As the sun rises on Oman each day, the landscape of the Sultanate looks different. What had been a typical profile of this part of the world a few decades ago, is now history. What was routine some years ago, is now a pleasant memory. And, what was just a thought some months ago is now reality.

Oman has emerged from its infancy as a developing nation, celebrated a vibrant teenage and is now into its youth, brimming with energy, teeming with colourful dreams and living out its aspirations. Whether it concerns the galloping pace of industry or the opening up of a modern society, the Sultanate is fast transforming itself into a formidable force to reckon with on the world map.

It is at this juncture, that a publication like Oman Vistas attempts to showcase the vibrant pace of development in the Sultanate and at the same time provide a platform for the cream of industry to display their dreams. With a panoramic view of the industrial climate, a peep into the ambitious strides of tourism and glimpses of the stable economy, Oman Vistas seeks to present the Sultanate of Oman as one of the top investment destinations of the Middle East. The benevolent leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and the wise policies of the government is seeing Oman fast becoming a destination of choice for global investors. A slew of development projects are underway like the new airports at Sohar, Salalah and Duqm, the Salalah Free Trade Zone, the Sohar Refinery and Sohar Aluminium, to name a few.

For a potential investor, the Sultanate of Oman now seems to be a land of endless opportunities, avenues and possibilities. And, it is precisely this aspect that Oman Vistas intends to bring forth through its pages. Indeed, a volume will not be enough to do that. We will need to constantly update you on newer vistas. We will get you authentic information from policy makers directly and the views of those at the helm of transformation. Views of those who make things happen.We need to tell people about everything that is happening in Oman. We need to share this knowledge to attract the right kind of investors and businessmen. We need to put Oman on top of the international map of trade.

Bringing out the maiden issue of what reflects the pulse of Oman has been an interesting as well as herculean task. So, we are grateful to our supporters and well wishers, who believed in this mission and helped us to sail through. There is so much more to add, but all of it cannot be packed into one issue. The issues that follow with deal with those. We look forward to your views and suggestions, bouquets as well as brickbats, for these will only help us in making the next issue better. Please do drop in a line.

Deepak Nair