The transfer of most commercial cargo activities from Muscat port to Sohar is critical to boosting tourism and future industrial development in Oman, Construction Week Online quoted leading international real estate consultancy Cluttons as saying.
The Oman government’s deadline for receiving container, cargo, vehicle carriers and project materials vessels at Muscat’s Sultan Qaboos Port (SQP) is set for August 31, after which all such cargo, containers and carriers will be transferred to the Sohar Industrial Port.
The last four months of next year will be then allocated for clearing goods at the Muscat port warehouses and yards before it is converted into a tourism hub, Construction Week added.
Head of Cluttons Oman Philip Paul stated that “We are already starting to see movement of some commercial activities down the coast to Sohar. This strategic move by the Oman Government is a positive step in making the best use of both ports, resulting in a win-win situation for Muscat and Sohar, and critical to future tourism and industrial development.” Business Monitor International predicts tourist arrivals to the Sultanate to surge by 24% by 2018, to 1.35 million visitors per annum as the government steps up its drive to promote the travel and tourism industry.
The sector contributed OMR 982.8 million to Oman’s GDP in 2013 and, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), this contribution is expected to rise by 10.2% to OMR 1.08 billion in 2014.
The Oman government’s deadline for receiving container, cargo, vehicle carriers and project materials vessels at Muscat’s Sultan Qaboos Port (SQP) is set for August 31, after which all such cargo, containers and carriers will be transferred to the Sohar Industrial Port.
The last four months of next year will be then allocated for clearing goods at the Muscat port warehouses and yards before it is converted into a tourism hub, Construction Week added.
Head of Cluttons Oman Philip Paul stated that “We are already starting to see movement of some commercial activities down the coast to Sohar. This strategic move by the Oman Government is a positive step in making the best use of both ports, resulting in a win-win situation for Muscat and Sohar, and critical to future tourism and industrial development.” Business Monitor International predicts tourist arrivals to the Sultanate to surge by 24% by 2018, to 1.35 million visitors per annum as the government steps up its drive to promote the travel and tourism industry.
The sector contributed OMR 982.8 million to Oman’s GDP in 2013 and, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), this contribution is expected to rise by 10.2% to OMR 1.08 billion in 2014.
Source:
Mubasher
