The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has announced that it will commence surprise inspections of hotels and tourist establishments starting from October 1 to ensure that registered properties are in full compliance with their assigned star ratings and quality standards.

The warning came in a post issued by the ministry on Thursday.

It said the inspections will continue at periodic intervals. Managers and operators of the facilities are obligated to bring their properties in line with their commitments or risk attracting penalties, it added.

October marks the traditional start of the Sultanate of Oman’s annual winter tourism season – a period when hundreds of thousands of international tourists and travellers arrive in the country to enjoy its diversity of natural, cultural and historical attractions, complemented by white sand beaches and mild tropical weather.

The tourism industry, which is a major employment generator for the country, is looking forward to a complete rebound in its fortunes following the disastrous effects of the pandemic over the last two years. Operating clean, hygienic and well-maintained hotels and tourist properties is key to this goal.

Recently, Fitch Solutions upgraded its positive forecast for the recovery of Oman’s tourism sector during 2022 – 2023 with strong growth expected during the mid-term forecast period 2024-2026. It noted a significant recovery in tourist traffic starting from the fourth quarter of 2021.