Inbound tourism expenditure exceeded OMR1 billion in 2025

Muscat: Oman’s tourism sector recorded strong growth in 2025, supported by increased investment and a range of public- and private-sector projects aimed at diversifying tourism products, enhancing visitor experiences and improving the quality of tourism services.

According to the “Tourism Reality in the Sultanate of Oman” bulletin issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the number of visitors to Oman reached 4 million in 2025, while inbound tourism expenditure exceeded OMR1 billion.

The average inbound tourist stayed 6.5 nights and spent an average of OMR 256. Meanwhile, the number of hotel guests rose to more than 5 million during the year, compared with 3.5 million in 2018.

The bulletin reviewed the tourism sector’s recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, analysing tourism indicators since 2018 and highlighting the sector’s contribution to economic growth, gross domestic product (GDP), employment and economic stability.

The growth in tourism investment has also been reflected in the expansion of businesses operating in tourism-related activities. Their number exceeded 24,000 in 2025, representing growth of more than 40 percent compared with 2020.

Muscat Governorate accounted for the largest share of tourism establishments at 43.5 percent, followed by Dhofar Governorate at 17.5 percent and North Al Batinah Governorate at 11 percent.

The sector employed more than 182,000 workers in 2025. The number of Omanis working in tourism establishments increased to around 32,000, compared with about 28,000 in 2024 and 25,000 in 2023.

Tourism has been identified as a priority economic sector since the Ninth Five-Year Plan (2016–2020). The Tenth Five-Year Plan placed greater emphasis on increasing tourism’s contribution to GDP, while the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) focuses on strengthening the sector’s competitiveness and enhancing its contribution to economic growth.

Oman Vision 2040 aims to increase tourism’s contribution to GDP to 3.5 percent by 2030 and 5.3 percent by 2040.

The bulletin showed that tourism’s contribution to GDP at current prices rose to OMR 1.135 billion in 2025, an increase of 37.6 percent compared with OMR 825 million in 2018.

The increase was supported by growth across several tourism-related activities, rising visitor numbers and increased investment in the sector.

The direct added value generated by tourism activities reached approximately OMR 1.107 billion in 2025. Hotel activities accounted for OMR 252.1 million, followed by travel agencies and other reservation services at OMR 242.7 million.

Restaurant activities contributed OMR 198.8 million, while transportation activities accounted for OMR 196.5 million. Cultural activities contributed OMR 18.8 million, with other tourism activities accounting for OMR 197.9 million.

Investment in tourism-related activities has increased over the past five years, particularly in the hotel sector. The number of hotels reached about 1,475 by the end of 2025, an increase of more than 1,000 compared with 2018.

Hotel revenues also recorded significant growth, reaching OMR 359 million in 2025, compared with OMR 259 million in 2018.

The sector was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with hotel revenues falling to OMR 102 million. Recovery began in 2022, when revenues rose to OMR 224 million, followed by OMR 276 million in 2023 and OMR 293 million in 2024.

The latest figures indicate that the tourism sector has not only recovered from the pandemic shock but has entered a broader phase of expansion, with growing visitor numbers, investment, employment and economic contribution supporting Oman’s efforts to diversify its economy under Oman Vision 2040.