The Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre has launched its Art and Culture Season, which began with a concert by Egyptian singer Rami Sabry and will continue with a series of concerts, theatrical performances and visual arts events through the coming months. The programme features appearances by Saber Rebai, Tamer Ashour and Elissa, together with the Kuwaiti play Engineer of Public Taste and the return of the Muscat Art exhibition that connects local creators with the public. Centre officials indicated that additional concerts and live performances will be announced in the coming weeks as the calendar expands.
This season represents a deliberate expansion of the centre’s offerings beyond its traditional focus on conferences and trade exhibitions, according to statements released by the venue. The initiative seeks to position the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre as a comprehensive destination for both business and leisure visitors while supporting Muscat’s emergence as a regional hub for cultural activities. Organisers have framed the programme as a bridge between international talent and local audiences, with events designed to draw participants from inside Oman and across the Gulf.
Engineer Saeed bin Salim Al Shanfari, CEO of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, stated that artistic, cultural and entertainment events form a vital part of the business tourism and events economy. Al Shanfari noted that the impact of such programming extends to hotels, restaurants, transportation, retail and other related sectors. The CEO added that the season would enhance Oman’s appeal by combining business events with cultural experiences that generate additional visitor spending.
National Centre for Statistics and Information data shows that festivals and exhibitions across Oman attracted 8.313 million visitors in 2025, a 110 per cent increase from the previous year despite a slight dip in the number of events held. The bulletin from the statistical authority highlighted growing public engagement with cultural offerings, including museums, heritage sites and performing arts, which received hundreds of thousands of visits during the same period. This surge underscores the potential for programmes such as the new OCEC season to contribute to broader cultural participation and tourism growth.
The centre’s move aligns with national efforts to diversify tourism, as Ministry of Heritage and Tourism figures indicate that arrivals on tourist visas rose 6.9 per cent to 1.308 million in the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier. Visitor data from the ministry places GCC nationals at 36.5 per cent of total arrivals, although overall tourist numbers remained stable amid regional challenges. Officials have pointed to the development of heritage, culture and creative experiences as key elements in spreading tourism activity beyond Muscat and reducing seasonality.
Oman is preparing a long-term tourism strategy that envisions $51 billion in investments by 2040, according to a report produced by Oxford Business Group in partnership with the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism. The outlook targets 12 million annual visitors and more than 500,000 tourism-related jobs, with an emphasis on higher-value experiences linked to culture, adventure and nature. The Art and Culture Season at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre forms one element of this wider push to integrate cultural programming with the country’s economic diversification goals.
