Omani staff at hotels driving tourism forward

Oman Wednesday 16/January/2019 22:29 PM
By: Times News Service
Omani staff at hotels driving tourism forward

Muscat: Hotels in Oman are offering visitors a more authentic experience by employing more locals, thus catering to the growing demand from tourists for a true Omani experience.
It is a trend that has caught on across the Sultanate.
Speaking to the Times of Oman, Vijay Handa, Cluster General Manager at the Ras Al Jinz Reserve, confirmed this. “Absolutely, our mission is to have more Omanis, to have a platform where nationals can come to the forefront.”
“In fact, one of my units, which is Ras Al Jinz, employs 86 per cent of Omanis and our target is to become 100 per cent Omanised within the next one-and-a-half to two years. In other hotels directed by me, there is a regular growth in the number of Omanis and we want them to come to the forefront,” he added.
Explaining the importance of interacting with locals, Handa said, “An interaction with an expat and an Omani is totally different. With an Omani, people can have a feel of the place; they will feel it is more authentic when they have a national talking to them. If they come to Oman and an Omani receives them, takes them on tours, serves them food, and checks them out on departure, that allows them to relate more to the destination. It is always good to connect with nationals wherever you are.”
A spokesperson for Six Senses Zighy Bay stated, “We provide authentic experiences by hiring Omanis and on excursions. Guests can get traditional Omani henna tattoos at our boutique, visit a local village in the mountains, visit the city of Dibba, learn Arabic from our staff, or even take Arabic cooking lessons.”
They added, “It is something that our guests definitely look for, as this part of the world remains relatively unexplored and we are their gateway. Our guests tend to be curious and love an insight into the destination they are travelling to.”
Hospitable
Praveen George, General Manager of Sales and Manager at Al Falaj Hotel, said, “We are recruiting Omanis in relevant areas and this is not just to fill up the ratios. We find that there are many competent and young nationals who are hospitable and a good fit.”
In addition to delivering a more Oman-oriented experience, the recruits also help hotels cater to Arabic-speaking visitors.
“The industry has grown beyond specific languages. Guests can speak multiple languages and at least send across their basic requirements, and most of the guests from the GCC can speak English. But having someone who speaks Arabic is always an advantage,” George stated.
Must-visit places
In addition, CNN Travel listed Oman as one of its must-visit places of 2019. Additionally, the UK-based newspaper Financial Times chose the Sultanate as one of the world’s top tourist destinations for 2019. Data shows that interest from tourists has continued to grow by leaps and bounds.
According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information, the revenue of 3-5 star hotels in Oman reached OMR23.8 million during November 2018, up from OMR19.9 million recorded in November 2017. The total occupancy rate during that period was 68.1 per cent.
Multiple nationalities are also coming to Oman in greater numbers. The number of Omani hotel guests rose from 31,838 to 37,941, the number of Asians from 12,572 to 18,047, and the number of Europeans increased from 63,688 to 70,757 in November 2018, compared to November 2017.
Overall, as of November 2018, 2.8 million visitors had come to Oman. Among then, 1,383,585 visitors were from the GCC, 316,840 were Indian, 136,007 were British, 113,732 were German and 81,737 were Pakistani. A further 137,000 visitors came via cruise ships.