The Oman budget is approved with expenditure of OMR (Omani Rials ) 12.9 billion (USD33.5billion)
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Oman Budget 2019 a rise in expenditure, income and reduction in deficit percentage
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Anantara Al Baleed Resort Salalah New Year 2019
Anantara Al Baleed Resort Salalah celebrates New Year in Oman’s sub-tropical south of Dhofar with cocktails under starry skys.
A fabulous live-band leads up Continue reading “Anantara Al Baleed Resort Salalah New Year 2019“
FERRY SERVICE FOR OMAN FROM QATAR? as Qatar is trying to establish a Ferry Service
A Ferry Service for Oman from Qatar and Kuwait might be launching soon.
This seems to be being organized from Continue reading “FERRY SERVICE FOR OMAN FROM QATAR? as Qatar is trying to establish a Ferry Service“
Oman’s Orange and White Taxi Fares to be metered by a new government decision from mid 2019
Oman Taxi Fares for the vehicles coloured orange and white, maybe metered from 2019. There are apparently 36,000 of these taxis in Oman with around 20,000 operating in Muscat.
This will mean that all taxis in Oman will have a type of metered fare system.
The proposal is that the fares will be 300baisa (Omani Rial 0.300) for the initial hire and 130baisa (Omani Rial 0.130)per kilometre; with a minimum fare of Rial Omani 1.000. No detail was given regarding the mini-buses which carry up to 13 passengers. A waiting fee of 50baisa per minute will be levied, though as most journeys are simply flagged down this is unlikely to need to be calculated. As most journeys are made sharing the taxi with other passengers, with passengers getting out and joining throughout the journey, the taxi fare is expected to be shared amongst passengers. This sharing will be extremely difficult to operate by meter as few journeys are made with the same passengers from start to finish, people flag the taxi down to get in or off at random places.
The minimum fare is 5 times higher than that for an individual passenger on a short journey.
UPDATE 6th Feb 2019
The government has announced (clarified) that although the taxis must have the meter activated at the start of a hire (journey) it is possible for passengers and the driver to agree the fare by negotiation, presumably done before the journey starts.
Therefore the situation is that while meters must by turned on for each journey (it’s not clear if this is reset each time a person enters a shared taxi) – the actual fare can be negotiated.
Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar celebrates the end of 2018 and New Year 2019
High in the mountains of Oman Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar celebrates New Year 2019 with an array of fun-filled activities and entertainment for the whole family throughout the resort; all under the experienced eye of the hotel’s new General Manager, Dagmar Symes.
Until 9 January 2019 kids can explore Continue reading “Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar celebrates the end of 2018 and New Year 2019“
Muscat Airport Taxi charges revised by Mwasalat as another price drop is announced
Mwasalat Taxi has announced more reductions to its Muscat Airport Taxi charges.
Sunday to Thursday 06:00-22:00
The base fare will be Omani Rial 2.500
with a kilometre charge 300 baisa for every km (from 1 km to 30 km)
Sunday to Thursday 22:00-06:00
and weekends (Friday & Saturday) and Public Holidays
The base fare will be Omani Rial 3.000 with a kilometre charge 300 baisa for every km (from 1 km to 30 km) which is the same as normal charges.
JW Marriott Muscat opening 2019
The new JW Marriott Muscat is likely to open by mid-summer 2019.
This is a push back from a 2018 opening that was originally planned. Financed by Qatar National Bank the hotel is located within the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre. The Continue reading “JW Marriott Muscat opening 2019“
Merry Christmas 2018 and a Happy New Year 2019
Alila Jabal Akhdar Christmas and New Year in Oman relaxing activities and adventure trips at 2,000 metres
Treats are part of Christmas and New Year in Oman at Alila Jabal Akhdar. Though staying at Alila in Oman is a joy in itself, the hotel has a great range of activities for guests.
Learn how to play ‘Petanque’, an ideal Continue reading “Alila Jabal Akhdar Christmas and New Year in Oman relaxing activities and adventure trips at 2,000 metres“
LAND OF FRANKINCENSE is my Guide Book to historic places in Dhofar Oman associated with Frankincense -
‘THE LAND OF FRANKINCENSE’, MY NEW BOOK, explores key locations associated with Frankincense in Dhofar, including the four UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Locations such as Wadi Andhur, Continue reading “LAND OF FRANKINCENSE is my Guide Book to historic places in Dhofar Oman associated with Frankincense – “
Duqm Refinery
Duqm Refinery has achieved full finance on its path to becoming a driver in Oman’s economic diversification.
One of Oman’s economic objectives is to diversify its income, and the strategies include adding value to raw materials, leverage its geographical location and maximize local manpower skill sets.
The new “Duqm Refinery” at Ras Markaz Continue reading “Duqm Refinery”
Oman Oil and ORPIC will Merge
Oman’s Government-owned Oman Oil and ORPIC will merge their ‘downstream businesses’, effectively from 2nd December 2018.
This merger is intended to be phase one to integrate their entire businesses. The CEO of the combined company will be Musab Abdullah al Mahruqi, he was previously the CEO of ORPIC from April 2010-Dec 2016 and is currently on the Board of Directors with PDO, Oman’s Oil Exploration business. Continue reading “Oman Oil and ORPIC will Merge”
The Middle East at WTM London
I had a great time checking out the Middle East at WTM London.
The World Travel Market is held at EXCEL, owned Continue reading “The Middle East at WTM London”
“Oman Opportunities over time” – Dubai Expo 2020 Pavilion
The design for the Oman Pavilion “Oman Opportunities over time” for the forthcoming Dubai Expo 2020 has been revealed by Sayyid Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Minister of Heritage and Culture.
The Pavillion design refers the Frankincense Tree, Continue reading ““Oman Opportunities over time” – Dubai Expo 2020 Pavilion”
CAREEM TAXI OMAN now operating in Muscat
Uber may not be in Oman, yet, – but the Middle-East’s own Careem Taxi is. Careem had started in Muscat in May 2017 but stopped at the request of Oman’s government. As Careem must have obtained a licence, at that time, to operate it was presumably stopped as a result of private sector concerns.
The new Careem service will use Marhaba Taxis which currently operate in Muscat (part of the Omani Ingenuity Technologies L.L.C/Suhail Bahwan Group), as the Careem fleet vehicles. Careem’s fares will start at OMR1.250; which Careem say is “in line with regular taxis” (I wonder if they have ever used the orange and white taxis which start at Rial Omani 0.100).
Careem intends to operate in all major towns in Oman (presumably also through Marhaba); I guess this will mean Suhar, Buraymi, Ibri, Nizwa and Salalah and Sur (the hometown of Suhail Bahwan).
To use Careem, download their app from iTunes and Google Play. The Careem apps interface may not be 100% informative or intuitive and unfortunately the same can be said about Marhaba.
Check here for other news about Taxis in Oman