Muscat Ministry of Tourism has bagged the UNESCO award for the creation of the ‘Muscat Geoheritage Auto Guide.’ The project has won the award for its imaginative concept. By unveiling the geo-heritage guide digital application, the Ministry of Tourism has expanded its initiative of spreading awareness about tourism and the Sultanate’s natural wealth among people of other countries. In June, 2012, the Ministry of Tourism launched the Auto Guide.
The guide displays the environmental scenario around the Sultanate and its geological nature. The idea of the ‘Muscat Geoheritage Auto Guide’ is based on installing an application that includes information on 30 geo sites in Muscat, such as Al Khoud, Bandar Al Khairan, Wadi Al Meeh and Baushar. The programme includes maps for Muscat, geological sites and their paths to facilitate users in accessing destinations and to provide them information about the sites.
With Muscat having been awarded as the Arab Tourism Capital 2012, an even greater number of tourists are estimated to visit this year. Sultanate is a top tourist destination of the Gulf region, and each year; a large number of visitors from across the world are drawn to its historical and cultural attractions.
One of the advantages of the digital application is the four-language option — Arabic, English, German and French, which would suit people across a global platform. The guide also provides environmental and geological information which is of use to tourists — information that can be easily and quickly accessed through technological gadgets like smart phones. The application is a new idea to boost tourist inflow and contribute towards the overall health of the country’s economy.
The new smart phone application will also provide information to people who intend to visit the Sultanate for this purpose.
