On Tuesday, the Media, Tourism, and Culture Committee of the Shura Council hosted His Excellency Engineer Ibrahim bin Saeed Al-Kharousi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Heritage. This meeting followed the committee's proposal to explore ways to maximize the economic returns of certain World Heritage-listed sites and to hold an auction for the sale of cultural heritage artifacts in Oman.

The meeting began with a presentation delivered by His Excellency the Undersecretary, focusing on the importance of the heritage sector in Oman, its role in preserving values, customs, and national identity, as well as its contribution to developing heritage and cultural tourism and enhancing local added value.
During the presentation, the Undersecretary outlined the ministry’s vision, mission, and strategic plans within the current ten-year development plan for the heritage sector. He emphasized the ministry’s commitment to developing and promoting the sector as a key driver of sustainable economic growth in Oman. He also provided an overview of the sector’s responsibilities, current initiatives, and the ongoing digital transformation efforts undertaken by the ministry.
His Excellency further discussed aspects related to the Omani Cultural Heritage Register, including statistics on the number of registered artifacts and the various initiatives currently implemented by the ministry, such as the "Tamkeen" initiative and innovation projects involving traditional Omani "sarooj" plaster and green cotton. The goals and stages of these initiatives were also highlighted. Additionally, the Undersecretary reviewed the regulations and legislation guiding the management of Omani tourist landmarks and the importance of assigning management responsibilities to local companies to ensure sustainability, while creating a distinct Omani identity to present to foreign tourists.
Members of the committee then engaged ministry officials in discussions regarding the delay in investing in certain heritage sites for tourism purposes. They emphasized the need for integration in several tourism projects related to forts and castles, maximizing their potential to attract foreign tourists, and addressing the social responsibility of heritage sites before offering them for local investment.
The discussion also touched on the challenges facing the local auction of cultural heritage artifacts, including efforts to attract collectors of antique artifacts and prevent their illegal smuggling outside of Oman. The committee also discussed a proposal to establish an association for amateur museum owners in Oman to combat the illicit trade of cultural property. Additionally, plans to protect geological and fossil heritage sites, as well as initiatives to monitor 



meteorites through sensors in collaboration with the University of Bern in Switzerland, were reviewed.
The hosting took place during the second meeting of the Media, Tourism, and Culture Committee, between the first and second sessions of the tenth term (2023-2027) of the council. The meeting was chaired by His Excellency Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Harthi, the committee's chairman, and attended by committee members.