meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Oman plans year-round mountain destination

27 March 2024

Much is changing in Oman as the sultanate launches a series of cities and destinations as part of Oman Vision 2040.

These projects form part of the Oman National Spatial Strategy (ONSS), which was approved by Sultan Haitham Bin Tariq in March 2021 to direct urban growth in the sultanate for the next 20 years.

The ONSS, which is part of the Housing & Urban Planning Ministry, is responsible for making sure Oman’s projects are set in the best locations, as well as with overseeing the development of a new generation of futuristic cities across the sultanate.

“We started with a pilot project,” says Ibrahim Waili, executive director of the ONSS. 

“At first we called it Seeb City. It is now called Sultan Haitham City and was publicly launched last year. We have sold phase one to real estate developers, and they are launching sales. It is a big deal. People are already buying, and we are already building the infrastructure.”

Sultan Haitham City covers an area of 14.8 square kilometres and is designed to accommodate 100,000 people, with housing options including detached and semi-detached villas, townhouses and flats. A total of 20,000 housing units are planned.

Other projects in the pipeline include cities in Nizwa, Salalah and Sohar. “These cities will together deliver something in the range of 60,000 real estate units. There are 20,000 in Sultan Haitham City. The rest vary between 10,000 and 15,000 units,” says Waili.

Mountain escape

The most recent project to be officially announced was the Omani Mountain Destination (OMD) in February. It is
a new development planned for Jebel Al Akhdar, which is a mountain in the Omani interior, located 150 kilometres from Muscat. 

The project began as an idea when Sultan Haitham visited his assets in the area shortly after becoming sultan in 2020. After the visit, he decided to use his land to create a global destination.

“It is a prime location because it is at the peak of Jebel Al Akhdar,” says Waili. 

The altitude is crucial because it offers a cooler retreat for people looking to escape the extreme heat of summer in the Gulf.

“The temperature difference between the peak and Muscat, and other areas at sea level, is about 10 degrees. It is also about another 2 degrees cooler than the rest of the mountain because it is at an elevation of 2,400-2,500 metres.”

Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRealis prepared the masterplan for the $2.4bn destination, which includes 2,537 housing units, 2,000 hotel rooms and a health and wellness village known as the Vessel.

The development will also include a biodiversity centre, a high-altitude sports training centre, amphitheatres, a museum and parks.

“The government will act as the master developer, and will sell land to third-party real estate developers,” says Waili. “We already have investors that want to build,” he adds.

Traditionally, property ownership on the mountain was restricted to people from Jebel Al Akhdar. The OMD will differ, and property will be sold to other Omanis and foreign nationals. 

“The masterplan has been designed to hold a festival for up to 30,000 people,” says Waili.

“Because of the weather that we have there – it’s zero degrees in winter and 25 degrees in summer – we can have different types of activities and festivals all year round, and that will make it a unique location in the Arabian Peninsula. 

“We are going to have our own Davos,” he adds.

It’s zero degrees in winter and 25 degrees in summer … that will make it a unique location in the Arabian Peninsula
Ibrahim Waili, ONSS

Boosting accessibility

Improved access will also help boost the destination’s appeal. 

Although at present Jebel Al Akhdar is only accessible from a road to the south of the mountain, located in the Nizwa area, with the new development there is a plan to also open up access onto the mountain from the north.

This will significantly cut journey times from the most densely populated areas of Oman, which extend from Muscat northwards along the Batinah coast. 

Journey times from the UAE and major cities such as Dubai will also be reduced significantly. 

The new road will follow a shallower gradient and will be able to be used by two-wheel-drive cars. The existing road from the south is so steep that only four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed to use it. 

To increase the accessibility of the resort even further, the masterplan for the OMD development also includes a cable car that will take visitors to the top of the mountain. 

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/11636904/main.gif
Colin Foreman

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Saudi Arabia battery storage awards provide fresh lift

    24 August 2026

    Commentary
    Mark Dowdall
    Power & water editor

    The latest battery storage awards provide a welcome injection of investment into Saudi Arabia’s power market, which has seen a sharp slowdown in contract awards this year.

    Saudi Power Procurement Company’s four Group 1 storage service agreements, announced last week, are worth more than $1.16bn and cover 2,000MW of capacity.

    That is significant against the wider market. According to regional project tracker MEED Projects, Saudi Arabia recorded $19.7bn in power sector contract awards in the first seven months of 2025, compared with just $2.5bn in new awards in the same period this year.

    The battery energy storage system (bess) awards therefore account for a sizeable share of the activity recorded so far this year and provide a much-needed source of new contracting activity.

    Importantly, this is not a one-off. SPPC issued the request for proposal (RFP) for its second group of bess projects in July, covering six projects with a combined capacity of 3,000MW and 12,000MWh.

    With the Group 1 tender taking around 18 months from RFP to contract award, it is reasonable to expect Group 2 contracts to be signed in 2027.

    At the same time, the awards for six independent renewable plants under Round 7 of Saudi Arabia’s National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP), with a combined capacity of 5,300MW, are also likely to move into next year, with the latest bid deadlines now extending into September.

    Although a substantial pipeline remains in procurement, it is only once these projects move from tender to award and into construction that this pipeline translates into market activity.

    It is important that these tenders continue to progress at the pace established by the early rounds of Saudi Arabia’s renewable energy programme and now also SPPC’s independent storage provider bess scheme.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18962923/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Qatar receives bids for major power grid expansion

    24 August 2026

     

    Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has received bids for several packages under a major power transmission expansion project tendered in April.

    The project covers new substations at multiple voltage levels, as well as the supply and installation of 400kV extra-high-voltage power cables. The overall scheme is estimated to cost $650m.

    It is being tendered as part of Kahramaa’s 2026 procurement plan, which includes 198 tenders with a total estimated value of QR21.4bn ($5.9bn).

    According to sources, bids were submitted for the following packages on 20 August:

    • Substation packages S1 and S2, covering new 132/11kV substations (estimated cost: $200m)
    • Package S3, covering new 66/11kV substations ($50m)
    • Package S4, including a new 400/220/132kV substation, as well as upgrades and modifications to existing 400kV and 220kV substations ($200m)
    • Package S5, covering new 132/11kV substations and upgrades to existing 132kV and 66kV substations ($100m)
    • Cable packages C1 and C2, covering 400kV cables ($100m)

    Kahramaa previously stated that foreign companies not registered in Qatar would be allowed to participate in the bidding, subject to meeting specified conditions, including registration and certification requirements.

    In June, the electricity and water utility awarded contracts worth more than QR2.2bn ($604m) to expand the electricity transmission network in the country’s western region.

    The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) works will support the integration of the 2GW Dukhan solar power project into Qatar’s national electricity grid. The scope includes new and upgraded substations, as well as the installation of underground cables and overhead transmission lines.

    Kahramaa said contracts were awarded to local firm Voltage Engineering, Turkiye’s Best & Betas Consortium, India’s Larsen & Toubro and South Korea’s LS Cable.

    Of Kahramaa’s 2026 procurement plan, electricity transmission projects account for QR8.9bn ($2.4bn) and include the construction of new 400/132kV substations in Al-Wukair and Al-Mashaf, as well as the expansion of 400kV substations at Ras Laffan.

    These also cover the installation of 132kV underground cables between Al-Sailiya and Al-Rayyan over a 24-kilometre route, as well as upgrades to the 400kV and 220kV networks.

    Additionally, there are 64 planned electricity distribution projects managed by the Electricity Distribution Department that cover the medium-voltage and low-voltage networks throughout Doha and the regional municipalities. 

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18962223/main.jpg
    Mark Dowdall
  • Maaden closes $1bn term loan and credit facility

    24 August 2026

    Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) has announced the closing of its inaugural international syndicated term loan and revolving credit facilities, worth a total of $1bn.

    The $500m international term loan facility will support Maaden’s growth agenda and general corporate purposes, including funding growth projects across its portfolio.

    The $500m international revolving credit facility, which is expected to remain undrawn, provides additional committed funding capacity “as Maaden continues to scale its business and execute its long-term growth strategy”.

    The transaction “was met with strong support from the international banking market, attracting participation from a diverse group of leading international banks across key global financial markets”, including the US, Canada, Europe, China and Japan. The facilities were oversubscribed, Maaden said.

    ALSO READ: Maaden and Aramco sign deal to create joint venture

    “The level of demand reflects the global banking community’s confidence in Maaden’s financial strength, strategic direction and ambitious growth plans,” the Saudi state miner said in its statement.

    “The facilities mark another significant milestone in Maaden’s funding journey – further diversifying its sources of funding and broadening its access to global capital providers as the company continues to advance its long-term growth ambitions.

    “Maaden continues to make significant progress across its growth pipeline, expanding production, advancing major projects and accelerating exploration as it builds a world-class mining company at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation.”

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18962086/main4516.jpg
    Indrajit Sen
  • Dubai inflation slows to 5.3% in July

    24 August 2026

    Dubai’s annual inflation rate slowed to 5.3% in July, down from 5.7% in June, as a decline in transport costs eased pressure on consumer prices, according to Emirates NBD.

    The bank said the slowdown supported its view that price growth peaked at mid-year, and it expects inflation to continue easing through the rest of 2026. Monthly price growth slowed to 0.1% in July, from 0.4% in June, the weakest pace since February.

    Transport was the clearest sign of the moderation. Annual price growth in the category slowed to 11.9% in July, from 18.1% in June, as transport costs fell 3.7% over the month. Fuel and lubricant inflation eased to 24.1% year on year, from 48.3%, tracking a decline in local petrol prices.

    Petrol remains the main swing factor in the emirate’s inflation. Transport contributed 1.1 percentage points to headline inflation in July, down from 1.7 percentage points in June. Emirates NBD said the relief may prove temporary, with Super 98 petrol prices climbing 5.9% in August to leave them 33.8% higher than a year earlier. The bank expects headline inflation to edge higher in the August figures before easing again later in the year.

    The UAE deregulated petrol and diesel prices in 2015 and reviews them monthly against global prices, meaning changes in global fuel costs pass through to consumers quickly. Transport, which includes fuel, accounts for 9% of Dubai’s consumer price index basket.

    Housing remained the largest contributor to inflation even as its impulse faded. Housing and utilities, which account for about two-fifths of the basket, added 2.8 percentage points to headline inflation. Annual price growth in the category slowed to 7.0%, from 7.4% in January.

    Food inflation edged up to 7.8% year on year, from 7.6% in June, which the bank attributed to lingering supply-chain disruption from the regional conflict. Inflation in restaurants and hotels accelerated to 4.5% year on year, from 1.7% in June.

    Emirates NBD forecasts inflation of 2.9% by year-end but said risks to that projection were tilted to the upside, given lingering pressures in food and housing.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18961735/main1839.jpg
    Colin Foreman
  • Libya oil project on track for 2027 completion

    24 August 2026

     

    The project to develop a workers’ camp at Libya’s Erawin oil field is on track for completion next year, according to industry sources.

    The project, estimated to be worth about $50m, is being executed by the Libyan oil services company Al-Saraya Al-Hamara, headquartered in the city of Sebha.

    The Libyan company was awarded the contract in February 2025.

    The scope of the project includes:

    • Construction of an accommodation camp
    • Construction of the camp maintenance warehouse
    • Construction of the camp office
    • Construction of a fire brigade shelter
    • Construction of a kitchen and mess hall
    • Construction of a mosque
    • Construction of a laundry room
    • Construction of a clinic
    • Construction of parking facilities
    • Installation of a fire and gas system
    • Installation of a power generator
    • Construction of associated facilities

    The client on the project is Zallaf Libya Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Company.

    Zallaf Libya Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Company was established in Libya in 2013 and is wholly owned by Libya’s state-owned National Oil Corporation.

    The Erawin field development project is located about 800 kilometres south of Tripoli and 100km southwest of the El-Sharara field.

    Libya shipped its first cargo of crude from the Erawin oil field in November 2023.

    The shipment departed from Libya’s Zawiyah port and consisted of 600,000 barrels of crude.

    Australia-based Worley Parsons was appointed as the front-end engineering and design (feed) contractor for the early production facility project in 2019.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/18953632/main.jpg
    Wil Crisp