Oman Tourism is aiming straight for the consumer with its latest campaign Sidetrip of a Lifetime, after two years of targeting the trade.
At the campaign’s Sydney launch last night, Australia and New Zealand manager Mona Tannous explained the new microsite aims to directly reach the consumer via 144 films clips of Oman experiences. Previous marketing was designed to raise awareness among the trade.
However, travel agents would not be overlooked by the new campaign, Tannous insisted, with the new site directing potential travellers to a “preferred” agent. To qualify, agents must have completed its online training scheme and visited the destination either as part of a famil or self-sponsored.
Tannous told Travel Today 780 agents had so far completed the training, but revealed only 10% of them had so far registered online to become preferred agents.
She urged travel agents who had completed its online training to register in order to benefit from interest generated by the new campaign.
With a number of the destination’s luxury properties featuring in the footage, Tannous admitted the destination was not suited to the budget market. Its tally of luxury properties is set to grow this year with five-star hotels on the cards including its first Fairmont and Banyan Tree ventures.
But she insisted there was a wealth of mid-range accommodation available that often went overlooked. “There are also lots of bed and breakfasts and guest houses opening up, especially in the villages of Oman,” she said.
While figures for 2011 have yet to be released, Tannous forecast numbers from Australia would be up 4% on 2010, when just under 16,000 visited the destination.
