Cruising Market in Oman: Current Trends and Future Perspectives

Abstract

The worldwide cruise industry has expanded over the past decades.For many countries, it has become a significant source of income. Cruising is considered as a holiday that gives a "flavour" of each country, albeit a brief one, so if interested, the country or region could be visited another time for longer period.Cruising companies have succeed in attracting more customer segments by offering a wide range of durations, itineraries, and prices. Prices vary according to the time of year, itinerary and level of luxury. The 1990s witnessed the beginnings of cruising to Oman's three main ports: Salalah Port in Dhofar governorate, Sultan Qaboos Port in the capital, Muscat, and Khasab Port in Musandam Peninsula.This study aims to explore the Omani cruising market in relation to worldwide cruise industry dynamics. To achieve the aim of the study two objectives were identified:To portray the worldwide cruise line industry, To assess the status of cruise tourism in Oman. Disputes about the economic benefits of cruising have been raised; Who is getting the benefit? Is it the destination ports or the locals? Cruise tourists spend less money and time in Oman than other tourists, but the assumption that a short, professionally handled experience in Oman would bring them back for longer visits cannot be underestimated. As a cruising destination, Oman has great potential for growth and development in the future.

Senior tourism from the point of view of customers' preferences

“…However, researches differ on the duration of the vacation (Neuts et al, 2016;Atef & Balushi, 2017;Alén et al 2012). Our results show that 73.3% of seniors prefer a length of stay of 4 to 7 days.…”

“…Regarding the length of stay of seniors in a destination, the general perception is that they have enough free time compared to other age groups and stay on holiday longer (de Oliveira Santos et al, 2014). Neuts et al (2016) revealed that seniors prefer longer trips (between 10 and 14 days), as opposed to non-seniors who require a duration of between 3 and 7 days (Atef & Balushi, 2017). However, some authors note that the length of stay for an older adult can range from 1 to 3 nights, 4 to 5 nights, or up to 9 nights.…”

A Tourism and Hospitality Education Management Model: The Case of the Tourism Department of Sultan Qaboos University

“…The reason behind this is that graduates of tourism guidance specialization cannot wok as tour guides unless they obtain a "Tour Guide Licence" from the Omani Ministry of Tourism. Tour guides working in Oman must pass an oral exam by the Tour Guide Committee of the Omani Ministry of Tourism, then be granted one of the following license categories (Omani Ministry of Tourism, 2016;Atef and Al-Balushi, 2017b):…”