Caves in Oman hold rich tourism potential

22nd, April 2017

MUSCAT: The Sultanate’s caves attract those interested in geology and nature. Sahour Cave in Dhofar, Majlis Al Jinn Cave in Wilayat  of Qurayat in the Governorate of Muscat and Al Kitan Cave in the Wilayat of Ibri in the Governorate of Al Dhahirah are some of the prominent caves in the country. The Ministry of Tourism is planning to exploit various tourism resources in the various governorates of the Sultanate to promote tourism by developing and investing in caves. It also conducts extensive studies for rehabilitation and development, as well as attracting expertise from around the world to help developing this promising tourism segments.

The National Program for Enhancing Economic Diversification (Tanfeedh) developed 15 tourism initiatives to enhance the tourism sector. Such initiatives include encouraging private investment in natural sites and adventure tourism. Dawood bin Sulaiman al Rashdi, Acting Director of the Tourism Product Development Department at the Ministry of Tourism, said that the ministry, after successfully giving a facelift to Al Hoota Cave in the Wilayat of Al Hamra in the Governorate of A Dakhiliyah, is planning renovate three other caves and undertake to study another cave recently discovered in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar to as part of its strategy to offer more sites for tourists.

He said the ministry invited companies to present a development plan for  Al Kitan Cave in the Governorate of Al Dhahirah.

Companies were given four months to come up with the proposal.

A similar plan was also floated for Majlis Al Jinn Cave. The aim of the competition is to find a proposal to develop the cave and the surrounding area spread over an area of 2 million square meters. The cave is located on the Salmah Plateau, about 12 km from the Fins village. Andrew Lawrence, Advisor at the Ministry of Tourism, said that the Sultanate has many tourist,  cultural and heritage elements that can be used as attractions for many tourists around the world.

The Sultanate is rich in many reserves, natural caves, sand dunes, mountain ranges, islands and water springs that should be used to promote the tourism position of the Sultanate.

He said that the Ministry of Tourism is exerting continuous efforts to take advantage of natural caves, which represent an important tourist value. Al Kitan Cave is located in one of the rocky valleys in the northwestern part of A’Sakhbari Mountain in Al Iraqi village, 8 km north of the Wilayat of Ibri in the Governorate of Al Dhahirah. The cave is called Al Rukhami Cave or “Marble Cave” as it resembles marble, in addition to its marble-rock inscriptions. Sahour Cave is one of the most important caves that is inhabited by bats. It is located within the Umm al Radhoumah geological formation in the Governorate of Dhofar.

These limestone sedimentary rocks were formed about 54 million years ago. This cave is considered a fossilized cave.  — ONA