‘Omanis keen on buying real estate in Zanzibar’

Muscat: There are centuries-old historical and cultural ties between Oman and Zanzibar but what stands out is the deep-rooted ties among families in both the countries.

The visit of Zanzibar President  Dr Hussein Ali Mwinyi to Oman that began on Tuesday underlines the strong and healthy relations between the two countries, according to James Prevost, a leading real estate promoter in Zanzibar and Tanzania.

In an exclusive chat with Times of Oman, Prevost, who is regional owner of RE/MAX, Tanzania, a leading real estate company, said: “I am delighted to be in Oman. Both Zanzibar and Oman share a strong inter-personal link and ties. For centuries, there have been Omani owners of land and buildings in Zanzibar.

“There is a deep-rooted relationship and thousands of Omanis have their houses and lands in Zanzibar. A lot of them prefer to have homes both in Zanzibar and Oman. Many of them make annual visits during June-August as they want to escape the scorching summer here to enjoy at their holiday homes in Zanzibar.”

Prevost, who arrived on Tuesday, is hopeful that there would be much more cooperation in real estate between Oman and Zanzibar.

“There has already been lot of interest among Omanis to buy homes in Zanzibar. Of late, we have found lot of interest among the people in Zanzibar to own property in Oman. My visit to this beautiful country is basically to explore the opportunities that Oman offers for foreign investors in real estate,” said Prevost on the sidelines of the launch of Al Mouj Muscat’s Zunairah Mansions Phase 2 project.

Prevost had informal discussions with representatives of Al Mouj Muscat, one of the integrated lifestyle destinations in Oman that is home to 8,000 residents from 85 countries.

“Al Mouj has an impressive portfolio of residential properties. I am hopeful that there could be healthy real estate cooperation between investors from Oman and Zanzibar. The signs are good. Once I go back to Zanzibar I will have further discussions with the prospective investors. I am confident that real estate cooperation will benefit the people of both the countries,” said Prevost.

Prevost works for RE/MAX, which is part of the world’s most productive real estate network.

A leader in the commercial and investment arenas, RE/MAX real estate agents have access to the industry’s top training system, corporate support services and a powerful referral network – more than 140,000 sales associates, and a presence in nearly 110 countries.