Oman Air today outlined its plans to connect more destinations in India, up from the 11 it currently serves, while expressing its keenness to increase the number of flights to some of the locations it currently serves.
Bhanu Mohan Kaila, Country Manager India, Oman Air, said the airline currently services 11 destinations with 126 flights each week, offering onward connections to a number of European and African cities. He is part of a Oman Tourism delegation seeking to woo Indian tourists to Oman.
“But given the potential in India, we are keen to add at least three more destinations — Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Kochi. It takes time to secure approvals. We have applied for permission not only to add new destinations but also increase flights to some of the locations we already service. Some cities have only one flight per day. This can go up,” Kaila said.
Oman Air has a high flight occupancy level of 85-90 per cent to India, showing the growth potential if more destinations are linked, he said.
Asma Al Hajry, Deputy Director-General, International Tourism, Oman, said: “We are targeting those who view Oman as a niche travel experience. Oman offers everything a leisure traveller expects. Apart from general travel, we are also seeking to attract Indians who want to make Oman a location for destination weddings and a MICE destination.”
Oman received 2.99 lakh Indian nationals last year, reflecting a growth of over 17 per cent in 2015 from 2014. The data also reflects an over 60 per cent growth in the number of Indians travelling to Oman in the last five years.
Lubaina Sheerjai, India Representative, said, “At last 14 weddings have been lined up in the forthcoming wedding season, up from 10 last season.”