MUSCAT — Maithaa bint Saif bin Majid al Mahrouqiyah, Under-Secretary of the Tourism Ministry, has announced the results of the first version of the Quality Competition for Camps in the North and South Al Sharqiyah governorates. 1001 Night Camp in Bidiya came first, Desert Nights Camp in Bidiya and the Turtle Beach Resort shared the second place and Rahalla Camp in Bidiya came third.
The assessment criteria included the interest in the quality of the tourism product, such as the cultural and folklore programmes and activities of the camp, the architectural design, use of local materials in the building of the camp, the Omani meals at the camp, the cleanliness of the entrance and restaurant, reception, outer area, kitchen, stores, WCs and furniture.
The criteria also included the care for the facilities inside the guests' rooms and the qualification of staff. It also included the marketing aspects, the participation at the local and foreign exhibitions, website for the camp, as well as assessing the performance of the camp management in terms of timely payment of tourist fees, providing data about visitors, renewing permits, records of employees and records for the incoming and outgoing correspondence.
Al Mahrouqiyah said the competition has achieved the aims of the ministry in terms of ensuring comprehensive management of tourist camps in the governorates of South and North Al Sharqiyah. 
It received great response from visitors to these camps.
Abdullah bin Salim al Hajri, Director of the Tourism Administration at the governorates of South and North Al Sharqiyah, said that work is under way to add new items to the 2nd version of the competition in a bid to promote it through which the ministry aims to develop administrative work system in the camps.
Recently, the ministry shared its strategic plans and new focus areas for 2012 that aim to complement the latest honour given to the country’s capital Muscat, which was selected as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2012. One of the main goals of this year’s tourism programme is to present Oman as a year-round destination. — ONA
