Oman to deliver 700 new hotel rooms by year end with winter season expected to boost tourism recovery – Cavendish Maxwell
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM · CAVENDISH MAXWELL · 27 SEPTEMBER 2026
Seasonal uplift a key driver in H2 following softer performance in H1.
Dubai, UAE, 27 September 2026 – The Sultanate of Oman is set to deliver 700 new hotel rooms between now and the end of 2026, taking total inventory to 40,800 keys, according to leading real estate advisory and hospitality property consultancy, Cavendish Maxwell.
Oman opened 400 new rooms in H1 2026 — all in Q1 — amid reduced hospitality sector activity as regional travel disruptions affected international connectivity and tourism trade. The Khareef and winter travel seasons will be key drivers in the country’s H2 hospitality performance, the company said.
Oman welcomed 992,000 guests at 3-5 star hotels in H1, down 13% on the same period last year. Airport passenger traffic declined 9.3% to 6.3 million, according to the report, released in the run up to the 2026 edition of Future Hospitality Summit World.
“Oman’s hospitality sector entered H2 in a challenging environment. While the outlook remains sensitive to prevailing travel conditions, the July to December period typically accounts for a significant share of tourism activity, contributing 52% in hotel revenue and guest volumes last year.”
“The recent Khareef season — Salalah’s peak tourism period — coupled with the upcoming winter months will indicate how effectively seasonal demand supports the wider market following the H1 disruption, which was most pronounced in the second quarter. Government and tourism sector initiatives — such as international promotions and partnerships with airlines and travel trade partners — should also help strengthen demand.”
Khalil Al Zadjali, Head of Oman, Cavendish Maxwell
Revenues and Room Rates
Oman’s 3-5 star hotels generated OMR124.2 million (US$322.7 million) in total revenue in H1, down around 12% against H1 2025. Revenue growth was strong at the beginning of the year, increasing nearly 27% year-on-year in January and almost 9% in February, before declining from March. Following the sharpest contraction in April, when revenues fell 64.5% compared to the previous April, the pace of decline moderated in May and June, at around 28% and 15.5% respectively.
Room revenue was down 11% to OMR74 million (US$192 million), with other revenue declining by 13% to OMR50.2 million (US$130.4 million). The decline in ‘other’ revenue is partly because domestic and regional travellers typically spend less per stay than long-haul visitors, Cavendish Maxwell said.
Average room rates (ARR) followed a similar pattern, with a robust start to the year before weakening in Q2. ARR was up nearly 19% year-on-year in January at OMR58.3 (US$151.6), and more than 20% in February to almost OMR61 (US$158.4). March was on a par with March 2025.
The sharpest ARR decline (around 43%) came in April but, by May, it had partially recovered, increasing more than 8% year-on-year to OMR43.7 (US$113.6) as Eid Al Adha boosted travel demand.
Occupancy
Occupancy rates across Oman averaged 46.3% in H1, down more than half compared to the same period last year. Again, performance was impressive in January and February, with occupancy around 70%, before dropping from March. The decline was most acute in Q2 as regional tensions weighed in on international travel and, while domestic visitors provided some support, it was not enough to compensate for the overall decline in visitors.
Guest Volumes and Source Markets
After a January year-on-year increase of 7.3% in guests, volumes declined monthly, reflecting air disruption across the Gulf. The steepest drop was in April (43%), but performance picked up again in May, when the decline narrowed to 2.6% as conditions normalised and Eid Al Adha supported travel demand.
Omani nationals represented the biggest source market in H1, with 396,000 guests accounting for almost 40% of all visitors — a rise of 3.1% on the same period last year. Europeans (247,000) took second place, at 25%, but their numbers were down 31% compared to last year. With 163,000 visitors, Asians made up 16%, with a marginal year-on-year increase of 0.6%.
Most other source markets saw lower year-on-year guest volumes, with the GCC down 17%, other Arab countries down 15%, the Americas down 22%, Africa 10% and Oceania 61%.
Employment
Hospitality sector employment among Omani citizens rose 3.4% in H1, while total employment in the industry declined 2.7% year-on-year. At the end of June, the sector had just under 10,500 employees.
New Supply
After delivering 400 new rooms in H1 — all between January and March — Oman is set to bring another 700 to the market by December 2026. A further 1,500 are scheduled in 2027 and 1,600 in 2028, taking total Oman room inventory to 43,900 by end of 2028.
“Total room supply will reach 40,800 by the end of 2026 — less than the 41,400 previously anticipated because some projects have been rescheduled to next year. The upcoming, phased pipeline should help manage near-term supply growth, but the pace of visitor recovery will be key to the absorption of new capacity. With a limited number of keys coming in the near future, supply growth is unlikely to be a major constraint in the short term. However, the larger pipeline from next year and into 2028 will be more dependent on the recovery in visitor demand.”
Khalil Al Zadjali, Head of Oman, Cavendish Maxwell
The Report
Download the full Oman Hospitality Market Performance H1 2026 report.
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