A country for all seasons

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Oman's hotel industry survived a cyclone in 2007 to end the year recording the highest growth in the region.

Gareth Rees explores the diverse appeal of Oman and the challenges facing hoteliers as they look to entice leisure guests during the quieter summer months.

When Gonu became the strongest ever tropical cyclone to hit the Arabian Peninsula, reaching Oman last June, causing US $4 billion in damage and more than 50 deaths, it was feared the country and its hotel industry would take years to recover, but the industry boomed in 2007.

"Gonu had a devastating effect but the tourism industry came back very quickly."

"The roads were out, but the industry rapidly got back on its feet - nobody was closed for long if at all," says Mark Senior, the director of Afkar Marketing Company, which represents the Oman Ministry of Tourism in the UAE.

The Deloitte HotelBenchmark Survey for 2007 indicates a successful year for Oman, with RevPAR in Muscat jumping 52.8% to US $152, making it the strongest growing market in the Middle East.

"It was extremely successful for us, despite the fact that we were closed for three months due to Cyclone Gonu, and we managed to finish the year off with high occupancies and great rates," says The Chedi Muscat's director of sales and marketing Lore Koenig.

The Chedi finished 2007 with occupancy of 82%, and Muscat's hotel industry overall achieved 70.6%, proving Koenig's claim that Oman weathered the storm and is becoming more popular.

"Hotel inventory hasn't grown at the same speed as the demand and therefore the rates are going up. It is just a matter of time before there is more competition in town, and this may have an effect, but I think there's still quite a way to go yet [before we see a change]," she says.

Oman's main appeal to travellers is its authenticity, according to Koenig, and The Chedi Muscat has taken this into consideration creating a hotel which blends traditional Omani architecture with Asian Zen style to create a truly unique property.

"What is appealing is the heritage and culture here, the immensely friendly Omani people that you do get in touch with when you come to visit, and of course the combination of activities you can pursue here from mountain climbing, to dolphin watching, snorkeling, diving or bird watching there are such an amazing number of things to see and do in Oman and usually one visit is not enough," she says.

"We have the fantastic Hajar Mountains here that go up to 3000m, and we have the blue clear skies, clear air, no pollution, no high rises, everything has a more Mediterranean touch, and none of the other Gulf states have that."

Al Bustan Palace InterContinental Muscat's general manager and Director of Operations - Oman, Tony Zamora, notes that Oman, just like the rest of the Middle East, is just six and a half hours from Europe, the hotel industry's core market during the winter months.

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