Muscat International Airport was crowned ‘World’s Leading New Airport in 2018’ during the 25th edition of the World Travel Awards
Muscat International Airport was crowned ‘World’s Leading New Airport in 2018’ during the 25th edition of the World Travel Awards, which took place in Lisbon, Portugal.
Thrilled with the award, CEO, Oman Airports, Sheikh Aimen bin Ahmed Al Hosni declared: “This esteemed award recognises our efforts in writing a new chapter in our journey of excellence. Muscat International Airport aims to not only raise the bar on customer experience, but operational efficiency as well. This new state-of-the-art passenger terminal is the first encounter visitors have with Oman and we have worked to ensure that it is a true representation of our genuine hospitality and beautiful country.”
Al Hosni continued: “We are committed to playing a pivotal role in realising the government’s ambitious national logistics strategy and becoming one of the top 20 airports in the world by 2020. The new infrastructure is vital to deliver the level of service that our customers expect and to expertly manage and develop the gateways of Oman.”
The new travel hub, which commercially launched in March 2018, spans 580,000m2 and is equipped to serve 20 million passengers per year. Since its debut, the airport has been recognised for its Omani-themed architecture, advanced technology and unrivalled passenger experience. It has an expansion potential of up to 80 million passengers per annum and was meticulously designed and constructed to the highest standards of quality and service.
Highlighting its excellence, only four weeks after its launch, Muscat International Airport scooped the ‘Best New Middle East Tourism Development Project’ accolade at the World Travel Awards.
Oman’s travel and tourism sector has welcomed impressive growth due to the launch of Muscat International Airport. Between January and October 2018, the frequency of flights arriving at Muscat International Airport stood at 89,368 – a 5.2 per cent jump on last year’s figures, while the number of passengers increased by 10.5 per cent from 2017, reaching 11,705,440.
By the end of the year, the total number of passengers flying into the airport is anticipated to reach a record 16 million.
Looking ahead, Oman, represented by Oman Airports, is set to host the 2019 World Travel Awards.
Al Hosni noted: “We are both honoured and excited. This event will position Oman as a contender to hold such high-profile international aviation events, which will ultimately contribute to the country’s economic diversification strategy.”
source: TTG mena
