Oman Travel Triumphs With Inbound Visitors Generating Over RO1 Billion Spending in 2025 Growth Milestone

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Oman Travel Triumphs With Inbound Visitors Generating Over RO1 Billion Spending in 2025 Growth Milestone as the Sultanate’s tourism sector recorded strong expansion through rising visitor arrivals, increased investment and growing hospitality demand. The milestone was achieved as Oman welcomed nearly 4 million inbound tourists in 2025, with travellers contributing more than RO1 billion in tourism spending while supporting hotel growth, employment opportunities and wider economic diversification. The increase reflects Oman’s continued efforts under Oman Vision 2040 to strengthen its position as a competitive global travel destination by developing tourism infrastructure, expanding accommodation capacity and promoting its natural, cultural and heritage attractions to international markets.

Oman’s tourism sector recorded strong expansion in 2025, driven by rising international arrivals, increased investment, growing hospitality capacity and new employment opportunities. According to the latest “Tourism Landscape in the Sultanate of Oman” report by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the country welcomed nearly 4 million visitors in 2025, highlighting the continued recovery and development of the Sultanate’s tourism industry.

The growth reflects Oman’s long-term strategy to position tourism as a key pillar of economic diversification under Oman Vision 2040, with the sector contributing more significantly to national income, employment and sustainable development.

Oman Tourism Growth Strengthens With Higher Visitor Spending and Hotel Demand

Tourism spending reached a major milestone in 2025, with inbound visitor expenditure exceeding RO1 billion. Travellers stayed an average of 6.5 nights, while average spending per visitor reached around RO256, demonstrating the increasing economic value generated by tourism activity.

The rise in visitors also supported strong demand across Oman’s accommodation sector. Total hotel guests exceeded 5 million in 2025, compared with approximately 3.5 million in 2018. The increase highlights the country’s growing appeal among leisure travellers seeking cultural experiences, natural landscapes, adventure tourism and heritage attractions.

Oman’s tourism recovery has continued after the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the industry returning to a stronger growth path through increased infrastructure development and wider participation from government and private sector investors.

Tourism Businesses and Investment Expansion Drive Oman’s Destination Growth

Investment has become a major force behind Oman’s tourism transformation. By 2025, the number of establishments operating across tourism-related activities surpassed 24,000, representing growth of more than 40 percent compared with 2020.

Muscat Governorate remained the leading centre for tourism businesses, accounting for 43.5 percent of all tourism establishments in the country. Dhofar Governorate followed with 17.5 percent, while North Al Batinah Governorate represented 11 percent of tourism-related businesses.

The expansion of tourism enterprises reflects Oman’s efforts to create a diverse tourism ecosystem covering accommodation, travel services, restaurants, transportation, cultural experiences and recreational activities.

As more destinations across the Sultanate receive investment, Oman continues to strengthen its position as a competitive tourism market in the Middle East, offering visitors a combination of coastline, mountains, deserts, heritage villages and unique cultural attractions.

Oman Tourism Creates Thousands of Jobs and Supports Economic Diversification

The tourism sector has become an important source of employment in Oman. More than 182,000 workers are now engaged in tourism-related activities, supporting local communities and contributing to economic opportunities.

The number of Omani nationals employed in tourism has also increased steadily. In 2025, approximately 32,000 Omanis worked in the sector, compared with around 28,000 in 2024 and 25,000 in 2023.

Tourism development remains closely linked with Oman’s national economic plans. While earlier development strategies focused on building tourism foundations, current plans aim to improve competitiveness, increase investment and strengthen tourism’s contribution to economic growth.

Under Oman Vision 2040, the country aims to raise tourism’s contribution to GDP to 3.5 percent by 2030 and further increase it to 5.3 percent by 2040.

Tourism Contribution to Oman Economy Rises Through Hospitality and Travel Services

The NCSI report showed that tourism’s contribution to Oman’s GDP at current prices reached approximately RO1.135 billion in 2025, increasing by 37.6 percent compared with RO825 million in 2018.

The direct value added generated by tourism activities reached around RO1.107 billion in 2025. The hotel sector remained one of the largest contributors, generating approximately RO252.1 million as demand for accommodation continued to rise.

Travel agencies and reservation services contributed around RO242.7 million, while restaurants generated approximately RO198.8 million. Transportation-related tourism activities contributed nearly RO196.5 million, showing the broad economic impact of tourism across multiple industries.

Other tourism segments, including cultural activities and related services, also supported economic growth, contributing approximately RO18.8 million and RO197.9 million respectively.

Oman Travel achieved a major tourism milestone in 2025 as inbound visitors generated over RO1 billion in spending, supported by rising arrivals, stronger hospitality demand and continued investment in the Sultanate’s tourism sector.

Oman Expands Hotel Capacity as Global Tourism Ambitions Increase

The hospitality sector has experienced significant growth as Oman continues to attract more international travellers. By the end of 2025, the country had approximately 1,475 hotels, representing an increase of more than 1,000 properties compared with 2018.

The expansion of hotel capacity has improved accommodation choices across Oman’s tourism regions while supporting the growing demand from domestic and international visitors.

Hotel revenues also recorded strong recovery and growth. Revenue from the hotel industry reached around RO359 million in 2025, compared with RO259 million in 2018.

Following a sharp decline during the pandemic period, when hotel revenues fell to approximately RO102 million, the sector began recovering from 2022. Revenues increased to RO224 million in 2022, followed by further growth to RO276 million in 2023, RO293 million in 2024, and the latest increase recorded in 2025.

Oman’s tourism industry is now emerging as a major economic growth driver, supported by rising visitor demand, stronger infrastructure, expanding hospitality options and increasing employment. The latest figures demonstrate the Sultanate’s progress towards becoming a globally recognised tourism destination while strengthening tourism’s role in its future economic development.