Muscat: Salem bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism (MHT), has issued decision 124/2021 to add organizing adventure trips to the activities of travel and tourism offices.
MHT has been developing regulatory measures for the adventure tourism industry in Oman by preparing to prepare guidelines for the Adventure Safety Guide (ASG) Management System and create a system for issuing permits to conduct adventure activities.
This decision, which will be published in the Official Gazette, will come into force after 90 days from the date of its publication.
Article (1) of the stipulated decided that the activity of organizing adventure tourism trips should be added to the activities of travel and tourism offices stipulated in Article (18) of the Tourism Law.
Any licensed company or sole proprietorship must obtain a license to organize tourist trips for groups or individuals inside the Sultanate or abroad, according to programs that include transportation or reservations in hotels or tourist establishments.
The services by these companies include selling or exchanging tickets, facilitating transportation (air, marine, and land).
The companies can provide special services for tourists. like getting entry and exit visas, insurance services, and reservations of the places.
The licensed companies must have a certificate granted by the security and safety auditor to practice the activity, which includes adventure tourism trips.
The decision states that it is not permissible to engage in the activity of organizing adventure tourism trips, except after obtaining a license
The licensed company, while engaging in the activity of organizing adventure tourism trips, must provide the tourist with detailed information about the trip, potential risks, and instructions. He must provide approved maps, insuring tourists with an insurance policy against all risks involved with adventure activities.
The company shall not organize adventure tourism trips in the prohibited sites without obtaining the approval of the concerned authority, in accordance with the decisions and instructions issued by the concerned authorities.
It should take necessary precautions to avoid the risks resulting from natural disasters or weather conditions.
It should appointment with experience in the practice of adventure activities, provided that they obtain qualifications or training courses in First Aid.
It should provide trip requirements and safety equipment in accordance with the standard specifications and the requirements of the trip, and to the extent appropriate to its duration.
The licensee must cancel adventure tourism trips in case of warning instructions on weather conditions or natural disasters from the Civil Aviation Authority or the concerned authority.
It should ensure the equipment or tool, the date, and place of manufacture, classification of the equipment and the tool, the expiry date of the equipment or tool, and the type and place of use of each equipment or tool.
The security and safety auditor is committed to the following:
Providing the Ministry with any information or data related to the licensee.
Carrying out periodic or annual field visits to follow up the quality and guarantee the licensee’s commitment, and checking the qualifications of trainers, mentors, and working assistants, tools, and other services.
Ensuring the licensee’s compliance with the security and safety standards specified for all activities related to adventure tourism, according to the type of activity.
Providing the Ministry with a report in the event of any defect in the security systems before- during or – after the completion of the adventure activitiy.
Adventure activities
Off-road driving and group tours (including biking, and off-road vehicles for all terrains) in deserts, mountains, and valleys on the unpaved roads, vehicles riding on mountain roads, riding two-wheel electric bikes, cycling (mountain biking or cycling), zip lines – high altitudes, sliding ropes, or ladders installed at heights, descent to heights with ropes, descending with ropes, and descent using a propeller propulsion device.
Adventures in parks and public facilities (such as roller coasters, carts, skates, paintball, bungee jumping or skydiving and swinging over canyons or under bridges or hitting caves, going down inside a cave, traveling through canyons, long journeys through valleys, and climbing Natural or artificial surfaces, underwater navigation, mountain trails and trekking, exploration trips for a group of people, camel and horse riding, navigation and excursions, sandboarding, downhill skiing.
