Scenario:

Tourism has become one of the major aspects for developing the social and economic state of a country. It brings in financial income to a country without having to export anything outside providing a more stable earning. Tourism does not only enhance revenue and it is not only about tourists, it is also about local employment and entrepreneurs. It provides immense opportunities for catering business, travel guides and local markets apart from promoting art and culture.

Middle Eastern countries are emerging as a major tourist attraction for several reasons and Oman is trying hard to transform the tourism industry into a major revenue generator. It competes mainly with UAE in attracting tourists which is already an established tourist hub, where tourists flock from all around the world.

In order to make Oman a more attractive destination for tourists to opt for, it is imperative to evaluate its current strengths and weaknesses in comparison to its main competitor, i.e., UAE. It is also crucial to explore opportunities to stand unique for international tourists and be more aware of possible threats that can deprive a country from its share of international tourists.

Task:
In order to further strengthen Oman's tourism industry, The Ministry of Tourism in Oman wants to conduct SWOT analysis of the tourism industry of Oman in comparison to that of UAE. The ministry has appointed you as the Chief Researcher (CR) to produce a 2000 word Business Report entitled:" A Comparative Study of UAE & Sultanate of Oman as Tourist Destinations" by drawing a comparison between the two countries and evaluating its current strategies to promote tourism in Oman. It also seeks your recommendation based on the analysis in order to strengthen the tourist industry in Oman and make it the top most destinations in the Middle East. The Minister of Tourism, Mr. Ali Al Balushi has asked for this report. The report has to be submitted by 6pm on 1st of November 2017 via Turnitin.

A business report writing structure should be used to present this report and recommendations will be expected based on the shortcomings and limitations with regards to services in Oman, to be produced for each category you select to compare and contrast in order to help the Tourism Ministry take the right decision in enhancing Tourism services. You need to address the following points in your report.

1: Discuss the current situation of tourism industry in Oman and UAE.

2: Conduct SWOT analysis by comparing tourism industries of both the countries.

3: Give recommendations (at least 5) to the Ministry of Tourism of Oman to further boost the industry.
Consider the following prompts to structure your thoughts. You may want to add more points to the following list ONLY in consultation with your class lecturer.

1. World Heritage Sites

2. Major Attractions

3. Events (e.g. Muscat Festival, Dubai shopping festival)

4. Hotels

5. Weather

6. Scenic Sites

7. Forts

8. Art & Culture

9. Language

10. Expenditures (visa, hotels, food, etc)

11. Hospitality

12. Shopping

13. Safety/Security

14. Marketing/ Advertisements

15. Food

16. Ease of Transportation

17. Cleanliness

18. Availability of tour guides

19. Spots for outdoor fun

20. Health services

Specific Instructions: As a Chief Researcher (CR) you:

1. Collect data either by browsing websites, or talking to tourist guides.

2. Do not have to prepare a questionnaire to collect data.

3. Must select at least 15 points out of 20 presented above in your analysis.

4. Present the analysis following the structure of a business report you have been taught in class.

5. Use categories/sub-categories as headings and present the analysis in the form of paragraphs.

6. Give references, in case you obtain some data from websites, using Harvard Style of Referencing.

7. You MUST NOT use the data taken from another student at Majan.

8. You MUST summarise or paraphrase the text you obtain from different sources.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Your work will be graded on the following aspects:

1. This is an individual assignment.

2. The assignment MUST be submitted on-line (through MOVE) on or before the due date (i.e.1st of November, 2017.

3. Your assignment shall reflect the depth and breadth of your original analyses in a clear and coherent manner.

4. Use of the relevant academic literature to support ideas and issues discussed. The range of academic sources such as texts and journals to support your arguments and comments.

5. Any reference to authors and other writers shall be quoted with due acknowledgement in your assignment report using the Harvard Referencing System. For details of Harvard referencing style refer to the students' hand book page 41 section 7.2.

6. This is an individual assignment and carries a 40% weighting of the module grade.

7. This assignment follows a business report structure and must be original and creative. An analytical piece of work is required. The use of ‘cut and paste' approach will be penalized. It must be presented in a structured manner, with appropriate cover page, content page, summary/abstract, introduction, body (with appropriate heading / sub-headings), conclusion, recommendations, references, and any required appendices.

8. Your report should be word processed and professionally presented. The length of your report should be approximately 2000 words (+/- 10%), presented in text of font size 12 with 1.5 line spacing. Please state the exact word count at the end of the assignment.

9. The cover page should be attached with the assignment and uploaded through MOVE (on-line). Name of the student, The Programme, Module Title, Assignment Title and number of words must be reflected on the cover sheet.