Hotel revenues across Oman surge more than 200%

Muscat: Revenues earned by hotels rated between three and five stars surged more than 200 percent in May 2022, compared to May 2021, according to figures released by the government.

Hotels earned OMR13 million in May 2022, compared to just OMR4 million in May 2021: a rise of 205 percent in earnings. Guests visiting hotels also rose significantly: 140,000 guests stayed in hotels in Oman in May 2022, compared to 68,000 in 2021, an increase of 105 percent, show figures in the May Tourism Index released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).

Furthermore, 216,348 people entered Oman in May of this year, compared to 6,036 in May 2021, reflecting a 35-fold increase in inbound arrivals to the country. 54.5 percent of all inbound visitors were nationals from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Oman is one of the six members of the GCC. The other five are the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

Other Arabs accounted for 284 arrivals in May 2021, up to 17,939 people in the same month of this year. Some 56,184 Asians also came to Oman in May 2022, a steep increase from the 723 people who arrived in May 2021.

While only 170 Europeans came to Oman in May 2021, a huge spike in arrivals from Europe meant 16,071 people from that continent arrived in the country in May 2022.

The number of people from America and Africa who came to Oman also grew, but formed a comparatively small portion of arrivals into the country. 3,987 Americans came to Oman in May 2022, up from just 45 arrivals in May 2021, while some 3,613 Africans also arrived, a tremendous increase from just 47 arrivals during the same time period last year.

While only four people from Oceania came to Oman in May 2021, about 590 people from that part of the world visited the country in May 2022.

“The total number of inbound visitors increased by more than 35 times, compared to inbound visitors in May 2021, which amounted to 6,000 people,” said the NCSI in its tourism report.

Up until the end of May 2022, some 794,000 visitors arrived to the country, while 1.5 million visitors departed Oman in the first five months of this year.

GCC nationals make up the largest portion of visitors to Oman in 2022: some 349,986 people holding nationality of the Gulf States have visited Oman from January to May 2022. Indians also make up a high proportion of visitors (111,883), followed by Yemenis (28,495), Pakistanis (23,603), and Germans (23,289).

During the first five months of the year, more than 650,000 guests also stayed in hotels rated between three and five stars in Oman, as a result of which these establishments earned OMR73 million over this time frame.

A monthly report that provides a summary of tourism statistics in Oman, the Tourism Index also contains information about the total number of incoming visitors to the Sultanate of Oman, dividing them by nationality.

The report also provides statistics on the total number of visitors leaving Oman, while breaking them down on the basis of Omani and foreign visitors. It also contains data on revenues earned by hotels rated three to five stars, alongside occupancy rates and hotel guest figures.