Muscat: Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group) appointed the internationally renowned Barceló Hotel Group to operate Al Mussanah Resort, with effect from 1st of July, 2021. The decision was taken in a bid to inject fresh innovation and bring new insights, in order to provide greater impetus to one of Oman’s Tourism sector’s crown jewels.

The appointment is aligned with the group’s plan to enhance tourism experiences and activities in the resort while bringing new operational and management initiatives to its various facilities.

Hashil Obaid Al Mahrouqi, CEO of OMRAN Group, said, “We are pleased to cooperate with Barceló Hotel Group. This step comes in line with the directions of the National Tourism Strategy 2040 towards strengthening the Sultanate’s position in the travel and tourism markets and increasing its competitiveness as a destination of choice for visitors from around the world.“ 

In addition, he added, “We look forward to strengthening the tourism sector by working with Barcelo Hotels to capitalise on their experience in the leisure tourism markets and the strength of their distribution channels in overseas markets.” 

Expressing his views on the alliance, Raúl González, CEO EMEA of Barceló Hotel Group said, “Oman has always been a prospective source market with immense growth potential for us. We are pleased to be partnering with OMRAN on this endeavour. This collaboration will provide us with the perfect opportunity to introduce our 90-year international hospitality expertise to the source market and establish our footprint in Oman.”

José Canals, Managing Director for the Middle East and Asia at Barceló Hotel Group said, “Oman has been a focus area to expand Barceló Group’s presence in the region and the country is a very popular tourism destination for our European markets. We are pleased to bring our expertise to support the country ambitious goals. The association with OMRAN has provided us with the opportunity to be able to service the Oman tourism sector and expand its reach within international markets. We are delighted to be introducing for the first time in Oman our Barceló brand, and our unique blend of hospitality.”