Tourism is back but needs a long-term vision, say experts

The travel and tourism industry is back on its track, but difficult to say whether it has come with a vengeance as international travel has been affected by a lack of preparedness, mainly the shortage of manpower.

Since travel was limited to emergencies for the most part of the 2020-21 any improvement in terms of percentages will look impressive.

Travel has picked up even in Oman this year and it was evident from the presence of a large number of foreign delegates who attended several important conferences and exhibitions organised in the second quarter of this year.

The capital Muscat organised several important events that included the luxury tourism meet, the World Congress of the International Federation of Journalists, and the Muscat Book Fair.

With the advent of the Khareef season in the south, Dhofar Governorate has been witnessing a big influx of tourists, including travellers from Saudi Arabia who have direct road access to the Sultanate of Oman for the first time. The number of international airlines operating flights to Salalah has also increased this year, including some airlines arriving for the first time.

Speaking to the Observer, industry experts said that it is an opportunity to chalk out long-term plans better to grow tourism. One report said that a lack of skilled professionals could potentially hinder the growth of the Middle East’s tourism and hospitality sector.

Recently, an official associated with a leading online tour operator in the country said, “Domestic tourism sustained these sectors during the two years of restrictions, but that has changed now, and people are travelling abroad, mainly to beat the summer here. With oil prices still at higher levels and airfares expensive, we must find ways to entertain the travellers who cannot afford to travel.” He added, “There is no harm in commercialising the public facilities, but users can get good services in return. The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MoHT) has already launched the process to hand over the facilities to private parties, the results of which can be positively visible in the coming months as the country prepares for its busy winter season.

According to the UN World Tourism Organization, international tourist arrivals registered a 182 per cent increase to an estimated 117 million in the first quarter of 2022 from about 41 million in the year-ago period.

In the Middle East and Europe, earnings climbed to about 50 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, according to the UNWTO.

Summer travel in various parts of the world has been affected. Many airports and hotels have been unable to recruit back the personnel who were let go during restrictions.