Diplomatist Magazine Oman 2018 - Special Report | Page 45

Bilateral Tourism is on the Rise
Exchange of people between the two
countries, for tourism, is on the rise. Every
year, the Indian
Embassy issuesnearly 100,000 visas to
Omanis, mainly for tourism, and this number
is expected to grow. India offers exotic tourist
locations universally acknowledged for their
historical and cultural importance. The Indian
tourism industry is versatile and gives packages
suited to different tastes and requirements.
Omani nationals can visit the highlands with
scenic beauty and enjoy the vast coastal regions
of India as well as the desert lands in Eastern
India. The variety of delicious food catered in
India is mind-boggling and unparalleled.
Travel and Tourism contribute between 7-8
percent of the GDP of Oman. About 200,000
foreign visitors are attracted to Oman every
year. In 2017, the World Travel and Tourism
Council placed Oman ninth in the world for its
tourism industry growth potential. India is the
most signifi cant tourism source for the Gulf
counties. From 2017, Oman started granting
one month visas to non-sponsored Indian
tourists if they had hotel reservations for their
stay. In June 2018, Oman relaxed the visa rules
further and introduced Visa on Arrival for
Indians with valid USA, UK, Canada, Australia,
Japan and Schengen visas.
The beautiful Omani landscapes provide
shooting locales for Indian fi lm producers.
The Wadis, the Oasis towns and the beautiful
coastal areas are a tourist’s delight. The desert
Safari of Oman and the entertaining shows at
the desert camps are very popular with Indian
tourists, The annual Salalah Tourism festival,
held to celebrate the monsoon season from June
to early September, is a popular attraction. A
plethora of cultural, art, sport, heritage, contest
and shopping activities are on display during
the festival. Encouraged by the growing tourism
exchanges, the two nations signed an MOU on
Cooperation in Tourism during the recent visit
to Oman by PM Modi.
* Dr Mukul Kapoor is MD, DNB, MNAMS,
FIACTA, Director, Department of Anesthesia,
Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital, New
Delhi. He spent 27 years in the Armed Forces
and has also served in Sri Lanka. He is a travel
and culture enthusiast.
2018 • INDIA-OMAN • 45