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Oman Air Holidays shares interest in golf

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Oman is considered a hidden jewel of the Arabian Peninsula with ageless heritage and natural beauty. It is also a place where one can play golf at Greg Norman-designed Al Mouj golf course in the morning, explore a traditional souq in the afternoon, and attend a world-class show at the renowned Royal Opera House Muscat in the evening.

Oman Air Holidays has announced the launch of its bespoke golf package product that combines the inbound tour operating expertise with local golfing knowledge provided by Arabian Greens Tours. This new service provides everything a golf enthusiast needs to get the best out of their visit.
Golfing in Oman is one of the many delights that awaits visitors to the Sultanate, with five excellent courses in and around Muscat.

Packaging Oman Air flights, the best hotels and transport options, with all the courses around Muscat and Sifah, visitors can get a fabulous sporting holiday in Oman. The new product caters for golfers of all ages and levels; from novices, all the way through to professionals looking for some warm weather practice.

Richard Bodin, senior vice-president of Oman Air Holidays, said, “We are working hard to broaden the appeal of Oman as a tourist destination and golfers are a lucrative segment of the travel audience. Announcing a dedicated golf product, in partnership with the experts at Arabian Greens Tours, will help us drive more visitors to Oman and its wonderful hotels and courses.”

Salim Al Harthy, CEO of Arabian Greens Tours confirmed his company’s commitment to the product: “Golf represents huge growth potential for tourism Oman. Hosting recent events such as the Oman Open, which is a part of the highly prestigious European Tour, has resulted in a wave of interest in Muscat as a golfing destination. Partnering with the national carrier is a really positive step to increase visitor numbers. With the award-winning Oman Air product, Oman Air Holidays’ great service and our detailed and practical knowledge, we can offer wonderful golfing holidays in the Sultanate.”

Salim al Mamari, director general of the Directorate of Promotions at the Ministry of Tourism, said, “Since the inaugural Oman Open came to our shores in February last year, we have seen a rise in international guests wanting to visit our beautiful country to experience the landscape diversity and appreciate the remarkable sights of our mountains, wadis, beaches, desert and cultural heritage sites, and of course play a round at one of our many picturesque golf courses.”

“This season we have seen the number of golf visitors more than double with groups from France, Germany, Poland and India as well as many FIT clients. With the new Muscat International Airport that is surrounded by four beautiful golf courses each with unique setting and all within 15-20 min drive as well as a wide range of international hotels chains, Oman has emerged as a favourite golf destination in the Gulf,” said Salim Al Harthy.

Meanwhile, Greg Norman-designed Al Mouj Golf has cemented its place as one of the finest golf courses in the Middle East after placing second in National Club Golfer’s Top 25 Golf Courses in the Middle East rankings, one of the UK’s leading publications. This placed Al Mouj Golf in Muscat, Oman, ahead of even more established golf courses in the region, including The Majlis at Emirates Golf Club, Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Jumeirah Earth, and Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, further showcasing Oman’s potential to continue growing as a golfing destination.

Host venue to the European Tour’s Oman Open, the links venue received significant acclaim at this year’s tournament from players and golf fans alike for its spectacular design, which sweeps along the Indian Ocean and affords breath-taking views of Muscat and the Hajar Mountains.

A championship course of the highest standard, Al Mouj Golf has also received significant praise for its host of sustainable and community friendly practices, which have been instrumental in bringing a plethora of wildlife and bird species to the area. The Muscat venue has also raised over $100,000 for autism-related charities and set up a range of community golf programs designed to increase the reach of golf in Oman.

“These rankings support that Al Mouj is one of the best golf courses in the Middle East, if not in the world,” commented Al Mouj Muscat CEO, Nasser bin Masoud Al Sheibani. “We are delighted and honoured to have been placed 2nd in these respected rankings and will continue to work to develop awareness for our fantastic offering, both on-and-off the course.”

The announcement comes as Oman continues to acquire a reputation as one of the world’s most exciting new golf destinations. In addition to the Sultanate’s leading golf course, visitors can experience Al Mouj Muscat, a world-class Integrated Tourism Complex comprising luxury residential properties, hotels, retail and dining facilities at The Walk, and the world-class Al Mouj Marina.

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