Oman is likely to become a preferred destination for Indian weddings as it is close to India and offers a blend of modern infrastructure and old world charm, an Omani official with the tourism promotion body has said.
As per industry estimates, the wedding market in India is about USD 25 billion, growing at a rate of 25 to 30 per cent annually, a Times of Oman report said.
According to the newspaper, Indians are constantly on the lookout for new wedding destinations, something that has become a trend. "Muscat is likely to witness two large-scale Indian weddings featuring 700 and 1,000 guests, in November and early next year, respectively. More potential enquiries have been there and the Indian government has recognised Oman as a wedding destination, which is a promising move," said Lubaina Sheerazi, Omani tourism official deputed in India.
Oman had conducted exclusive trip to familiarize wedding planners in India, in order to attract this segment. "We feel Oman has a great potential to become a wedding destination. This strategy is based on the fact that Oman offers a blend of modern infrastructure and old world charm," Lubaina said.
"Moreover, the destination is close to India, not only geographically but also culturally. Recently, the tourism board participated in the The Experiential Planner 2014 in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Following the nascent steps we undertook in the last one year, we received some good wedding enquiries," Lubaina said.
The report, quoting figures from the National Centre for Statistics and Information, said visitors staying at Oman's four and five-star hotels grew by 23.8 per cent in for the first four months of the year, compared to the same period a year ago.
Occupancy rates at the four and five-star hotels reached 71.6 per cent in April from 66.9 per cent a year earlier. Hotels' revenue was up by 10.5 per cent in April, with overall revenue reaching 65.9 million Omani Riyals, compared to 59.7 million Riyals an year ago.
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