The meticulously-crafted Khanjar, incense burners and many other handcrafted items from the Sultanate of Oman trace their roots back several hundreds of years, and remain a key feature of the Omani culture even as the country has seen very fast economic development.

The Salalah Tourism Festival (STF) will start with the Eid festivities this year. Beginning from the second day of Eid al Fitr, the official festival will continue for another 26 days.

The creation of a new multi-billion-dollar industrial city in Bahrain could soon be given the green light as the government steps up its efforts to build on its manufacturing base.

The transport sector in Qatar has had mixed results so far this year, in part a reflection of its exposure to the global economy. However, the three leading transport firms listed on the bourse continued to post strong earnings leading into the last quarter of the year. 

The launch of 4G long-term evolution (LTE) services in Kuwait has sparked a wave of increased activity among mobile operators as they move to attract new business in what is already a fiercely competitive telecoms market. 

An extensive study to develop a long-term strategy for tourism is underway in Oman after the minister responsible for the sector acknowledged that although solid progress had been made in recent years, the industry has not yet reached its full potential.

Although growth is expected to ease in Saudi Arabia’s competitive insurance sector this year, the industry still holds plenty of potential for expansion, particularly in the health and life segments.