Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has signed an agreement with Al Mursal Trading and Investment to develop Malkai, an integrated tourism complex covering about 800,000 square meters in Barka in South Al Batinah Governorate.
The project will combine hospitality, leisure and residential facilities in an agricultural setting and will be built in phases, according to the ministry, as reported by the Oman Observer and Muscat Daily.
Malkai will include a luxury resort with 51 units, ranging from single rooms to three-bedroom suites, with a gym, spa and outdoor lounges.
The development will also include 51 residential villas for sale on a freehold basis.
Its design draws on traditional Omani walled gardens and sits on historic farmland on the coastal plain, with palm groves and water pools forming part of the landscape.
The agreement was signed by Sayyid Ibrahim bin Said Al Busaidi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, and a representative of Al Mursal Trading and Investment. The value of the project was not disclosed.
The ministry said the project is expected to attract foreign investment, expand upscale and wellness tourism and create direct and indirect jobs, in line with the economic diversification goals of Oman Vision 2040.
