Huge potential for halal tourism in Oman

Muscat: Oman is a potential halal tourism hotspot, and now is the time to tap into the market, experts believe.
Having recently laid out its Tourism Vision 2040, Oman plans to attract more than five million international visitors annually by 2040, double the figure of 2.5 million in 2015, which would contribute to 6 per cent of the GDP, compared to the current 3 per cent.

There is little over-optimism about such expectations, considering Lonely Planet has ranked Oman eighth in the world in places to visit in 2017.
Although it included little mention of halal tourism, Oman is certainly an ideal destination for halal tourism markets.
According to a report by Thomson Reuters, halal tourism represents 11.6 percent of global travel expenditures, excluding pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina, and is expected to be worth a staggering $238 billion by 2019.
Halal tourism is a sub category of tourism which is directed towards Muslim populations that are considering travel, while adhering to Islamic rules.
This includes hotels that do not serve alcohol, have separate swimming pools and spa facilities for men and women, and broadcast religious programmes as part of their entertainment programmes.