Oman’s hotel count jumps 43% to 1,475

MUSCAT: South Al Batinah emerged as Oman’s biggest hub for hotels in 2025, accounting for 313 establishments as the Sultanate’s hospitality sector recorded a sharp expansion in both supply and revenues. The number of hotels across Oman rose to 1,475 in 2025, up 43.1% from 1,031 a year earlier, according to the latest National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) report.South Al Batinah topped the governorates with 313 hotels, followed by Muscat with 271 and Al Dakhliyah with 209. South Al Sharqiyah recorded 207 hotels, while Dhofar had 114 and North Al Sharqiyah 104. North Al Batinah had 97, Al Dhahirah 66, Al Buraimi 41, Al Wusta 39 and Musandam 14.The sharp increase in accommodation capacity comes as Oman continues to strengthen tourism as a key contributor to economic diversification, with a growing hospitality network supporting domestic and international visitor demand.The hotel landscape remains dominated by establishments outside the conventional star-rated categories.Of the 1,475 hotels, 1,246 were classified as ‘Other’, while 77 carried a two-star rating, 73 were three-star properties, 48 were four-star and 31 were five-star hotels.The expansion has also translated into a larger workforce. Employment in hotel activities reached 28,478 in 2025, including 9,292 Omanis and 19,186 non-Omani workers. Omanis therefore accounted for nearly one-third of the sector’s workforce.Hotel revenues also recorded strong growth, climbing to OMR359 million in 2025 from OMR293.4 million in 2024, an increase of 22.3%.The figures point to a hospitality sector expanding on multiple fronts: accommodation capacity has grown rapidly, revenues are rising at a solid pace and employment has increased alongside the expansion.With South Al Batinah now leading the country in hotel numbers, the distribution also highlights the growing importance of governorates outside the traditional tourism centres. Muscat remains a major hospitality market, but the breadth of hotel activity across Al Batinah, Dakhliyah, Dhofar and the Sharqiyah governorates suggests a more geographically diversified tourism economy.