the Omani population. The Sultanate’s
unique character help attracts a diverse
array of visitors seeking sustainable
eco-friendly mountain tourism, and this
presents Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar
Resort with a real opportunity to
contribute to this growth.
Can you talk about the prospects and
the challenges in the industry?
Growth has to be matched with supply.
The local talent pool within the hospi-
tality industry is a fresh and a dynamic
one as young and talented Omanis are
currently on the verge of taking the lead.
The industry has the capacity to play a
larger role in the country’s growth if all
parties come together. This, along with,
preserving Oman’s cultural heritage, will
ensure that tourism prosper.
What are your future plans?
Al Jabal Al Akhdar holds a special place
in people’s hearts and is steeped in
culture and tradition. The location has
the potential to become the region’s
top mountain getaway destination
if fine-tuned to further align with
international luxury trends.As for Anantara, we plan to continue
positioning ourselves as a unique resort
offering memorable journeys while we
further develop the brand in straight
alignment with the local community.
We take it upon ourselves to elevate the
guest experience, whether through the
addition of more mountain gurus or
offering authentic experiences to mirror
the real Oman to visitors. In the coming
years we are planning to expand the
brand within the Sultanate and the
Minor Hotels portfolio as a whole.What is your industry outlook?
Oman is witnessing economic growth
and stability, with the sector sighting
expansion with more hotels, meetings,
incentives, conferences and exhibitions
(MICE) in Oman as well as vacation
apartments and more. Tourism is
amongst the many sectors expected to
lead the way and by 2040 the tourism
industry is expected to account for
six per cent of Oman’s GDP and thus
playing a major role in generating
employment for Omani nationals.
Further investment in the Sultanate’s
tourism sector is also set to increase
employment opportunities in tourism
to 45,000 by 2020. We foresee a healthy
growth in the sector backed up with
infrastructural investments spreading
all over the Sultanate and across all
governorates.Dagmar Symes, General Manager, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort