MUSCAT: According to Engineer Saeed bin Salem Al Shanfari, Chief Executive Officer of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, the achievements of 2025 mark a qualitative shift in Oman’s exhibitions and conferences tourism sector. The centre hosted 15 regional and international events, attracting more than 20,000 participants and investors from around 60 countries.
Over the course of the year, OCEC staged more than 250 local, regional and international events, ranging from conferences and exhibitions to cultural programmes, concerts and graduation ceremonies. These events drew over 1.9 million visitors, participants and investors, cementing the centre’s role as a multi-use destination where business, culture and society intersect.
Al Shanfari noted that the events hosted at OCEC helped stimulate key sectors such as tourism, hospitality, transport and retail, while also boosting hotel occupancy rates. He added that the centre has played an important role in promoting Oman internationally as a destination capable of hosting world-class events, in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, through close cooperation with the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and the Oman Convention Bureau.
Sustainability remained a core pillar of OCEC’s strategy in 2025, with the implementation of more than four sustainability initiatives. These included expanding the use of solar energy, planting Omani fruit trees to support biodiversity, and food-waste reduction programmes that saved over 500 kilograms of food through the “Preserving Blessings” initiative, implemented in cooperation with the Omani Food Bank.
The centre also continued to strengthen annual national exhibitions such as the Oman Perfume Exhibition, the Muscat International Gold and Jewellery Exhibition, and the Muscat Art Exhibition, alongside specialised events like Sports Flame, which supports sports tourism and community engagement. These events have helped sustain economic activity throughout the year, particularly during the summer season.
Community empowerment was another key focus, with OCEC supporting more than 100 small and medium enterprises and hosting graduation ceremonies for over 65,000 graduates. Cultural and artistic events, including concerts, attracted more than 11,000 visitors, contributing further to hotel occupancy and longer visitor stays.
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