OCEC General Manager, Trevor McCartney said the opening of the Exhibition Halls and hospitality suites will be a truly memorable occasion, changing the face of events in the region and putting the global spotlight on Oman as the new centre of opportunity.
“Our collaboration with the Oman Ministry of Tourism at IMEX over the last four years, and this most recent one in particular, has showcased the Sultanate as a formidable international events destination and intellectual knowledge hub, with the OCEC as its driving force and catalyst,” explained Trevor McCartney.Oman’s current meetings and conventions industry offer, ahead of the opening of the OCEC, was recently endorsed when it was ranked, for the first time, in the top 80 countries worldwide, by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) — one of the most preeminent global meetings organisations.
The attraction of Oman as a business events destination has also been underpinned by the latest statistics from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) report, placing Oman at an impressive 9th position out of 141 countries worldwide under the security and safety criteria.
Sharing the statistics at an IMEX media conference, the OCEC general manager said “The most recent WTTC report on Oman, and indeed the many international accolades the Sultanate has received in the last year, is a positive affirmation of Oman’s tourism strategy. Striving to become a pioneer in business events in the Arabian Gulf, the OCEC is enormously proud to be a major force in the momentum of the industry.”
Indeed, as well as creating 8 per cent of the 72,000 jobs created in the travel and tourism sector by 2025, the OCEC with its surrounding precinct, is expected to contribute well over USD 400 million to GDP by the same year. In addition, the OCEC will be the impetus for a multitude of opportunities for SMEs in areas of food and beverage supplies, equipment hire, transportation, IT support, design and printing and event production.
According to Dr Ali bin Masoud al Sunaidy, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of Oman Tourism Development Management (Omran), said the OCEC will play a key role in achieving the vision of the government on the ground and in the achievement of a comprehensive economic diversity of the Sultanate, adding that it will also be a focus of the programme of Oman in the development of business that would put the Sultanate in the leading position and make it a major centre for hosting regional and international events which will reflect positively on the facilities and services of business tourism in the Sultanate and enhance the contribution of this vital sector at wider range.
http://omanobserver.om/oman-convention-exhibition-centre-shines-on-world-stage/
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