D. Prithiviraj is the CEO of Oman Hotels & Tourism Company, the portfolio of which includes Al Falaj Hotel and  Ruwi Hotel  in Muscat, Al Wadi Hotel in  Sohar and Sur Plaza Hotel  in Sur and Desert Nights Camp at Al Wasil. Oman Vistas spoke to him to get a better idea about the group’s new initiatives.

How was the tourism season last year, especially for your hotel?
The year 2008 has been extremely positive in terms of business for all the Hotels within our portfolio. The forecasts for the months ahead also look very encouraging & we are very optimistic that this trend will continue in 2009 as well.

What are the new initiatives taken to boost occupancy figures? Anything new like new restaurants or so?

Subsequent to the entry of Aitken Spence Hotels into the management portfolio of Oman Hotels a series of decisive steps have been taken to build on our strong brand presence in the market as well as enhance our relationship with our Clients. We have a consolidated Group Sales & Marketing unit which was set to co-ordinate the marketing efforts for all the Hotels within our portfolio thereby giving our clients a single contact point for queries relating to any of our Hotels. This has cut short the lead time in responding to customer queries which has had a positive impact on our occupancies. All our F&B outlets have been revamped with new Menus & theme events to offer our customers more variety & value for money. We have also signed partnerships with co-branded loyalty programmes further offering incentives to our customers

Where do your guests mostly come from?

Our corporate clients originate mainly from within the GCC region & Asia. However we also have a significant number of corporate clients coming in from European countries. The Leisure clients pre-dominantly come from European countries i.e. UK, Germany, France, etc

What are the major MICE activities planned for 2008 and do have a strategy in place to develop this market segment?

Al Falaj Hotel is the dedicated Hotel within our portfolio which has extensive facilities tailor-made for the MICE segment. The Hotel has the largest air-conditioned indoor dome shaped hall which can accommodate upto one thousand people, with a permanent stage which is ideal for a multitude of events such as dinner shows, stage acts, corporate launches, weddings and  cocktails. We have stepped up our efforts to project Al Falaj Hotel as preferred venue for the MICE segment since we have a total of 5 banqueting & conference venues include the 1000 seater Grand Hall. The services of a dedicated banquets sales co-ordinator ensures that the Customer enjoys a one stop shop for all the requirements. We also assist in sourcing suitable entertainment acts as well other formalities such as visa, municipality permissions etc

What is your forecast for Oman Tourism for the future?

Due to the visionary leadership of His Majesty & the untiring efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Tourism, Oman is being projected as the premier destination in the Gulf which offers a variety of touristic options through its natural wonders, adventure possibilities & above all the most hospitable people among the GCC countries. We are extremely optimistic that through the combined efforts of all the stake-holders within the Oman Tourism Industry, the destination will grow very rapidly in the years ahead.

Are you expecting any downslide compared to last year due to the Global Financial crisis?