Ithraa continues promotion of Oman's economy, investment opportunities

Muscat: In partnership with a host of government agencies, Ithraa focuses on promoting Oman as a world-class destination for business and a location of choice for potential relocations and expansions.

Ithraa team undertakes both pro-active lead generation and project handling to attract new inward investment from key international markets.

It also supports Omani businesses on all stages of their export journey. Today, Omani products are present in 130+ countries and 2019, with US$8.3 billion worth of non-oil exported commodities.

Ithraa works hard to bring the attention of the international business community to the vast investment opportunities Oman offers, to its exceptional potential in manufacturing, tourism, fisheries, mining and logistics. Ithraa also vigorously promotes the measures that have been taken to create Oman’s attractive business and investment environment.

Attracting and retaining inward investment is hugely important to Oman’s economic ambitions. Ithraa strives to put Oman in a place where business can grow, succeed and thrive. It also strives to put Oman in a place where great ideas and innovations are turned into great products and services. And as the new foreign investment legislation shows, Oman is more determined than ever to deliver the pro-business environment investors require.

Led by Nasima Al Balushi, Ithraa Export Team helps Omani non-oil exporters explore markets around the world. The efforts of the Ithraa Export Team have been helping grow jobs at home, strengthen Oman’s economy, and ensure long-term, sustainable economic growth for nearly 25 years.

Ithraa wants to empower Omani companies to go out and succeed in global markets. It encourages businesses across the country to think big. Ithraa goal is to provide everything an ambitious company needs to succeed in today’s global economy.

Ithraa team works hand-in-hand with local businesses providing market intelligence, organizing trade missions, B2B meetings with international buyers and agents as well as the highly popular and successful OPEX exhibitions that it co-organizes with Oman Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OCCI) and Madayn – the most recent of which was held in Rwanda in early March.

Designed to boost bilateral trade and investment, the four-day Kigali trade show provided 60 Omani exporters with a platform to showcase their products and services to a growing and influential Rwandan business community. The 60 exhibitors met with over 320 Rwandan firms during the B2B sessions we organised. And according to a post-event survey, 24% of the participating Omani firms had already reported securing export orders while 64% are in the process of finalising agreements with Rwandan agents and distributors.

In February, Ithraa took a stand at the highly popular Gulfood exhibition in Dubai – a trade show that attracts 5,000 exhibitors and over 90,000 attendees. It’s exactly the type of event to showcase Oman’s outstanding food and beverage sector. And as result of Ithraa’s participation, post-event research indicates 75% of the firms on the Oman pavilion sealed export deals, one firm securing an export order worth in the region of US$130,000 and another at US$75,000.

At the beginning of the year, and in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries, Ithraa co-organized the Sultanate’s pavilion at the seasonal honey exhibition in Doha. Eleven Omani honey producers participated at the show, 90% of which secured export orders.