Saturday 12 / September / 2026
Nice: Sayyid Ibrahim bin Said Al Busaidi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, met with Scott Dero, CEO of the Ironman Group, in the French city of Nice to discuss ways to maximise Oman’s benefit from its international promotional partnership with the group and strengthen the presence of the Discover Oman tourism brand at international championships and events.
During the meeting, Al Busaidi reviewed the performance and international reach of the Discover Oman Ironman Pro series, including its race calendar, viewership across digital streaming platforms and promotional value for partners.
Data presented during the meeting showed that content from the series had reached approximately 24.6 million viewers by the end of July 2026, generating more than 1.62 million hours of viewing.
Discussions focused on enhancing the quality of Oman’s media exposure, reaching target tourism markets and converting the international visibility generated by the partnership into tangible interest in Oman, including increased tourist arrivals and bookings.
Al Busaidi stressed that the success of international promotional partnerships should be assessed through their measurable promotional and economic impact and their ability to reach new audiences and markets.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Minister visited the participants’ village for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, hosted by Nice.
He toured the facilities and services available at the event village and reviewed interactive platforms designed for athletes, spectators and partners. He also received a briefing on the championship’s organisation, logistics and media coverage.
Al Busaidi said sports provide a powerful global platform for showcasing Oman’s tourism potential, particularly in adventure tourism and outdoor activities.
He highlighted Oman’s diverse landscapes and terrain, which provide suitable conditions for hosting endurance sports and related international events.
The Minister expressed his ambition to showcase Oman globally as a distinctive tourism destination and to use major international sporting events to support the Sultanate’s tourism growth objectives.
The visit forms part of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism’s efforts to monitor the performance of its international promotional partnerships and benefit from global experiences in organising major sporting events.
It also aims to strengthen Oman’s position on the global sports tourism map and enhance the effectiveness of international events and partnerships in promoting the Omani tourism destination.
