Tuesday 29 / September / 2026
Muscat: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, represented by the Experience and Sales Center at Sultan Haitham City, held a press conference on Tuesday to announce Muscat Governorate's hosting of the 6th edition of Urban October 2026 - Home, Build & Conference Exhibition from 5-8 October at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Maher Ali Al Hinai, Director of the Communication and Media Department at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, clarified that the exhibition is held this year under the slogan "Urban October" and on the occasion of World Habitat Day 2026, in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), to be the premier urban event in the region bringing together an elite group of leaders, experts, and innovators to shape a more sustainable future, open new horizons for investment, and accelerate the infrastructure readiness of tomorrow's cities.
He stated that the exhibition is witnessing a strategic shift toward global scale this year, as its total area has expanded to over 19,000 square metres compared to 800 square metres in its inception, pointing out that the event coincides with the Sultanate of Oman hosting "World Habitat Day 2026" with the participation of a UN delegation headed by Anacláudia Rossbach, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat, alongside participants from 50 countries around the world.
Al Hinai added that the conference sessions will include 50 specialised UN working papers focusing on the fields of housing, urban planning, quality of life, and urban resilience, noting that the exhibition will feature the participation of 160 real estate developers, 200 pavilions, and 100 global and local speakers, alongside organising 25 accompanying events in several governorates, the participation of 25 projects by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in addition to reviewing Omani future city projects before the international community.
He emphasised that this synchronisation and international momentum solidify the inclusion of the event within the global calendar and reinforce the Sultanate of Oman's standing in international urban dialogue, facilitating knowledge transfer and the exchange of best practices to develop Omani cities. He explained that the event combines showcasing the capabilities of the Omani market with leveraging UN expertise to realise direct investment and development opportunities, supported by the ultimate goal of World Habitat Day, which is providing adequate housing for all.
The Director of the Communication and Media Department pointed out that the list of the exhibition's most prominent outcomes includes awarding tenders for new projects, providing new homeownership opportunities, in addition to launching the "My First Home" initiative targeted at citizens eligible for government land.
