The company behind groundbreaking port calls by some of the world's most celebrated passenger liners has mooted the establishment of a dedicated national cruise tourism authority to help achieve the nation's cruise tourism ambitions.

Khimji Shipping, which is credited with bringing to Oman such iconic liners as the Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, AIDA Blue, Costa Deliziosa, Ocean Village, Ocean Princes and so on, says the institution of an apex national body to oversee this rapidly growing tourism segment, will help position the Sultanate as a regional hub for cruise tourism.

Modelled on the lines of well-known international cruise tourism bodies in Miami, Port Everglades, New York City, Southampton and Sydney, a dedicated authority in the Sultanate will help provide much-needed direction and impetus to Oman's goal of becoming a cruise tourism hub, says Khimji Shipping's Chief Executive Officer, M C Jose.

"While we have all of the ingredients that make for a world-class cruise destination, we have not made it a reality on the ground yet -- an objective that can be best achieved only with the creation of a dedicated cruise tourism authority. In fact, an apex body becomes even more indispensable at this juncture, especially as the government embarks on the landmark task of converting Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat into a full-fledged tourism hub," Jose stated in comments to the Observer.

The CEO, whose company accounts for more than half of all cruise traffic into the Sultanate, lists a number of initiatives he says can help harness the lucrative potential of cruise tourism for the benefit of the wider economy.

"Although Oman is widely acknowledged as perhaps the most attractive stopover for cruise ships in the Gulf region, all the passenger exchanges -- the main money-spinner for host destinations -- take place in the Upper Gulf. Consequently, what the local industry earns as a result of cruise calls is minimal compared with the earnings of destinations that are equipped for passenger exchanges."

Cruises are typically short holidays with cruise line operator opting for a port of its choice to disembark tourists who have completed the cruise and to embark a new group at the start of a new cruise. This operation is called 'passenger exchange'.

According to Jose, the vast majority of cruise liners calling Omani ports arrive for day-long stopovers, meaning they typically arrive at dawn and set sail just before dusk. While a ship is at berth, many of the passengers disembark for shore trips involving coach tours or 4WD-based trips to natural and historical attractions in and around the city. Others go hunting for artefacts, souvenirs and knick-knacks.

Consequently, the only beneficiaries are the tour operators, taxis, souvenir stores and related service providers. Few, if any, benefits accrue to the rest of the tourism industry, let alone the wider local economy, he laments.

But with passenger exchanges, potential earnings to the tourism industry and local economy grow multifold, Jose argues. "A passenger exchange typically means that a cruise liner stays in port for at least two days to allow for passengers to disembark after the cruise, clean the ship and receive a new group of passengers for the next voyage. They typically board a charter flight and return home. At the same time, a new complement of passengers flies in by charter and embarks at the start of a new cruise.

"A good number of tourists will fly in on scheduled flights and spend some time in the passenger exchange location either before boarding the vessel or after completing the cruise. They check into a city hotel and enjoy the sights and sounds of the city, before boarding the ship the following day. The same is the case with disembarking passengers -- they depart a day later after spending a night in the city.

"While in the city, they not only patronise the hotel industry, but also restaurants, entertainment outlets, taxis, tour operators, shops, transport businesses, and so on. Nationals from all walks of life benefit from passenger exchanges.

"These exchanges not only create a large number of job opportunities in the hospitality sector, but also generate significant earnings for the local economy."

For a modern cruise ship that carries around 2,500 passengers, a typical passenger exchange involves 5,000 passengers (embarking and disembarking), which translates into a potential 500 room nights for city hotels per cruise call if a conservative 10 per cent of the tourists decide to stay back. Cruises by ships of the Costa, Aida and Caribbean Cruises fleets, which have winter schedules in the Middle East, can alone contribute to a throughput of 16,000 passengers per week once passenger exchanges become a reality in Oman, specifically at Muscat. A conservative figure of ten per cent will produce 1,600 room nights for the hotels. Since all the vessels don't call on the same day, the requirement is staggered across the week. This will also drastically improve the traffic through Muscat airport, according to the CEO.

But passenger exchanges can become a reality only when the infrastructural shortcomings are addressed, Jose insists. "For one, Muscat's Port Sultan Qaboos must be suitably upgraded to allow for much larger ships of between 300-400 metres to be accommodated. At present, berth length and turning basin limitations restrict the entry of large modern cruise ships. Consequently, only two ships of modest length can be accommodated at time, which does not make Muscat an attractive destination for larger vessels. Since ship-owners are constructing larger cruise ships, Port Sultan Qaboos should consider upgrading facilities at a faster phase to cater to the demands of the expanding trade. An upgrade -- which we hope will be part of the government's newly declared vision to convert the port into a tourism hub -- will enable the simultaneous berthing of at least four large ships of 350-400 metres length."

Additionally, authorities should also build enough capacity at the airport to handle the large numbers of passengers generated by a passenger exchange. Equally imperative is an ultra-modern cruise terminal equipped to offer seamless passenger embarkation and disembarkation services involving user-friendly transit documentation and procedures.

"We also envision a need for more hotel rooms to accommodate the large volume of passengers generated by turnarounds. In fact, all the elements that make up entire cruise tourism business change must be suitably augmented before passenger exchanges can be explored."

Jose is optimistic that the government's recent decision to transform Port Sultan Qaboos into a tourism hub will have beneficial ramifications for the wider cruise tourism industry. "The decision signals the intent of His Majesty's Government to preserve and build on Muscat's rich maritime heritage. Historically, cities are developed around ports because of trade. Indeed, many cities have shifted their cargo operations to a different location to preserve their heritage. Thus, the government is wise in its decision to distinguish between maritime trade and tourism, and to accord importance to both categories of business by allotting different ports for their respective development."

In addition to plans for waterfront resorts, marinas and other leisure-related investments, the new tourism port in Muscat should also ideally host a maritime museum showcasing the country's rich seafaring heritage, and a modern aquarium highlighting the richness of Oman's coastal waters. Also mooted is a hotel near the Cruise Terminal to accommodate tourists involved in a passenger exchange.

A large souq blended with Omani and Arabian architectural heritage is proposed as well. "Muscat is the only port in the region where authentic Arabian heritage combines with the splendid appeal of a natural harbour to create an extraordinary maritime setting. It is this distinctive ambience that the conversion project aims to conserve," says Jose.

The CEO also envisions an important role for a much-mooted central Cruise Tourism Authority in developing the cruise tourism potential of other Omani ports, notably Khasab, Sur and Masirah. Liners currently call at Khasab and Sur with the aid of ship tenders. With a few modest improvements in facilities, along with ISPS compliance, many more cruise lines will be drawn towards Oman's coastal attractions.

Khasab, in particular, has amazing potential as a stopover for cruise liners, Jose explains. "The fjords of Khasab and 4WD tours of Musandam's rugged beauty are a huge attraction, but for want of adequate capacity, many tourists remain on board. More beach resorts in Khasab will attract more cruise liners whose European passengers adore the winter sun.

Similarly, port facilities at Sur can help attract cruise tourists to the city's historical quarter, besides Rimal al Sharqiya (Wahiba Sands) and Ras al Hadd. This traffic in turn will encourage nationals to set up and provide assorted services, thereby contributing to employment generation in different regions."