The Frankincense tree inspired Pavilion of the Sultanate at the Expo 2020 has been pulling a steady stream of people from across the world as the ambitious Expo 2020 completed two weeks since it opened on September 30.
According to available statistics, the Sultanate’s pavilion receives an average of 11,500 visitors a day. In the first week, the number of visitors crossed 81,071, and it is steadily increasing.
For those prospective visitors sitting miles away and thumping through what’s awaiting them at the Omani pavilion for the next six months, the Ministry of a Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP) has said, “It’s a simple walk through the many facets of the beautiful country as an investor or a tourist.”
“Over the next six months, what an avid visitor to our pavilion can look forward to is simply an experience of the true Omani culture as well as various dimensions of scientific, artistic, cultural, economic and other fields’’, Mohsin al Balushi, Commissioner-General of the Sultanate at Expo 2020 Dubai, said.
Several hundreds of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) from Oman are currently taking part at the Expo. Young Omani men and women representing a gamut of sectors.
According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), there are 52,524 SMEs in Oman compared to 47,802 the previous year, an increase of 19 per cent, as quoted by the Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Riyada) till the end of April 2021.
They represent a diverse range of sectors, from local halwa making to manufacturers of drones and battery makers to makeshift wall constructors.
A great effort is put in to highlight the youth power in innovating and designing contemporary solutions for life with the Innovation Factory Company, which carries out the designing, manufacturing and implementation of devices, equipment and technologies used in telling and reviewing the content of the pavilion’s story.
There are small manufacturing facilities, small processing units, trading companies, export-import companies, distribution, retailing, rental, service companies and so on, and will be an attraction at an event where 191 countries, as well as regional and international organisations will participate under the theme, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”.
Participation is also a step towards maximising Oman’s desired gains at all levels, most important of which is the economic, social and cultural goals in line with the Oman Vision 2040.
There are efforts to highlight Oman’s tourism potential, an abundance of natural sightseeing opportunities, and air connectivity thanks to Oman Air, which will introduce the Sultanate as a distinct tourism and business destination.
Oman’s true identity and the rich ancient Omani heritage will be in the limelight at the event that expects millions to visit over the next six months. The Omani pavilion will also host a series of Omani events and participation, including scientific, artistic, cultural and economic seminars on various topics.
The frankincense tree-shaped edifice is divided into five sections that simulate in their content the life cycle of frankincense, syncing with the three sub-themes of Expo 2020 Dubai, which are Mobility, Sustainability and Opportunity.
