Oman's tourism sector has lost an estimated half billion Rials ($1.3 billion) as of September this year, following the spread of the coronavirus, said a report.

 

Speaking during the 20th press conference last week, Maithaa bint Saif al Mahrouqiyah, Tourism Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, announced plans for the recovery of the tourism sector, said a report in Oman Daily Observer.

 

Under the tourism ministry's recovery plan, visitors from 103 countries have been exempted from entry visa requirements for a stay of 10 days. The plan also called for the re-opening of some tourism activities, the report said. 

 

Al Mahrouqiyah also noted that the quarantine period for people arriving into the Sultanate has been shortened and that “the timeframe has been substituted by the PCR test and health isolation till proof of being negative result is furnished by the tested person on visit to the Sultanate.”

 

She commended the government’s consent to re-open activities and provide incentives to the private sector as a step in the right direction that assisted the sector to stand firm, despite the crisis, and secure the stability of jobs of not less than 15,700 people who work in the tourism sector.

 

The ministry has also updated the precautionary measures guide for hotel establishments and travel and tourism offices and agencies as well issued another guideline for tourist places, Mahrouqiyah said.