Oman Announces Accompanying Programs for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Oman

The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, announced today the details of its joint program accompanying the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

During a press conference held at Oman Convention and Exhibition Center, the Undersecretary of the Omani Ministry of Heritage and Tourism Azzan bin Qasim Al Busaidi stressed the interest of the government of the Sultanate of Oman in supporting Qatar's efforts to successfully host the tournament through many areas of cooperation, pointing to the objectives of the joint program to support Qatar's efforts in the success of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, celebrate the historic hosting of the tournament in the region, promote Muscat as an accredited city to receive the fans of the World Cup, and provide an easy and exceptional experience for fans coming to the Sultanate of Oman.

He also reviewed the main components of the program, which includes the World Cup fan visa to enter the Sultanate of Oman (Hayya card holders), a program for daily flights between Muscat and Doha, airport facilities and transportation, hotels and tourist packages, events and activities along with the accompanying promotional campaigns.

For his part, the Deputy Director General, Marketing, Communications and Event Experience at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy Khalid Al-Mawlawi stressed that the State of Qatar was keen to cooperate and form wide global and regional partnerships for this purpose, including the program of hosting cities for fans that have been announced, including the city of Muscat.

Al-Mawlawi praised the cooperation and initiative of the Sultanate of Oman, confirming that the efforts exerted in the Sultanate's program accompanying the World Cup exceeded expectations and are appreciated by the State of Qatar.

The Executive Director of the Hayya platform Saeed Ali Al Kuwari also gave a brief presentation on the official platform concerned with managing the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 fan card and the facilities it provides to World Cup fans who will flock to watch the World Cup matches according to organized and accessible mechanisms for everyone.

The Director of Administrative and Financial Affairs at the Directorate General of Passports and Civil Status, representative of the Royal Omani Police Lt. Colonel Ahmed bin Saeed Al Ghafri reviewed in a speech during the conference the advantages of the World Cup fans visa to enter the Sultanate of Oman (Hayya card holders), which is summarized as a free multi-trip visa, enhanced with the advantage of extraction upon arrival and a validity period of up to 60 days, and the holder of the Haya card is also allowed to bring his first-degree family to enjoy a stay in the Sultanate of Oman, adding that the holder of the Hayya card is allowed to change to a visa of another during his presence in the Sultanate of Oman in accordance with the established requirements, as the representative of the Royal Oman Police viewed the detailed procedures for obtaining a visa easily and conveniently.

During the press conference, Senior Manager of Gov. Relations at Oman Air Dr. Khalid bin Abdulwahab Al Balushi spoke about the program of daily flights for World Cup fans by air between Doha and Muscat, emphasizing that Oman Air will operate several flights between Muscat and Doha during the World Cup period from November 20 to December 3, 2022, believing in the importance of this global event, as fans will be able to book one-day flights directly through the official website of Oman Air at prices starting from OMR 99 for economy class and OMR 305 for business class, and to encourage citizens, special prices have been provided for them starting from OMR49 for economy class and OMR155 for business class, stressing that the Oman airline's team at Doha International Airport will pay great attention to ensuring the smoothness of fans' flights upon arrival and departure between Muscat and Doha, which comes as part of Oman Air's ongoing efforts to provide services that meet the expectations of its guests as a premium airline.

Oman Airports' Deputy CEO Saud bin Nasser Al Habaishi explained the preparations plan of Muscat International Airport to facilitate the movement of fans at Muscat airport in special routes for both departure and arrival flights, through the identification of gates dedicated to aircraft carrying fans of the World Cup, dedicated ports to verify the fans, and the identification of dedicated customs inspection devices, with the presence of an integrated crew from the customer service team to guide travelers through the dedicated routes. In addition, preparations are underway with partners to secure a specific transport plan to accommodate the flow of fans to and from the airport according to dedicated parking for public transport buses.

The General Manager of the National Travel Operator (Visit Oman) and representative of Oman group Shabib bin Mohammed Al Maamari reviewed the plans of the joint program in the sector through hotel programs and tourist packages, indicating that the tourism products offered in the Sultanate in general exceed 20.000 hotel rooms and more than 200 tourist products through more than 35 local operators and 10 land carriers, including partnership with 52 airlines around the world operating flights to the Sultanate of Oman.

He revealed the accompanying events and activities, most notably the holding of a festival for World Cup fans in the park of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Center on an area of more than 9,000 square meters in order to provide a festive atmosphere for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 for fans coming to the Sultanate of Oman to attend the tournament and fans from inside the Sultanate of Oman, citizens and residents.

The festival will provide a variety of packages of events during the World Cup period in cooperation with specialized international companies, with more details to be announced in the coming days.

(QNA)