Oman Air is returning to the Russian market. The carrier plans to resume flights on the route Muscat - Moscow - Muscat from December 10. Tour operators have plans on block transportation from Moscow to Oman and blocks of seats from Muscat to the Maldives, Thailand and Zanzibar.

The tour operator Anex Tour has started selling tours with a beach holiday in two Middle Eastern countries - Oman and Bahrain. The first destination is available on connecting flights of foreign airlines from Moscow, the second – on direct flights.

In the near future, Russia may restore direct air transportation to Oman, while an Omani carrier will fly on the Muscat-Moscow route.

The Association of Tour Operators of Russia has published a memo with the rules of entry for tourists to countries, air traffic with which Russia will restore in November.

From September 1, foreign travelers who have been vaccinated, including the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, can enter Oman.

Oman decided to resume the issuance of visas at the request of local hotels or travel agencies to those tourists who are going to visit the Sultanate in organized groups.

The tour operator Russian Express has opened the sale of package tours and ground services in Oman. The most popular resorts in Oman are Muscat and a little less – Salalah.

Russian tourists travelling to the member-states of the Gulf Cooperation Council are expected to generate an estimated $1,22 billion in travel and tourism revenue by 2023, an increase of 19% when compared with figures from 2018.

Russian tourists travelling to the GCC are expected to generate an estimated US$1.22 billion in travel and tourism revenue by 2023, an increase of 19% when compared with figures from 2018, according to data published ahead of Arabian Travel Market 2020, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 19-22 April 2020. 

The tour operator Pac Group opened the sale of tours to the Sultanate of Oman. Beach tours to Oman based on dynamic online packaging for November and New Year holidays are already available for booking.

During the first quarter of 2019 6,585 Russian tourists visited Oman. This is 4.7 times more than for the same period last year, when 1,393 Russians visited the Sultanate. For the entire 2018 Oman was visited by 10,877 Russians. It is expected that by the end of 2019 the tourist flow from Russia to Oman will increase by at least 2 times. 

The number of Russian tourists visiting Oman in 2018 increased by 150%. Also, more than 4,000 Russian tourists visited the country over the first two months of 2019. This was announced by State Council Chairman Yahya bin Mahfood Al-Mantri during his visit to Russia. 

“Oman wants to double the number of Russians to visit the country as a tourist destination in the next two years,” Harald Zulauf, the CEO of the Oman external tourism office in Russia has said. “At maximum, we hope that the number is doubled within the next two - three years. Then, by the next five years, the number will be tripled. We are using the strategy of attracting wealthier Russians to resorts and five star establishments first, as there are many more wealthy people in Russia than in other countries, and then thinking about the middle class for four star hotels,” underlined Zulauf. 

Pegasus tour operator will stop the flight program in Oman from 7 January. This was reported by the head of the company, Anna Podgornaya. She did not comment on the reasons for the decision, only stating that there are several of them. Recall that NordWind flights from Moscow to Salalah have been opened on October 15 with a frequency of twice a week.

The PEGAS Touristik’s charter program to Oman starts from October 15 (arrival airport is Salalah International Airport). The flights on the wings of Nordwind and Pegas Fly airlines (B737-800, 189 economy seats) are scheduled until May 3, 2019 (3 ​​flights per month). According to PEGAS Touristik, the first and second flights to Oman are almost sold out.

During the first five months of this year 6,000 Russians visited Oman. This is almost 2 thousand more than for the entire 2017 - when the country was visited by 4,200 of Russian travelers. By the end of the year the Sultanate expects to increase the tourist flow by 2 times. Such statistics were published by the Ministry of Tourism of Oman at the presentation of the direction in Moscow.

“Oman Air will launch daily direct flights from Muscat - the capital of Oman - to Moscow's Domodedovo airport since October 28”, - the carrier said. Departure from Muscat is at 14:55, arrival time to Moscow is at 19:55. The return flight’s departure - 0:20, arrival time to Muscat at 6:55. On the rout the company will use a Boeing 737 MAX 8. This is not the first attempt of Oman Air to begin flights to Moscow. Earlier the company tried to fly on this route in 2011. From May 7 Oman has simplified visa regime for citizens of Russia, China and Iran. Now tourists from these countries can visit Sultanate by tourist visa without confirmation of the local sponsor.

Nordwind airline received permits for flights from Moscow to Oman. The corresponding order is published on the website of the Federal Air Transport Agency on May 28. The carrier is going to fly to Salalu - the second largest city of the Sultanate - with a frequency of two times a week. The flights are planned to launch in the upcoming winter season, they will compete with Oman Air flights, which will start on October 28.

“Oman simplified the visa regime for citizens of Russia, China and India”, - reports the Arab News portal. However, the new rule applies only to holders of citizenship, residence permits or holders of valid visas of Schengen countries, United Kingdom, the United States, Australia or Canada.