Old Muscat airport to be turned into leisure hub
Naif bin Ali al Abri, Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), revealed that several investment opportunities have been proposed to breathe new life into the historic site, once the primary hub for Oman Air.
Speaking to media last week, Abri said the transformation aims to create an economically viable development that honours the airport's legacy in Oman's aviation journey. 'These proposals aim to turn the old airport into a dynamic destination while preserving its historical significance. Oman Airports is currently reviewing the submissions to deter-mine the most suitable and strategic options for implementation.'
Highlighting the authority's achievements, Abri noted that 2024 was a strong year for Oman's aviation sector. CAA recorded revenues of RO105mn, reflecting operational efficiency and financial sustainability.
There has been marked increase in air traffic with over 540,300 aircraft transiting through Omani airspace – a 14% in-crease compared to 2023. Passenger traffic grew 2% and more than 120,000 flights were recorded during the year. Air cargo volumes exceeded 150,000 tonnes underlining robust activity in the aviation sector.
Abri further pointed out that in response to the recent regional crisis, Oman hosted numerous international flights, leading to a 28% increase in air traffic over a 12-day period.
In a bid to support growth and enhance service quality, CAA issued new operating permits to 19 foreign airlines in 2024.
Significant upgrades were also made to national aviation infrastructure, including installation of a new air navigation radar in Jalan Bani Bu Ali to bolster airspace surveillance. Operational manuals were implemented at both Duqm and Marmul airports, while aviation security and cybersecurity policies were ratified to ensure high safety standards.
The national meteorological monitoring network expanded to 80 stations, reinforcing the sultanate's climate and weather forecasting capabilities.
The authority addressed and resolved 520 customer complaints in 2024, showcasing its responsiveness and dedication to service excellence.
© Apex Press and Publishing Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
38 minutes ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai Duty Free posts record half-year sales with revenue of Dh4.118 billion
Dubai Duty Free on Wednesday announced that half-year sales posted a 5.34 per cent year-on-year increase, with turnover reaching Dh4.118 billion ($1.128 billion) for the first six months of 2025. This exceeded last year's previous record turnover for the first half of the year by Dh208.95 million. The airport retailer recorded robust growth in April, May and the first half of June, with sales buoyed by a surge in travel over the Eid holiday and the early summer travel season. Dubai Duty Free managing director Ramesh Cidambi said: 'We are very pleased with our record performance for the first half of 2025. Whilst we await the final passenger numbers for June 2025, the spend per passenger is likely to be better than last year June. This performance is a testament to our team's hard work and the strength of Dubai as a global travel hub.' Perfumes, beverages, cigarettes & tobacco, gold and confectionery retained the top five category positions. Perfume sales reached Dh744.24 million, contributing 18 per cent of total revenue and showing an increase of five per cent over the same period last year. Beverages followed with sales of Dh513.37 million, while cigarettes & tobacco sales rose 12.24 per cent year-on-year with sales of Dh439.91 million. Gold sales amounted to Dh416.90 million, contributing 10.12 per cent of total revenue and an increase of 6.14 per cent. Confectionery in particular continued to demonstrate strong growth, achieving Dh412.52 million, marking an 62.70 per cent increase over the same period last year and accounting for 10 per cent of total revenue. Another notable increase was seen in cosmetics, which rose by 3.36 per cent to Dh201.51 million contributing 4.89 per cent of total revenue. Spending trends across terminals continued to increase with duty free sales in Terminal 3 increasing by 6.37 per cent for the first half of the year, while Terminal 1 rose by 5.25 per cent. All key passenger regions showed positive sales during the first half of the year, with Europe up 16.89 per cent, the Russian region up 4.41 per cent, the Indian-sub continent up 1.02 per cent and the Middle East up 8.15 per cent. Looking ahead, Dubai Duty Free will continue to enhance its retail operation following the successful renovations of its three Arrivals Shops in the first half of the year. The company remains optimistic for the second half of the year, with preparations underway a busy summer and traditional busy last quarter. 'We are looking forward to an equally busy second half of the year. Plans are very much in place for the opening of three luxury boutiques in Terminal 3 Concourse A including Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Cartier,' added Cidambi.
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
Knowledge Group acquires Biz Group to strengthen regional learning, development capabilities
Knowledge Group, the training and development arm of Nema Education and a regional leader in professional development and strategic consulting, has announced the acquisition of Biz Group, one of the UAE's most established learning and development firms. This strategic move aims to strengthen Knowledge Group's regional presence and expand data-driven training and consulting solutions in digital learning and the integration of transformative technologies such as AI and virtual reality. In presence of executive leadership from both organisations, the agreement was signed by Dr. Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Chairman of Nema Education and Hazel Jackson, Founder and CEO of Biz Group. With its well-established reputation of three-decades and deep expertise in delivering impactful learning experiences for public and private sector clients, Biz Group complements Knowledge Group's mission to drive workforce readiness across the Middle East and North Africa. The aim is to prepare the workforce to face emerging challenges and seize new opportunities through tailored, tech-enabled learning and consulting solutions. Following the acquisition, the two companies will continue operating under their respective brands names, ensuring business continuity for all clients and partners. Commenting on the acquisition, Dr. Ali Saeed bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Chairman of Nema Education, said, 'Our investment in Biz Group is aligned with our long-term vision to shape the future of workforce development in the region. By combining our strategic capabilities and scale with Biz Group's strong legacy and innovative learning experiences, we are building a powerful platform to empower individuals and organisations to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. This move also reflects our unwavering belief in the power of collaboration to drive sustainable impact across sectors.' Hazel Jackson, Founder and CEO of Biz Group, added, 'I'm incredibly proud of what we've built at Biz Group over the past 30 years. Joining forces with Knowledge Group represents a powerful next step allowing us to scale our purpose, expand our reach, and continue delivering transformational learning experiences. Our teams are united by a shared vision for the future of learning, and I'm excited to see the new possibilities this brings.' Dr. Ahmad Badr, CEO of Knowledge Group, commented, 'Knowledge Group is among the region's leading institutions in delivering high-quality learning and consulting services tailored to the needs of strategic sectors. Today, we are proud to combine our efforts with Biz Group to expand our offerings and deliver client-centric, innovative solutions through technology, digital transformation, and AI, while enhancing the efficiency and impact of our services for both public and private sector partners.'
Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
Dubai Duty Free posts record half-year revenue of $1.12bln
Dubai Duty Free today announced record half-year sales performance posting a 5.34 percent year-on-year increase with turnover reaching AED4.118 billion (US$1.128 billion) for the first six months of 2025, exceeding last year's previous record turnover for the first half of the year by AED208.95 million (US$ 57.24 million). The airport retailer recorded robust growth in April, May and the first half of June, with sales buoyed by a surge in travel over the Eid holiday and the early summer travel season. Dubai Duty Free Managing Director, Ramesh Cidambi, said, 'We are very pleased with our record performance for the first half of 2025. Whilst we await the final passenger numbers for June 2025, the spend per passenger is likely to be better than last year June. This performance is a testament to our team's hard work and the strength of Dubai as a global travel hub.' The company remains optimistic for the second half of the year, with preparations underway a busy summer and traditional busy last quarter. 'We are looking forward to an equally busy second half of the year. Plans are very much in place for the opening of three luxury boutiques in Terminal 3 Concourse A including Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Cartier,' Cidambi added. Perfumes, Liquor, Cigarettes & Tobacco, Gold and Confectionery retained the top five category positions. Perfume sales reached AED744.24 million (US$203.90 million) contributing 18 percent of total revenue and showing an increase of 5 percent over the same period last year. Liquor followed with sales of AED513.37 million (US$140.65 million), while Cigarettes & Tobacco saw a 12.24 percent increase year-on-year with sales of AED439.91 million (US$120.52 million). Gold sales amounted to AED416.90 million (US$114.22 million), contributing 10.12 percent of total revenue and an increase of 6.14 percent. Confectionery in particular continued to demonstrate strong growth, achieving AED412.52 million (US$113.02 million), marking an 62.70 percent increase over the same period last year and accounting for 10 percent of total revenue. Another notable increase was seen in Cosmetics, which rose by 3.36 percent to AED201.51 million (US$55.21 million) contributing 4.89 percent of total revenue. Spending trends across terminals continued to increase with duty free sales in Terminal 3 increasing by 6.37 percent for the first half of the year, while Terminal 1 rose by 5.25 percent. All key passenger regions showed positive sales during the first half of the year, with Europe up 16.89 percent, the Russian region up 4.41 percent, the Indian-sub continent up 1.02 percent and the Middle East up 8.15 percent.
