Oman Air contributed $4.5 billion to the local economy

MUSCAT: Oman Air has contributed over $4.5 billion to the local economy in 2024, seven percent up compared to a year earlier.

Accumulative official records from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotions, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy and the National Center for Statistical Information show the national carrier’s indirect positive contributions to Oman’s economy.

Oman Air, which carried about 5.4 million passengers in 2024, flew into the country different nationals where 40 percent of them are from the regional countries.

The rest are from Asia, Europe, North America and Africa. Analysts say the airline generated much needed revenues in different areas of the economy to boost the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“The visitors flying with Oman Air to the Sultanate contributed in a variety of ways. From taxes, hotels, restaurants, tours, shopping, entertainment and so on. This is to show the importance of the national airline and its contribution to the GDP is always underrated unless we look deep into the economic datasheets,” Mustafa Al-Habsi, researching for his PhD thesis in economy, said.

Al-Habsi also said the airline’s contribution includes an assessment of direct economic activity generated by the aviation sector, indirect activity generated through the sector’s supply chain, and induced activity supported through wage-funded consumption by the local aviation workforce.

Oman Air nearly trebled the number of passengers it carried in the first half of this year, following an aggressive marketing campaign to attract more customers and move its balance sheet back into the black.

The national carrier flew 200,000 passengers in the period between January to June this year, compared with 75,000 passengers in the same period in 2024.