Tejarah Talks on ‘Partnerships That Deliver’: Key Insights for Business Growth and Investment Opportunities in Oman
MUSCAT: While signing partnerships is straightforward, the true measure lies in their ability to facilitate trade, investment, and growth. This is especially crucial for sectors like tourism, where partnerships must translate interest into actual arrivals, spending, and repeat visits.
Tejarah Talks will host a session titled International Partnerships That Deliver at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) on Tuesday, February 3, at 11 a.m. The discussion will focus on practical aspects of partnerships, emphasizing agreements that reduce uncertainty for exporters and investors, commercial ties that open market routes, and financial links that enable Omani businesses to scale. In the tourism sector, success is equally tangible, requiring stronger airline connectivity, effective international promotion, collaboration with travel trade partners, and high service standards that encourage return visits.
According to the World Trade Organization, full implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement can reduce trade costs by an average of 14.3%, highlighting how process improvements directly benefit businesses.
Oman’s recent trade data underscores the importance of these efforts. From January to October 2025, non-oil exports reached RO 5.6 billion ($14.5 billion), marking a 9.9% year-on-year increase. During the same period, oil and gas exports amounted to RO 12.1 billion ($31.3 billion), pushing total merchandise exports to RO 19.3 billion ($50 billion). Continued growth in non-oil exports hinges on practical enablers such as predictable standards and certifications, efficient documentation and customs procedures, reliable logistics, and accessible finance that supports repeat orders.
For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the session will offer actionable insights. Many SMEs require not new markets, but clearer pathways into existing ones. The conversation will address common obstacles that slow deals—ranging from documentation and standards compliance to payment terms and trade finance access. For tourism businesses, the dialogue will explore how partnerships influence demand and visitor experience by working with international operators and platforms and aligning service and product standards with target markets.
Moderated by Jamal al Asmi, Creative Growth Director at Mubashir, the panel includes Pankaj Kanaksi Gokaldas Khimji, Adviser for External Trade and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion; Faisal al Nabhani, Managing Director and Head of Oman and Qatar, State Street Bank; Rebecca Olson, CEO of AMCham; and Shabib al Maamari, Managing Director of Visit Oman. The discussion will focus on measurable outcomes that reduce compliance costs, improve access to capital, and shorten the order-to-cash cycle, alongside practical steps that help tourism partnerships convert visibility into confirmed bookings.
Special Analysis by Omanet | Navigate Oman’s Market
The emphasis on practical, outcome-driven international partnerships in Oman highlights a strategic shift toward reducing trade costs, streamlining market access, and strengthening sectors like tourism through tangible improvements in connectivity and service standards. For businesses, this means capitalizing on process efficiencies and reliable trade facilitation measures to scale operations and secure repeat business. Smart investors and entrepreneurs should focus on leveraging these partnerships to overcome SME-specific barriers such as documentation, finance access, and market entry, positioning themselves to benefit from Oman’s diversified export growth and rising tourism demand.
