Inside Stories 2016

Vision Promoting the sultanate as the best destination for investment and trade in the world.

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Mission To attract sustainable investment and promote the export of Omani non-oil goods and services that support the sultanate’s ambitions for growth and prosperity.

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Formed in 1996, Ithraa is Oman’s award-winning inward investment and export development agency.

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We are an ambitious organization committed to promoting the business benefits of Oman to a global audience. Our experience, expertise and global reach helps companies of all sizes realize their potential.

Talk to Us Tel: +968 24 62 33 00 Fax: +968 24 62 33 36 www.ithraa.om Ithraa, PO Box 25, Wadi Kabir 117, Sultanate of Oman.

Strategic Partner

Associate Partner

The Public Authority for Investment Promotion & Export Development

Inside Stories is a series of four informal evening discussions, organized by Ithraa, Oman’s inward investment and export development agency, and held at Bank Muscat’s Head Office in Airport Heights, Seeb. The series brings together some of the sultanate’s most inspirational and innovative business people, scientists, journalists, teachers, civil servants, architects, environmentalists and artists to share their stories. And together, we discuss the opportunities and trends that are redefining what it means to be in, and start, a business today. Sessions are always stimulating and informative. Inside Stories is open to all.

EVENING ONE Hyperlocal Tourism 7.30pm Monday 19 September Bank Muscat’s Head Office EVENING TWO Made in Oman 7.30pm Wednesday 21 September Bank Muscat’s Head Office EVENING THREE Urban Logistics 7.30pm Monday 26 September Bank Muscat’s Head Office EVENING FOUR The Circular Economy 7.30pm Wednesday 28 September Bank Muscat’s Head Office

To attend any of the Inside Stories evening sessions register via:

events.ithraa.om

Media Partners

Design: Lamahat www.studiolamahat.com | Print: Al Anan Printing www.alananprinting.com | Photography courtesy of Ithraa

THE DISCUSSION

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EVENING ONE 7.30pm Monday 19 September Bank Muscat’s Head Office

Hyperlocal Tourism Tourism is Big Business In 1950, there were only 25 million international tourist arrivals worldwide.

In 2012, the tourism sector achieved the milestone of one billion international arrivals, surpassing 1.8 billion in 2015.

Today, the travel and tourism industry outperforms manufacturing, retail, financial services and communications.

In fact, one in 11 jobs on the planet is supported by travel and tourism.

It’s big business.

Travellers’ Expectations Once a tourist arrives in Oman their expectations are high, they’re investing time and money in a unique and authentic experience. Whether it’s climbing mountains, crossing deserts, sailing, relaxing on a beach or shopping, tourists want the best time possible. And Oman’s small businesses, particularly those in the creative industries, play a vital role in helping tourists realize their expectations, as well as supporting the hotels they stay in and the airlines they travel on.

Authentic Experience Today’s travellers are looking for real and meaningful experiences in non-traditional destinations.

Travellers have evolved. They’ve become social travellers and want to do something offbeat and connect with people, culture, history and cuisine, to get a real sense of the place. The demand for local experiences and hyper-local activities is on the rise.

Travellers want hyper-local or micro tours of Oman’s forts, mosques, restaurants and markets.

Surely, this offers interesting opportunities for Oman’s creative industries?

MODERATED BY Dr. Wail Al Harrasi Corporate Technology Advisor Petroleum Development Oman THE PANELISTS Issa Sultan Al Ismaili Executive Director Oman World Tourism LLC Khalid Al Yahmadi Chief Executive Officer Muscat National Development & Investment Company ASAAS Mazen Khoury Investment Director Tourism & Culture Oman Investment Fund Graham Leslie Chief Executive Officer Al Siraj Hospitality

Creative Industries Are Omani hotels connecting their lodgings with references to local communities? Playing local music, placing locally grown flowers at reception, using locally made toiletries in bathrooms, serving produce grown on local farms, showcasing local artistic talent on their walls. And are our shops selling high-end locally made souvenirs?

To attend any of the Inside Stories evening sessions register via: events.ithraa.om

THE DISCUSSION

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EVENING TWO 7.30pm Wednesday 21 September Bank Muscat’s Head Office

Made in Oman Made In Oman Worldwide, manufacturing has been helping drive economic growth and raise living standards for nearly three centuries. Sixteen years into the 21st century, manufacturing continues to power the global economy.

In Oman, manufacturing, as we know it today, started in 1975; and today employs 61,000+ people and exports to 140 countries. In 2015, Oman’s non-oil exports reached US$8 billion, up from US$680 million in 2002.

Career Opportunities Access to talent is already an important factor in location decisions of manufacturers – more than the cost of salaries. Oman has a rich pool of human capital and managing it effectively will help enhance our competitive advantage. In turn, manufacturing can provide valuable employment opportunities and career paths for Oman’s youth.

Skilled Workforce With the increasing speed and complexity of manufacturing industries, the need for more high-skilled workers is growing and shortages of workers with training in technical and analytical specialties are appearing. Oman’s manufacturers, schools and higher education need to deepen dialogue to ensure that skills of their graduates meet the needs of industry.

MODERATED BY Dr. Wail Al Harrasi Corporate Technology Advisor Petroleum Development Oman THE PANELISTS Shadya Al Ismailiya Founder Deema Oman Nicholas Barakat Chief Executive Officer Octal Eng. Abdullah Al Wahaibi Business Development Manager Voltamp Energy S.A.O.G

Home Grown Talent Oman graduates 17,000+ higher education students annually. We must ensure that Omani manufacturers access this valuable talent pool for the growing number of jobs in management, sales, marketing, accounting, R&D and production posts and that graduates are aware of the many career opportunities in manufacturing.

Indeed, how can we prepare young Omanis for jobs in manufacturing? And how can we improve take-up of jobs in the manufacturing sector?

To attend any of the Inside Stories evening sessions register via: events.ithraa.om

THE DISCUSSION

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EVENING THREE 7.30pm Monday 26 September Bank Muscat’s Head Office

Urban Logistics Road Freight Today, 64% of all travel happens within urban environments and the total amount of urban kilometers travelled is expected to triple by 2050. Freight transport is responsible for 20% of road traffic, 30% of road occupation and 30% of CO² emissions in cities.

Inefficient Service Urban logistics is essential to the functioning of Oman’s city economies, ensuring the supply of goods in stores and for local firms it forms a vital link with suppliers and customers. However, it’s extremely inefficient. As it currently stands, almost all urban freight is delivered by motorised vehicles often transporting very light goods. For example, the average payload transported in European cities weighs less than 100kg and has a volume of less than 1m³. Of the 1,900 vans and trucks entering the city of Breda in the Netherlands each day, less than 10% of the cargo being delivered requires a van or truck and 40% of deliveries involve just one box.

MODERATED BY Shabib Al Maamari Communications & External Affairs Manager BP Oman

The Final Mile It’s easy to bring goods into Oman via plane, ship, or truck but it’s much harder to bring what’s been ordered to houses or offices from the central point to which it was delivered.

Indeed, the final mile of urban logistics plays a crucial role in Oman’s supply chain. Get it wrong and you risk alienating consumers, get it right and you may just gain a customer for life. To meet this challenge, we need to reconsider urban delivery solutions that are more effective, customer-centric, sustainable and eco-friendly.

Ali Thabet Country Manager DHL Express

THE PANELISTS Imad Al-Khaduri GM - Business Development Oman Global Logistics Group SAOC Chris Clark International Development Manager MedServ

Mohammed Sadek Sulaiman Head of Investment, Private Markets National Investments Development Company SAOC (TANMIA)

The Role of Small Business How can freight be transported in the final mile, in the most efficient and environmentally friendly way, travelling the shortest distance and without loss of time from its origin to its destination in an urban environment at minimal cost, using minimal land and causing minimal pollution? How do we encourage start-ups and small businesses to come up with solutions to the questions?

To attend any of the Inside Stories evening sessions register via: events.ithraa.om

THE DISCUSSION

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EVENING FOUR 7.30pm Wednesday 28 September Bank Muscat’s Head Office

The Circular Economy Wasteful Cities Nearly all waste is generated by city-dwellers and as the world’s population grows and hurtles towards an urban future, the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW), one of the most important by-products of an urban lifestyle, is growing even faster than the rate of urbanization.

Garbage Ten years ago there were 2.9 billion urban residents generating about 0.64kg of MSW per person per day – that’s 0.68 billion tonnes per year. By 2025 this will likely increase to 4.3 billion urban residents generating about 1.42kg per person per day of MSW that’s 2.2 billion tonnes per year.

On the domestic front, Oman’s population is projected to reach 4.9 million by 2025, with each person generating 1.2kg of waste per day. The possible negative repercussions of generating such large amounts of MSW are simply staggering.

Indeed, once you start to think about them, it’s hard to think about anything else.

Impact We have to realize that continued economic growth can’t come at the expense of Oman’s environment.

To address this, we need to further integrate waste management systems while making reduced environmental impact a national priority.

MODERATED BY Dr. Nadiya Al Saady Executive Director OAPGRC THE PANELISTS Sheikh Mohammed Al Harthi Executive Vice President Be’ah Dr. Mahad Baawain Associate Professor Sultan Qaboos University Dr. Steve Halls Senior Advisor Ministry of Environment & Climate Affairs Saleh Al Shukaili Permitting Advisor BP Oman

The challenge is to reduce the amount of solid waste generated, while increasing the amount of waste diverted from Oman’s landfills through reuse, recycling and other initiatives in an economically and environmentally-friendly way. How do we best achieve this and what commercial opportunities are there in the waste management and circular economy space? And what can we do in particular for young, eco-conscious entrepreneurs?

Green Jobs Research shows that the job creation potential of the re-use sector is significantly higher than recycling, incineration and landfill. It’s estimated that for 10,000 tonnes of waste products and materials, one job would be created if incineration were used, compared to six jobs in landfill, 36 jobs in recycling and up to 296 in refurbishment and re-use. The conclusion from these statistics is clear: landfilling kills jobs.

To attend any of the Inside Stories evening sessions register via: events.ithraa.om