Oman’s Visitor Growth Forecast for 2026: What It Means for Investors and Business Owners
Muscat: The Sultanate of Oman experienced a 12.6 percent increase in the number of visitors during the first two months of 2026. This growth was recorded despite the outbreak of the Iran-US/Israel conflict, which began on February 28 and is anticipated to have significant repercussions on the global and regional tourism sectors.
Throughout the conflict, which lasted until a ceasefire was declared on April 7, Oman’s airspace and airports continued to operate normally.
According to data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total number of visitors rose from 668,205 in the same period of 2025 to 752,474 in early 2026. The top five nationalities visiting Oman were Emiratis (158,586), Indians (83,621), Germans (42,318), Poles (19,103), and Russians (10,928).
February alone saw a 7.4 percent increase in visitor arrivals. The majority of visitors hailed from the GCC countries (103,368), Europe (100,329), and Asia (89,408).
Regarding hotel stays, European nationals led with 83,047 guests, followed by 27,500 visitors from Asia, 8,944 from GCC countries, and 52,799 Omanis. In total, hotels accommodated 439,287 guests in the first two months of 2026, who collectively spent 735,861 room nights, generating RO18.5 million in revenue.
Meanwhile, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has reported that the ongoing conflict in Iran is already impacting the travel and tourism industry across the Middle East, resulting in losses estimated at US$600 million per day in international visitor spending. This stems from disruptions to air travel, diminished traveler confidence, and reduced regional connectivity.
The Middle East accounts for 5% of global international arrivals and 14% of global international transit traffic, making it a crucial region for international travel. Disruptions thus have wide-reaching effects on airports, flights, hotels, car rental services, and cruise lines worldwide.
Key aviation hubs in the region, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Bahrain, which collectively handle approximately 526,000 passengers daily, faced closures and operational challenges during the escalation of the conflict, severely impacting both regional and global connectivity.
WTTC’s analysis is based on its pre-conflict 2026 forecast, which projected international visitor spending of US$207 billion in the Middle East for the year. Consequently, any disturbance to travel flows quickly results in substantial economic impacts across the tourism ecosystem.
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Oman’s 12.6% surge in visitors during early 2026, despite regional conflict, highlights the Sultanate’s resilience and growing appeal as a stable tourism hub. For businesses, this trend presents opportunities to capitalize on increasing GCC, European, and Asian tourists, especially in hospitality and travel services. Smart investors should consider boosting investments in tourism infrastructure and marketing to leverage Oman’s strategic position amid disrupted regional connectivity, while remaining vigilant to geopolitical risks that could affect visitor flows.
