Since its opening at the beginning of October, the Oman Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai proves to be a sure hit among visitors registering nearly 200,000 visits in only 20 days.
The pavilion which seeks to highlight the different achievements of the Sultanate in different civil and developmental areas also doubles as a tourism hub showcasing the potential of Oman as a tourism and business destination.
Divided into five sections reflecting the life cycle of frankincense (Boswellia sacra tree), the pavilion will become a venue for distinct Omani performance events including scientific, artistic, cultural presentation and economic seminars over the next six months.
We reviewed information from the team that manages the pavilion to check the 4 things you must know about it.
Reflecting the Frankincense Tree
Even in history, Oman has been well-known as home to the frankincense tree. The pavilion has been designed by two young Omani architects, Alya Al Battashi and Rihab al Zakwani and is an abstract representation of the beloved frankincense tree taking inspiration from the low-hanging branches of the tree and communicating its spiritual, cultural and commercial significance to the country.
The pavilion has an asymmetrical, flowing appearance, its wooden panels curving inwards.
As per the team, Frankincense symbolizes Oman’s incredible history of innovation, outward-focused, collaborative approach to opportunity, connectedness to other cultures and openness to dialogue and exchange.
Experiencing a nation
The Oman pavilion will take the visitors on a journey connecting people and minds across time and place, in a modern telling of the story of Oman, rooted in a respect for the richness of the past, inspired by the innovation of the present and confidence in the future by showcasing the real opportunity in Oman: The People.
The Omani culture is one of the richest cultures in the Arab region and not only for the ancient history and the grand civilizations built by Omani people but also for the great norms and traditions people have developed and still hold to this day
Over the next six months, the pavilion will be hosting a series of Omani events. As a sample, during Omani Women’s day, the pavilion became an extension of the celebration being made in Oman. More will come in the coming weeks with numerous performances that demonstrate what makes Oman different culturally but also showcase the beauty of the Sultanate through the interaction with its people.
Investment Opportunities
Other than showcasing the country as an attractive holiday destination, the pavilion is also the perfect place and opportunity to tackle economic development. As such, the team has designed certain weeks to be dedicated to a specific field that will maximize economic gains. From showcasing Omani products, SMEs in Oman will also be given an opportunity to take part in the exhibit. It will be followed by a series of other meet and greet events with the Omani Investment Week being the highlight where different interested parties can preview the promising investment opportunities in Oman.
Souvenirs of Oman
Divided into five sectors covering Transportation, Knowledge, Manufacturing, Sustainability, and Exploration, the pavilion offers augmented and mixed reality technology supporting the available interactive experiences. While going through the different sectors will help a visitor to have a general idea of Oman, all of these experiences eventually commence at the souq area where visitors can buy souvenirs from the different Omani crafts stores. With more than 2,000 trinkets created by about 400 SMEs, it is also a great opportunity to interact with Oman’s artisans as most of the products were well-curated offerings from women and families who specialised in each of the display crafts.
