Oman set to add 2000 hotel rooms in '12/13

Oman is forecast to see 2,000 additional rooms scheduled to open in 2012/2013, according to tourism chiefs. Muscat will see the most growth with the addition of 726 rooms, while niche resorts are set to open in Salalah, Khasab and in the high altitude Hajar Mountains. Duqm, Oman's new city on the Arabian Sea, will see the opening of three hotels with a total of 391 rooms, said a statement issued on Tuesday. Maitha Al Mahrouqi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism said: "Oman is seeing strong investor demand in the sector, especially in niche properties. "This is from government sponsored joint ventures through OMRAN and increasing Omani participation. Overall, our approach is to ensure 5 star developments are located in 5 star natural landscapes. "This approach gives us a competitive edge and fuels investment demand." OMRAN is the company set up by the Government of Oman to deliver major projects and to manage assets and investments in the tourism sector. Earlier this year, it was reported that Oman is studying 30 locations around the country for their potential to be developed into tourism resorts and attractions. The studies are part of Oman's ambitious tourism plan which aims to attract 12 million visitors a year by the end of the decade. Locations such as the Al Hoota, Majlis al Jinn and Suhoor Caves are being looked at for potential tourism development, Haitham Mohammed Ghasani, Director of Tourism Promotion, Oman Ministry of Tourism said in a statement. In March, Oman was ranked the most expensive country in the world for UK travellers in 2011, according to the latest Hotels Price Index (HPI) by booking agency Hotels.com. Average room rates in the Gulf state rose by 19 percent from £182 ($288) per night in 2010 to £217 last year, soaring past the second-priciest destination Mauritius. Muscat, Oman’s capital city, also witnessed a surge in room costs from £185 per night in 2010 to £219 in 2011, making it the most expensive city in the world for hotel accommodation after the European hotspot Monte Carlo. “Oman became the most expensive country after it posted the biggest increase in prices,” said the report.