Category Archives: NTO (National Tourist Offices)

TUI Group and Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group) announced a landmark partnership to position Oman as a leading sun-and-beach destination for European travellers. The alliance aligns with Oman Vision 2040, which seeks to diversify the economy and strengthen the tourism sector as a key pillar of growth. Under the agreement, the first cluster of five new hotels will be developed in the Dhofar Governorate. Operated under renowned TUI brands including ROBINSON, TUI Blue, RIU, Jaz, and The Mora, the properties are expected to welcome international guests starting from the winter of 2028. As part of the collaboration, OMRAN Group will acquire a 1.4% strategic shareholding in TUI Group, reinforcing a shared commitment to long-term, sustainable tourism development. Both partners emphasised that the joint venture would follow the highest sustainability standards, integrating economic, social, and cultural dimensions to ensure tourism growth benefits local communities and businesses. The initiative is expected to generate new employment opportunities, expand hospitality infrastructure, and increase Oman’s visibility on the global tourism map.

Visit Qatar has launched its new Winter in Qatar 2026 campaign, inviting travellers from across the GCC to explore the country’s vibrant winter season filled with culture, adventure, and family experiences. The campaign highlights Qatar’s top attractions, from desert safaris in Sealine to the luxury of Zulal Wellness Resort and the cultural heart of Katara. Visitors can also enjoy shopping at Place Vendôme, exploring Msheireb Downtown, and indulging at the Qatar International Food Festival. Building on the success of the Moments Made For You campaign, this edition focuses on creating unforgettable moments for all types of travellers—heritage seekers, adventure enthusiasts, luxury lovers, and families. The first promotional video, released today, stars Kuwaiti actor and content creator Khaled Abdullah Al Mouzaffar experiencing thrilling desert adventures and the energy of UFC Fight Night. More videos will follow, featuring regional creators such as Farah, Aqeel, and Lebanese entrepreneur Karen Wazen, along with their families.  With visa-free entry for GCC citizens and easy access by air or land, Qatar is positioning itself as the ultimate winter destination for the region.

Visit Qatar hosted a high-level workshop in Doha with the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) and the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), marking a significant step toward deepening regional cooperation in tourism and entertainment. The workshop provided STA with a platform to present its strategic outlook while opening channels for dialogue and collaboration between both nations. Discussions highlighted the shared commitment of Qatar and Saudi Arabia to enhance cooperation, create joint initiatives, and position the Gulf region as a premier global destination. Industry representatives explored opportunities to align strategies, strengthen partnerships, and leverage both countries’ growing tourism and entertainment sectors. The session was attended by Eng. Abdulaziz Ali Al-Mawlawi, Chief Executive Officer of Visit Qatar, alongside leading stakeholders from Qatar’s tourism industry. “This workshop demonstrates our united vision for promoting the Gulf as a world-class hub for culture, tourism, and leisure,” said Eng. Al-Mawlawi. “By working together, we can deliver exceptional experiences for visitors while driving long-term growth across the region.” The engagement underscores the increasing importance of cross-border collaboration in the tourism sector, reflecting the region’s ambition to expand its global footprint.

Oman Sail has expanded its partnership with Visit Oman to strengthen the Sultanate’s position as a major destination for sailing and sports tourism. The collaboration aims to enhance the overall experience for visitors and participants at upcoming world-class sailing events hosted in Oman. Among the flagship events are Mussanah Race Week, the IODA Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championship, and the World Sailing Inclusion Championships. Each of the events will bring together international athletes, enthusiasts, and spectators, thus showcasing Oman’s growing reputation as a hub for competitive sailing and inclusive sporting opportunities. The partnership will bring together tourism and sports, giving visitors a chance to enjoy Oman’s cultural heritage alongside its modern facilities. With Visit Oman’s travel expertise and Oman Sail’s event management, the initiative will offer special packages and services designed for both participants and guests. This collaboration supports Oman’s vision to grow sports tourism in a sustainable way. It also strengthens the country’s position as a global destination for hosting major, inclusive sporting events while showcasing Oman’s natural beauty and warm hospitality.

Saudi Arabia unveiled its Saudi Winter 2025 programme, with Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Tourism Authority, HE Ahmed Al-Khateeb, leading the launch ceremony attended by over 120 private-sector partners. Running through the first quarter of 2026, Saudi Winter will feature over 1,200 tourism products and 600 special offers across Riyadh, Diriyah, Jeddah, AlUla, the Red Sea, the Eastern Region, and other destinations including Qassim, Hail, and Madinah. Key attractions include live concerts, cultural performances, poetry nights, family and beach activities, the AlUla Wellness Festival, World Rally Championship, F1H2O powerboat race, WWE Royal Rumble, and a collaboration with MrBeast. Presented under the theme “Winter is Alive,” the programme revealed the Events Calendar and highlighted tourism seasons across Riyadh, Diriyah, AlUla, and Al-Khobar, showcasing cultural landmarks, heritage experiences, and distinctive seasonal activities. “The launch of Saudi Winter 2025 presents a new opportunity to position Saudi Arabia as a leading global winter destination,” said Al-Khateeb, emphasising alignment with Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s target of 150 million visitors by 2030.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to sustainable, inclusive tourism, solidifying its position as a global tourism leader at the G20 Tourism Ministerial Meeting and Tourism Investment Summit held for the first time in South Africa (Mpumalanga and Cape Town, respectively). Her Highness Princess Haifa Bint Mohammed Al Saud, Vice Minister of Tourism, represented the Kingdom at the events, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s pivotal role in shaping the future of tourism. “Saudi Arabia shares and celebrates the G20’s commitment to advancing tourism growth and embedding sustainability at the heart of our efforts. The lesson from South Africa and Saudi Arabia is clear: lasting transformation happens when we share ideas and build together. This is why we created TOURISE – the first-ever global platform for action, year-round collaboration and meaningful impact. We invite the world to join us this November to design and deliver the future of tourism in partnership,” said Her Highness Princess Haifa Bint Mohammed Al Saud during her address to G20 delegates. Her Highness further added: “Tourism has the power to change lives, transform economies and bring the world closer together. Through Vision 2030, we are demonstrating that tourism is not only a driver of economic prosperity but also a catalyst for inclusive social progress. But this potential can only be realized if we act boldly and collaboratively.” As the only permanent Gulf Cooperation Council member of the G20, Saudi Arabia continues to play a leading role on the global stage. Through its active participation in the G20 Tourism Ministerial Meeting, the Kingdom has helped shape the final Ministerial Declaration ensuring its priorities – sustainability, digital transformation, inclusivity and skills development – are reflected in global tourism policy. …

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has successfully concluded its 2025 roadshow in India, with events held in Mumbai on September 3 and New Delhi on September 5. The initiative aimed to strengthen Sharjah’s position as a preferred destination for Indian tourists and expand strategic partnerships with key players in India’s tourism sector. The roadshow featured events at Mumbai’s St. Regis and New Delhi’s Leela Palace, attended by around 90 Indian business partners in each city, alongside media representatives. The Sharjah delegation included leading public and private sector partners such as Air Arabia, Emirates Airlines, Al Zajil Tourism, Sharjah Airport Travel Agency (SATA), Shurooq, Golden Tulip Hotel, and Centro Sharjah Hotel. The tour highlighted Sharjah’s top attractions and showcased its refreshed tourism brand, “Visit Sharjah,” through a promotional video and interactive experiences, including virtual reality displays. SCTDA announced four strategic partnerships with Indian tourism companies—Royal Tours, Riya Holidays, Thrillophila, and TravClan—and launched consumer campaigns with platforms like Amazon and Inshorts.Sharjah continues to see growing interest from India, recording a 38% increase in Indian hotel guests in the first seven months of 2025, reinforcing its status as a top tourism market.

The investment, valued at OMR 1.81 million ($ 4.7 million), comes as part of OMRAN Group’s efforts to drive innovation in the tourism and hospitality sector and expand alternative accommodation options in the Sultanate of Oman. Commenting on the investment, Shabib bin Mohammed Al Maamari, Managing Director of Visit Oman, said: “This strategic investment reflects OMRAN Group’s commitment to adopting innovative solutions that support the diversification of the tourism sector and strengthen digital innovation. Through this partnership with UnderTheDoormat Group, we aim to empower property owners, licensed units, local communities, and SMEs by opening new avenues for business and reinforcing the Sultanate’s position as an attractive global tourism destination, in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.” Merilee Karr, Founder and CEO of UnderTheDoormat Group said, “The OMRAN Group investment into UnderTheDoormat Group is a major milestone for the company. It supports our growth strategy in the Gulf region and further enables our global technology expansion in the short term and flexible rental sector globally. Within Oman, combining OMRAN’s vision for tourism growth with our expertise in technology, compliance, and operations, we can create a robust short-term rental framework that empowers property owners, SMEs and communities. Together, we will set new standards for quality and innovation in the region and beyond.” Through this partnership, OMRAN Group will roll out a fully integrated digital infrastructure for short-term rentals in Oman. The framework will ensure quality standards and full legal compliance, while enabling SMEs to benefit from advanced digital solutions offered by Hospiria and TrustedStays, enhancing competitiveness and creating growth opportunities locally and internationally. The investment also paves the way for property owners and local hosts in Oman to list their …

Since April 2023, the platform has processed an average of more than 60,000 applications per month until today, while the number of active users on the Hayya mobile app has reached 2.7 million to date. The Hayya platform, which has recently moved under the umbrella of Qatar Tourism, has achieved a significant milestone, surpassing two million successfully processed e-visa applications in the period following the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, from 2023 to the date. During that period, more than 1.5 million individual applications have been submitted, highlighting its capacity to handle large volumes efficiently. This achievement reaffirms Hayya’s position as a primary tool for facilitating visitor entry to the State of Qatar and enhancing the overall tourism experience. Continuing to advance its digital services, the Hayya platform is playing a pivotal role in strengthening Qatar’s position as a leading global destination for tourism and businesses by streamlining travel procedures and supporting the country’s digital transformation agenda. Commenting on the milestone, Saeed Al-Kuwari, Director of Hayya, said: “Following the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, we enhanced the Hayya system to accommodate and manage multiple types of visas. By implementing the right technologies and aligning them with security requirements, the system has proven highly effective, as reflected in recent statistics. These improvements have greatly supported the tourism sector by streamlining processes and elevating the overall visitor experience.” The Hayya platform has consistently demonstrated its scale and efficiency. During the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, it received over 2.4 million applications and recorded a peak of 50,000 applications in a single day, with 49,155 visitor entries processed in just 24 hours. This milestone underscores Qatar’s commitment to advancing its digital infrastructure in …

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) hosted the first China Visitors Summit (CVS) in Al Ain Region and Abu Dhabi City on 28 – 29 August, marking a significant milestone in strengthening tourism ties with the Greater China region. The summit welcomed 156 Travel trade partners, 62 Stakeholder attendees and over 150 top Chinese travel industry buyers to the emirate, making it the largest business-to-business gathering of Chinese outbound travel professionals hosted outside of China. Building on the success of the 2024 edition, which hosted over 100 buyers and 263 suppliers, CVS 2025 further solidified its position as a premier platform for fostering business trust and collaboration within the global tourism sector. The two-day event, which centred around face-to-face meetings, offered an invaluable opportunity for suppliers – including attractions, airlines, hotels, and MICE venues – to connect directly with key Chinese buyers. Abdulla Yousuf, Director of International Operations at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “It was an immense honour to welcome the China Visitors Summit to Abu Dhabi, particularly to the culturally rich Al Ain Region, which was declared the Gulf Tourism Capital for 2025. This event was instrumental in showcasing the exceptional experiences Abu Dhabi offers to our growing Chinese market. The insightful engagements and thousands of opportunities created at the event are testament to the strong desire for international collaboration and future growth.” The agenda featured dedicated business meeting sessions, enabling focused discussions and the establishment of new partnerships. Networking opportunities during lunches, coffee breaks, and the welcome dinner further facilitated informal connections and relationship building, while the China Training Day segment immersed travel suppliers in crucial insights for business development within the …