Muscat: The Shura Council is scheduled to welcome Salem Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, the Minister of Heritage and Tourism, on March 24 for a presentation before the Council.
This event is part of a series of ministerial presentations approved for the second regular session of the tenth term.
Ahmed Mohammed Al Nadabi, Secretary-General of the Shura Council, announced that the Council will hold its eighth regular session for the second annual term (2024-2025) of the tenth legislative period (2023-2027).
The session will focus on the Minister of Heritage and Tourism's statement, in accordance with Article (69) of the Oman Council Law. This article mandates that “At the beginning of each annual session, the Shura Council establishes the program for ministerial statements and their discussion topics, based on a collaborative proposal from the Council’s Bureau and the heads of the standing committees. The Chairman of the Council is responsible for informing the government of this program, detailing the elements and themes that each statement should encompass, according to the relevant subject or sector.”
The Secretary-General noted that the statement will address six key themes previously identified by the Council.
The first theme will explore the ministry’s plans and initiatives in the heritage and tourism sectors, their alignment with the priorities of Oman Vision 2040, and the development projects planned for these sectors.
Additionally, it will outline the ministry’s vision for integrating future programs and projects aimed at enhancing the heritage and tourism sectors within the Eleventh Five-Year Plan.
The second theme of the ministerial statement will evaluate the tourism balance within the current five-year plan and the forecasts for the next plan.
Contribution to GDP
This evaluation will involve analyzing tourism spending across different areas, assessing the influence of domestic tourism on the sector's overall contribution to GDP, and investigating spending trends and growth potential.
Moreover, it will review the status of integrated tourism complexes, their investment significance, potential for job creation, and their connections with other economic sectors.
The third theme will concentrate on the management of the heritage sector, focusing on the administration of both public and private tangible Omani cultural heritage and the ministry's initiatives to ensure its sustainability.
This theme will also cover the management of historical and archaeological sites, including their documentation, preservation, and maintenance. Additionally, it will assess the heritage sector's contribution to GDP, its future growth prospects, and the ministry's vision for sector development in light of current opportunities, challenges, investment potential, and effective employment strategies.
According to Al Nadabi, the fourth theme will delve into the management of the tourism sector, emphasizing its GDP contribution and spotlighting key tourism projects designed to enhance the sector's economic impact. It will also consider the role of tourism-related legislation in boosting economic returns from the sector.
The fifth theme will address human resources within the heritage and tourism sectors. It will outline the ministry's initiatives to evaluate the supply and demand for national labor, improve Omanisation rates, and advance workforce development.
Furthermore, the focus will be on workforce training programs and initiatives aimed at generating employment opportunities within the two sectors.
His Excellency the Secretary-General also mentioned that the sixth theme will address coordination, development, and investment opportunities. It will assess the ministry's partnership with the Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran) in enhancing the tourism sector and its efforts to facilitate private sector investments in heritage and tourism locations.
In addition, the session will emphasize the ministry's efforts to strengthen collaborations with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and its strategies for maximizing local content in partnership with various stakeholders.
He also indicated that the session will be conducted publicly, with media representatives present, to ensure transparency and foster community involvement.
