B787's in 2012, he said. The airline is owned 92 percent by the Oman government and 8 percent by prominent investors in Oman. There are no plans to divest any shareholding in the near term, he said. Oman Air carried 2 million passengers in 2008 compared with 1.6 million passengers the previous year.

"We should be pushing up to 2.3 million or 2.4 million passengers in 2009 simply because we are expanding to new destinations," Hill said.

"No doubt, 2009 will be a tough year but this region is not so badly affected. A lot of the market in Oman is captive because we are the main carrier," he said. Revenues are expected to rise in 2008 over the previous year, he said, declining to give specific figures. Cargo business accounts for a meagre 2 percent of the airline's total revenues, he said but is expected to rise to at least 12 percent over the coming five years.

Courtesy: www.reuters.com

Mirbat Beach showcased at Oman Travel expo

‘Mirbat Beach’, the RO1 billion ($2.58 billion) project undertaken by the Dhofar Tourism Company in the town of Mirbat on the Salalah Coast was showcased at the Oman Travel Market recently. The company revealed the project plan for all its 5 phases of development as well as details of phase 1 which is now nearing completion with the construction of a five star hotel, the Mirbat Beach Resort & Spa.

“We are proud to be a part of the many participants aiming to promote tourism and tourism related projects at the Oman Travel Market 2009,” said Osama Mariam, chief of Dhofar Tourism Company.

“We will venture into other markets like the GCC & Europe, and contribute to popularising Oman as a beautiful country for tourism and new business sectors on the global market platform.”

Phase 2 of the project features 161 Marina Apartments around a Marina which will have 75 berthing spots; 258 town homes of different sizes; 47 Golf Villas; over 10,000 sq m of retail space and 10,000 sq m of office space.

In addition, there will be a 9-hole golf-course and clubhouse, a water park, a private hospital/clinic with helipad, nursery and child care facility, as well as an entertainment centre for adults and children.

The Dhofar Tourism Company took over the development of this region under the direction of Ministry of Tourism and is driven by the vision of making Mirbat, a premier tourist destination. The tourism industry has widely acknowledged Mirbat Beach as a world class holiday destination with its outstanding facilities and incredible natural assets. This new development will extend the prospects of the Mirbat town into a destination for nature lovers, a perfect holiday for all and a business hub for many looking for a great getaway to host conferences, workshops and more, he said.
Courtesy: www.tradearabia.com

Oman's sovereign rating remains stable


Standard & Poor's Ratings Services yesterday affirmed its 'A' long-term and 'A-1' short-term sovereign credit ratings on Oman, signifying a "stable" outlook of the Sultanate's economy. "The ratings on Oman are supported by the government's strong fiscal position, together with the country's solid external finances and increasing wealth levels," said S&P's credit analyst Luc Marchand. They, however, remain constrained by the heavy economic dependence on hydrocarbons, geopolitical tensions in the region, and, in the longer term, comparatively low visibility regarding policy direction under a succession scenario, the international credit rating agency said. Standard & Poor's Transfer & Convertibility risk assessment was affirmed at 'AA-'. An S&P statement released yesterday said the government has prudently and transparently managed the windfall from a sustained period of high oil prices, leading to a general government surplus that it estimates at 8.8 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2008. With the surpluses of the past few years, the government's net asset position increased to about 42 per cent of the GDP as at year-end 2008, which will be a crucial buffer to weather the negative impact on public finances of the expected sharp decrease in average oil prices in 2009 compared to 2008. The government's budget will turn into a deficit of 4.9 per cent of the GDP, decreasing its estimated liquid assets (mostly managed externally) to an approximately $25 billion from about $27 billion in 2008, said S&P, adding that the government debt remains modest at an estimated six per cent of GDP in 2009. "The stable outlook is based on our expectation that the high level of government assets, the expected increasing LNG exports, and the growth of the non-hydrocarbon sector will continue to mitigate concerns stemming from the current decline in oil prices and the decline in crude production in recent years," said Marchand. The outlook assumes that fiscal policy will remain oriented toward fulfilling Oman's development needs and limiting vulnerability to fluctuations in oil output and prices. The ratings agency also sounded caution on several fronts. It said Oman's ratings remain constrained by high economic dependence on hydrocarbons, which constitute the vast majority of fiscal revenues and exports, and about 51 per cent of the GDP in 2008. On the political front, the key challenges to creditworthiness remain a high level of unemployment among Omanis and the prevailing geopolitical tensions across the region. "We see inflationary pressures abating with the weakening of the economy, with an economic rebound expected to begin next year," S&P said. The agency said the ratings could go up if a secular decline in crude output was reversed or if the government strengthened its domestic tax revenue base significantly � through the introduction of value-added tax (VAT), for example. "Conversely, the ratings could come under downward pressure if the geopolitical or political situation were to deteriorate sharply, or if government assets were to decline more quickly than we forecast," it added.
Reuters cited Mr Ahmed Mekki national economy minister of Oman as saying that Oman will build OMR 692 million ports at Duqm as part of its economic development plan despite a global downturn and a projected drop in oil revenue. The government expects reasonable growth for 2009 despite the financial crunch in part because it aims to pursue all the major state led development projects it has launched, using surplus oil revenue or state reserves, if needed.

He said that "The 2009 outlook is relatively good we expect a reasonable growth since we are going ahead with all major plans."

Oman plans to diversify its economy away from oil income dependency, which makes up about 75% of national revenue and is pursuing a number of large scale infrastructure projects.

According to the state figures, the government has already awarded OMR 220 million worth of infrastructural projects since the beginning of the year.

Oman said that it has short listed six companies for the construction of the USD 1.5 billion Muscat airport terminal building. The Duqm development in central eastern Oman aims to create a new city to serve as a key administrative, industrial and commercial centre.

The first phase of the Duqm project calls for the port and a dry dock expansion. Phase 2 includes an airport, an extensive road network and a free trade zone for industries.

Mr Mekki said that "Phase 2 will be the development of various projects whose funds will come from huge foreign and local investments."

Oman tops Mena destinations

Oman is by far the most improved destination throughout the Middle East & North Africa (Mena) region in 2008, said a leading market research firm.

According to end of year results released by MKG Hospitality’s market monitoring database, Hotel Compset, Oman recorded a remarkable 34 per cent Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) increase.

Oman’s excellent performance was fuelled by a major growth of almost 40 per cent in Average Daily Rate (ADR), the report said.

Jordan was not so far behind, with a 26 per cent growth in RevPAR, driven by a 17 per cent increase in ADR and a 8.4 per cent rise in Occupancy Rate (OR). Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Algeria and Tunisia also recorded good results.

Overall however, Qatar recorded the highest RevPAR at $223, followed by the UAE at $211 and then Oman and Bahrain, almost equal at $164.

“However much the tourism sector has held up in 2008, and indeed it has resisted the downturn far better than other industries, the economic downturn will start to take its toll in the coming months, as consumers and companies alike continue to cut back on travelling expenses,” stated Vanguelis Panayotis, director of development, MKG Hospitality.

Forecasts suggest that the situation will deteriorate over the next 6-9 months. Most countries in the region have already started to see a decrease in OR, signalling that demand has dropped. Hoteliers are now expected to further reduce their prices in order to encourage more guests.

'The indicator that must be observed very carefully now is ADR. As demand is decreasing, competition will increase and then the market will start to drop its prices in order to maintain occupancy rates.'

'When ADR decreases for several months versus year-to-date, it is a clear sign of recession,” continued Panayotis.

'Unfortunately this sign might be stronger in some markets such as Mena, where the majority of the rooms are in the upscale and midscale segments, compared to mature markets in Western Europe and the US, where there is more of an equilibrium between hotel categories.'

'The higher the category, the more volatile price is, so we can expect the Mena region to show stronger decreases than markets with more budget rooms.'

With this in mind, 2009 and 2010 should see the development of more budget-orientated products in the region, such as Express by Holiday Inn, Ibis and the new concept from Rotana, Centro.

According to Panayotis however, the fact that the region is dominated by international and regional hotel operators is a good sign, as it will help withstand the downturn, with their versatility to reduce the impact of recession and to maximise operational efficiency.

As hotel demand decreases in 2009 and travellers continue to spend less, industry-professionals will be taking drastic action to uphold their level of competitiveness. Using the downturn period as an opportunity to plan for the future will also no doubt be critical.

“During this difficult period, hotels should focus on two strategies: Cost and Revenue,” explained Ahmed Rasmy, revenue manager, Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi.

MKG Hospitality, along with other leading experts will be participating at the Hotec Middle East 2009 panel discussion in April.

Courtesy: www.tradearabia.com

Arab region fast becoming “Next-Gen Aviation Centre of the World”

Aviation experts, who convened in Abu Dhabi today to discuss the future of the Middle East Aviation industry in the still unfolding global economic crisis, were bullish about the region’s prospects citing the underlying issues, trends and recent growth patterns as some of the reasons for this outlook. They believe that the Middle East aviation sector is set to soar. The 2nd Middle East Aviation Outlook Summit organized by Terrapinn, a leading global business media company, unveiled results of the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) report which declared that the region “will be growing while others are stagnating.” ''The Middle East is poised to shine,” according to CAPA report. Hifazat Ahmad, General Manager of Terrapinn Middle East said: “What we heard today from global and regional aviation industry leaders was candid and bold. The good news is it was also positive. The reasons for rapid growth in the aviation sector are somewhat complex, but almost all agreed that the overall future outlook is upbeat. This youthful region is to shape the growth of the future of aviation.”

Peter Harbison, Chairman of CAPA who will chair the Summit of the conference, said: “A picture emerges of a potentially remarkable and long-term sustainable growth path in the Middle East, rather than an excessive, unplanned, over-hyped bubble which is about to burst, as many outside the region, and some within, may believe.

“Whatever happens in the remainder of the world, there are still strong indications that the region will continue to support strong levels of traffic growth. This applies both to long-haul, hub services and short-haul, point to point operations,” he observed.

The rapid growth in the aviation sector is expected to continue and will be supported by the region’s underlying economic growth and regional commercial development. The strategic geographic location, adoption of new technology and regulatory issues are some of the other reasons for this outlook.

“A vibrant aviation sector is a key factor in the diversification of Middle East economies and plays a key enabling role for many other sectors, including the growing financial services and tourism industries.”

Because of the importance aviation assumes in several nations’ economic diversification strategies, several of the region’s players have been undertaking large-scale expansion, injecting billions of dollars into fleet renewal, airport augmentation and tourism-related infrastructure projects.

Peter Harbison remarked: “The region’s geographic situation is merely good fortune; but it is by adding the other two ingredients that a powerful recipe for growth is created. With new generation aircraft technology, Arab airlines now have the ability to access any point in the world non-stop. Combined with the simultaneous easing of market access, this makes one-stop global travel increasingly possible.

He added: “There is however an additional but vital catalyst which converts the potential of these ingredients into immediate growth: sophisticated management of the aviation and tourism supply chain. Some countries in the region have elevated that art to a new level, greatly assisting the process of expansion. In brief, the region is fast becoming the ‘Next-Gen aviation centre of the world’.”

He explained that as the world, led by the US and the UK, is slumping into economic decline, it would be wholly unrealistic to believe that the United Arab Emirates, along with every other country, will be immune from the global credit crunch and the economic downturn. However, the region and the Gulf in particular have shown a resilience that is absent from many other markets. Furthermore, there are indications that the premium sector has held up much better than in other parts of the world and its market share is soaring. “The region is not immune to financial constraints, but well supported,” he noted.

“The timing of this downturn probably comes at an almost ideal time for the expansion of some of the leading airlines in the region, as they consolidate their positions in a global order.

“A continuing expansion of each of the Gulf carriers through negative economic conditions, while many competitors cut back, has both short and long term implications. But, as the world economy starts to pick up, the advantages of having maintained a strenuous delivery schedule will start to show through. The region’s airlines will then possess younger and more fuel efficient fleets, positioning them well to capitalise as markets resume growth,” he concluded. The Aviation Outlook Summit event, which continues to 5 March at Beach Rotana Hotel and Towers in Abu Dhabi, includes participants from the world’s top airlines including Etihad, Oman Air, Turkish Airlines, Wataniya, Royal Jet, Gulf Air, Air Arabia, Sama, Jazeera Airways, Airblue, Kingfisher, Air Asia X, Kuwait Airways and Mihinlanka Airlines and Virgin Blue. It also features Leaders from the Middle East’s foremost airports authorities including Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) Oman Airports Management Company and Cairo Airport Company.

Courtesy: www.albawaba.com