Dubai, UAE: In a display of regional collaboration and forward-thinking strategy, the Global Travel & Tourism Resilience Council welcomed its newly joined Executive Leaders’ members for 2025 — OMRAN Group, contributing insights from a global perspective, and Visit Oman, bringing valuable expertise from the MENA region — at an exclusive high-level roundtable on destination development during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Dubai.
The event convened 20 senior leaders from across the tourism and development sectors, featuring prominent representatives from OMRAN Group, Visit Oman, UN Tourism, the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, Sabre, Intrepid, Horwath HTL, Roland Berger, and Outloud Communication Consultants. The session served as a dynamic forum for exchanging insights, tackling key industry challenges, and exploring forward-thinking strategies for destination planning amid a rapidly evolving global landscape.
Held under the theme “Destination Development: Building for the Future,” the roundtable explored pressing questions around sustainable growth, stakeholder engagement, infrastructure investment, destination branding, and regional cooperation. The diverse assembly of destination leaders and organizational representatives provided valuable insights into how global counterparts are navigating complexity and seizing emerging opportunities in real time.
Dr. Hashil Al Mahrouqi, CEO of OMRAN Group, said: "OMRAN Group’s approach to destination development is rooted in clear purpose: advancing Oman’s tourism sector through sustainable, authentic, and inclusive projects. Every investment, partnership, and initiative is carefully designed to enhance the visitor experience, empower local communities, and deliver lasting value. This exclusive high-level roundtable offers an important platform to exchange ideas, share best practices, and collectively shape the future of sustainable destination development on a global scale."
Shabib Al Maamari, Managing Director of Visit Oman, added: “These discussions reaffirmed Visit Oman’s commitment to technology and innovation as the foundation of our strategy, while underscoring the vital role tourism providers play in destination development — driving creativity, shaping authentic experiences, and connecting global demand with local value. A central pillar of our approach is the empowerment of Omani tourism providers through scaled digital distribution, a key enabler in building resilient, inclusive tourism ecosystems that adapt to shifting traveler expectations and support long-term, sustainable growth.”
“We planned this executive roundtable to serve as a springboard for deeper collaboration between Oman and international partners, reinforcing the Sultanate of Oman’s commitment to thoughtful, sustainable, and globally connected growth,” stated Laurie Myers, Global Strategist of the Resilience Council.