The Sultanate will seek to tap the potential of its mountainous topography and long pristine beaches to tap adventure lovers.
As per the initiatives of Vision 2040, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism (MHT) has been developing regulatory measures for the adventure tourism industry in Oman to prepare guidelines for the Adventure Safety Guide (ASG) Management System and create a system for issuing permits to conduct adventure activities.
The government, to date, has developed over 50 trekking paths across the country.
With this regard, Salem bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism (MHT), issued decision 124/2021 to add organising adventure trips to the activities of travel and tourism offices.
This decision, which will be published in the Official Gazette, will come into force after 90 days from the date of its publication.
Any licenced company or sole proprietorship must obtain a licence to organise tourist trips for groups or individuals inside the Sultanate or abroad, according to programmes 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 licenced 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 organising adventure tourism trips, except after obtaining a licence.
The licenced company must provide the tourist with detailed information about the trip, potential risks, instructions, and insurance.
The company shall not organise 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.
The licencee 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.
The security and safety auditor will be responsible for providing the ministry with any information or data related to the licencee.
“It will carry out periodic or annual field visits to follow up the quality and guarantee the licencee’s commitment, and check the qualifications of trainers, mentors, and working assistants, tools, and other services.”
The adventure activities include off-road driving and group tours (including biking, and all off-road vehicles), two-wheel electric bikes, cyclin, zip lines, 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 and underwater navigation.
