The World Tourism Day celebration in Oman this year was held under the theme "Digital Program and Artificial Intelligence for Redesigning Tourism." This event highlights the increasing role of modern technologies in developing tourist destinations, improving visitor experiences, and enhancing the efficiency of this sector in facing changes and crises.
Rapid Changes in Global Tourism
This festival takes place amid rapid developments in global tourism, driven by technology, artificial intelligence, and data analytics, which have influenced traveler behavior. The demand for authentic and sustainable experiences has increased, and access to information, services, and bookings through digital platforms has become easier.
Moreover, geopolitical and economic changes have highlighted the importance of building a resilient tourism sector to cope with crises and clearly indicate the need to maintain air connectivity and market diversity.
Tourism Development in Oman
The Sultanate of Oman, as one of the main economic sectors under the Oman 2040 vision, continues to develop tourism as one of the important economic pillars. Oman, leveraging its natural, cultural, and civilizational diversity, is striving to capitalize on its attractions such as historical and archaeological sites, mountains, deserts, and beaches.
Said Ibrahim bin Said Al Busaidi, the Minister of Heritage and Tourism of Oman, stated that World Tourism Day is an opportunity to reaffirm the commitment to building a sustainable and competitive tourism sector that maximizes participation in the national economy and social impacts across the provinces of Oman.
He added that the tourism sector is one of the main pillars of economic diversification in Oman, and the ministry is working to develop this sector based on an integrated vision that balances economic growth with the preservation of Omani heritage, identity, and culture, as well as the protection of natural resources.
The minister also explained that this year's World Tourism Day is held amid rapid digital transformations in the tourism industry. According to him, the ministry's approach is not limited to using technology in advertising but includes redesigning the tourist journey from the stages of research, planning, and booking to experiencing and enjoying tourism services and products in various provinces.
He added that artificial intelligence and data analytics provide vast opportunities for a more accurate understanding of markets, designing programs and experiences tailored to visitor interests, enhancing the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, and managing tourism flows.
The Minister of Heritage and Tourism of Oman also pointed out that the success of this sector is not measured solely by the number of visitors but also by factors such as average length of stay, volume of tourism spending, hotel occupancy rates, and the distribution of tourism movement across provinces and seasons.
According to him, the next phase will witness a greater focus on integrating advertising, air communications, investment, product and service quality, and ease of digital booking. He emphasized that achieving the set goals for attracting international travelers by 2030 requires extensive national collaboration and continuous coordination among government entities, the private sector, provinces, airlines, airports, and small and medium enterprises.
Azan bin Qasim Al Busaidi, the Deputy Minister of Heritage and Tourism for Tourism, announced that the ministry is working on transforming tourism sector goals into actionable programs and measurable performance indicators. He also referred to the results of the first six months of 2026, which indicate the stability of the tourism sector in Oman despite regional and international changes.
According to him, a 7% growth in the number of visa-holding visitors reflects the positive impact of advertising efforts and market diversification.
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