Oman Economic Review – July 2019

28 July 2019

COVER STORY – AVIATION

Can you elaborate on the strategy of
Oman Aviation Group?
We are working to enhance the
operational efficiency of our aviation
companies. To this end, we have
developed five strategic initiatives and
12 sub-initiatives. The five strategic
initiatives can be divided into two areas:
three initiatives are aimed at enhancing
the operational efficiency of the sector
companies, while two initiatives focus
on the growth of the sector in general.

The three strategies for enhancing the
operational efficiency of the sector seek
to develop a strategic transformation
programme for Oman Air; to enhance
the efficiency of the commercial and
financial operations of the various
airports in Oman; and to enhance
the services in the aviation sector
with regard to ground services, air
freight, logistics and market services
as well as hospitality services. These
three strategic objectives have been
developed to enhance the efficiency of
the sector, while in the growth strategy
we have developed two key criteria.

The fourth initiative focuses on
promoting the growth of the sector
in cooperation with other strategic
sectors. The fifth initiative focuses on
developing a structural framework for
the sector. Therefore, Oman Aviation
Group has been set up as a hub of the
entire sector, which could manage
the coexistent of the sector with other
economic sectors.

We have developed three sub-initiatives,
namely developing cities around the
Sultanate’s airports, linking ports to
the airports and promoting inbound
tourism through aviation.

With regard to the first initiative
of developing cities around the
Sultanate’s airports, we see that the
current trend is that airports are not
built as just passenger terminals, but
they are built as cities around airports,
equipped with facilities for different
sectors such as logistics, hospitality
and aviation. They all can serve as

gateways for creating investment

opportunities in the Sultanate. They

can also create conducive business

environment that meet the needs of

other sectors as well.

The second is concerning a special

air cargo strategy for the Sultanate

because of its strategic location on

the international trade routes. In this

regard, a special air cargo strategy

was developed based on three major

initiatives: Retrieving the loss of air

traffic cargo to other shipping means;

promoting, empowering and optimising

other economic sectors through the

aviation sector. Oman Aviation Group

is now operating in tandem with other

sectors, including fisheries, to export

fish to the international markets.

The third part of the group’s air

cargo strategy is concerning offshore

investments. The Oman Aviation Group

has made great strides to attract foreign

investment in supporting sectors.

As for the fifth initiative to develop a

broad-based structural framework in

the coming years, the planned strategy

is to entrust the group with the task of

developing Oman’s aviation sector.

With this mandate, the group is

committed to developing the sector

in line with all economic sectors.

The group will also play a key role in

enhancing the internal competencies

of its subsidiaries both financially

and commercially or operationally,

developing the national human

resources and imparting the required

expertise to meet the needs of the

sector. An integrated strategic plan has

been developed for this.

Another important aspect is that

we cannot operate without digital

capabilities which are very vital for the

operations of the group. Also we need to

promote innovation within our systems

to create a conducive environment that

can help us compete with our regional

competitors.

We have also developed programmes

and allocated the necessary resources

for all these strategic objectives. A

specialised office has also been set up

to monitor the progress made in these

areas. This office brings all the results

of these initiatives to the notice of

the CEO and the chairman of the

board of directors.

Please talk about your collaboration

with other vital sectors such as

logistics and tourism?

As the key player in Oman’s aviation

sector, we aim to create a value chain

that links the aviation, tourism and

logistics sectors across the Sultanate,

while continuing to play an important

role for enhancing growth, efficiency,

revenue as well as improving the traffic.

Oman Aviation Group joins hands with

Oman Logistic Group (Asyad) to build a

new logistical concept for the Sultanate

as a logistics distribution strategy

through airports and ports as well as

linking the Sultanate’s ports to one

another- such as linking Suhar Airport

to Salalah and Muscat airports, linking

Duqm Port to Sohar Port to help smooth

traffic of goods.

What are your initiatives to promote

Oman’s tourism sector?

Tourism sector has great potential;

therefore we have developed two

strategies for it: The first one is the

tourism distribution strategy according

to the international market. We have

classified the nature of the tourists

coming to Oman, considering their

interest to visit the Sultanate, the

destinations they prefer to visit and the

airlines that bring them to Oman, the

ways to connect them with the hotels

and public transport networks to render

the required services to them. Thanks

to this strategy, the group has the full

understanding of the nature of tourists

that may visits the Sultanate, the days

they likely to stay in the Sultanate and

the sites they want to visit.

In addition, an integrated technical

programme will be set up to link all

tourist services, airports and hotel