An Events Oasis: the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre

With the highly anticipated opening of Phase One of the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC) in early 2016, the Sultanate of Oman will be placed front and centre on the world stage.

Oman is a land of immense beauty and culture, famed for its outstanding hospitality and friendly people. A symbol of tolerance and neutrality and an oasis of stability and tranquillity, the Sultanate often acts as a bridge between international adversaries.

Safe haven
A safe haven for visitors from around the world, the latest security and safety statistics from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Report placed Oman at an impressive 9th position, out of 141 countries and thanks to its virtually crime free environment, as well as its economic and legal transparency, Oman is known as the peacemaker of the Arabian Gulf.

A unique and irresistible destination with increasing delegate interest, Oman’s tremendous offer has been endorsed by numerous accolades. It was recently ranked seventh in the world for Quality of Life by Numbeo.com, the world’s largest database of user-generated content on cities and countries. The New York Times named Oman as one of the top 52 places in the world to visit in 2015 and the Sultanate was the number one destination for 2015, according to the global travel industry website skift.com.

Such is the charm of Oman that many visitors choose to stay on and make the country their home, amongst them former American Ambassador Richard Baltimore III: “When my period ended in 2006, I was here with my father, my wife and our daughters. We reflected and decided there was no rush to leave. This is a very, very safe country - a beautiful and welcoming country.” Ambassador Baltimore’s views are echoed by those of Salim Al Maamari, Director General of Tourism Promotion, Ministry of Tourism: “Oman has been famous throughout history for its hospitality and is known worldwide for its safety and cleanliness. This is what differentiates us from other destinations, not only in the region, but in the whole world.”

Iconic venue
Within this stable environment, the OCEC has been purposefully designed and sustainably built to meet the complex and evolving needs of the global meetings and events industry. Its exceptional assets include: 22,000 square metres of superb column-free exhibition space spanning five halls; ten outstanding hospitality suites; a spectacular 3,200 seat lyric-style tiered auditorium; another elegant 450 seat theatre; two lavish ballrooms that can be divided into a number of self-contained event spaces and a further 13 meeting rooms; to collectively offer over 55 meeting space options.

This world-class events hub is the centrepiece of Oman’s business development programme, supported by the Sultanate’s immense intellectual capital and its growing reputation for education, research, innovation and entrepreneurship. Acknowledged as the most exciting emerging convention and exhibition destination, and backed by fully integrated transport, logistics and communications infrastructure, the OCEC will attract over 200,000 visitors in its first year of operation.

To book an appointment for your next event or for more information, please visit stand K50 at ibtm world or email Gillian Taylor on gtaylor@omanconvention.com.