Oman Waives Visa Requirements For Cruise Passengers
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eTurboNews In a move to boost cruise tourism, Oman has waived visa charges for passengers of cruise liners disembarking at Omani ports on visits not exceeding 24 hours.
The move has been strongly welcomed by the local travel industry, which is looking ahead to a bumper season in calls by cruise ships during the approaching cruise holiday period. Details about the visa waiver were intimated to local shipping agents by the Port Services Corporation (PSC), which manages and operates Port Sultan Qaboos - Oman's main commercial gateway in Muscat.
It follows a representation made by the PSC to the Ministry of Tourism, which in turn took up the issue with the authorities concerned. The waiver applies to both passengers and crews of cruise vessels for stays of less than 24 hours per visit, a circular issued by PSC said. "This gesture is very encouraging indeed and will enhance Oman's international appeal as a destination for cruise liners," said Harsh Abrol, manager (Tours), Zahara Tours, the Sultanate's leading destination and leisure management company.
Most cruise vessels calling at Omani ports generally limit their stay to less than 24 hours per visit, and thus stand to benefit from the new visa waiver, says Abrol. "Cruise ships typically call early in the morning, and depart by around 6:30pm the same day. Consequently, both tourists and cruise operators stand to gain from this measure."
Lakshmi Narayan, assistant manager of Bahwan Tours, commented: "The visa waiver will have a positive impact on cruise ship arrivals into Oman. It adds to earlier initiatives by the authorities to ease visa regulations and make Oman an attractive port of call for tourist ships."
Both Zahara Tours and Bahwan Tours, the two dominant providers of inbound travel services for visiting cruise ships, expect a quantum leap in cruise calls during the current October-April winter season. "We have firm bookings for 44 cruise calls at Muscat, Salalah and Khasab right up to end-March 2006. This number is expected to increase once a number of other potential calls are confirmed," said Abrol. Bahwan Tours is also gearing for a busy season ahead. "We expect to handle 40 cruise calls during the current winter season, as compared to 12 calls during the last season," added Narayan.
The season formally gets under way next week with the scheduled visit of the Star Flyer - the season's first cruise liner - which will call Salalah on October 24. A succession of cruise vessels will follow in the coming weeks, including calls by prestigious liners such as Hanseatic, Europa and Astoria. More than 60 cruise liner calls were recorded at Muscat, Salalah and Khasab during the previous 2004-2005 winter cruise season, bringing many tens of thousands of tourists to the Sultanate. Visits by celebrated liners such as the QE2, The World, Minerva II, and others have all attested to Oman's growing international appeal as a cruise destination.
Mindful of the projected upturn in cruise traffic, Port Sultan Qaboos, which attracts the bulk of tourist vessels sailing to the Sultanate, is building a modern passenger terminal at the port. Due to be completed in May 2006, the terminal will include facilities for customs, immigration and other services. Waiting halls, cafeteria and other guest amenities are also envisioned within the 2,000-squaremeter-complex. The Port of Salalah, which attracted 10 cruise liners carrying a total of over 6,700 passengers during the 2004 calendar year, is also planning suitable reception facilities for tourists.
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