Two exhibitions shut in Oman for selling foreign items

Muscat: Oman's Ministry of Commerce and Industry has closed down two exhibitions of Omani products for violation of regulations, in a move designed to protect Omani businessmen and their products.

The companies organising the exhibition were allowing the exhibitors to display and selling foreign products in exhibitions where only Omani products could be displayed and sold.

The Ministry said in a statement, “The ministry realised a against four companies who organised exhibitions and slapped them with an OMR5,000 fine. This is to protect Omani entrepreneurs and their products as these national products and industries exhibitions are exclusively for Omanis products and exhibitors have to be Omani only, according to the regulations.”

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry added: “The exhibition of national products and industries is dedicated to promoting and selling the products of Omani small and medium enterprises, entrepreneurs and craftsmen. The exhibitors in question were displaying and selling foreign and imported products.”

One of the companies also allowed the exhibitors to sell items despite it being a marketing only exhibition where sales are prohibited.

The ministry exhibition lists include 10 types of exhibitions that can be organised in Sultanate, each type with its own conditions and controls, including: “marketing exhibitions, specialised consumer exhibitions, exhibitions associated with festivals, exhibitions of one state, exhibitions of national products and industries, culture exhibitions, charitable exhibitions, Eid exhibitions, exhibitions organised by the centres and malls, as well as exhibitions organised by Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry oversees all of those organising and managing exhibitions and ensures compliance with the regulations in the best interests of the public and to encourage the development of the exhibition sector in the Sultanate so as to contribute to the national economy without causing any damage to the local market.