Wednesday, 23 November 2022

Visit Oman, has signed a partnership agreement with the
UnderTheDoormat Group – the award-winning global short term rental technology
company.

This first-of-its-kind partnership will pave the way for opening government approved short-term rentals in Oman, while offering travelers from around the world choice in the types of accommodation they can access to explore everything Oman has to offer.

It will further enhance Visit Oman’s capabilities to connect international travel trade with tourism
suppliers and new types of accommodation in the Sultanate.

At an official ceremony hosted by His Excellency Azzan Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in Muscat, the partnership agreement was signed between Shabib Al Maamari, Managing Director of Visit Oman, and Merilee Karr, Founder and CEO of
UnderTheDoormat Group.

As the partnership launches, International Tourism Complex’s (ITCs) will lead this innovation in the Sultanate, including some of the largest property developers and hospitality companies. The first properties were put live through the Hospiria technology in time for the World Cup.

ITCs, Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs) and in future individual property owners with an approved license, will be able to access the global short-term rental market through a single technology system, Hospiria. This will connect their homes, villas or
apartments to guests and travelers seeking short-term rental accommodation during their stay in the Sultanate, through an officially approved channel.

The partnership will provide the opportunity for both large tourism companies and SMEs to provide their services to property owners and deliver additional rental income opportunities, as the Hospiria technology will link and market their properties via the largest online booking engines and aggregators in the world with a single system to distribute and manage their portfolios.

As a leader in short-stay rental market, and the first in their sector accredited by the UK Short-Term Accommodation Association (STAA) and Quality in Tourism, UnderTheDoormat will also work with Visit Oman to help Omani ITCs, SMEs, property owners and leasers gain confidence in offering their short-stay guests a 'home away from home' managed according to internationally accredited and verified quality standards.

Speaking about the new partnership, Merilee Karr, Founder and CEO of UnderTheDoormat Group, said: “Oman’s innovation in opening the short-term rental sector for approved companies and owners is a game-changer for tourism in the country, and a great example of how technology can help enable the responsible growth of our sector. We are excited to partner with a forward-thinking market to open up short-term rentals for visitors from around the world wanting to experience the authenticity of this amazing country and stay
in a beautiful home, villa or apartment for their visit, with confidence.”

“The Hospiria technology covers the whole guest
lifecycle which will provide many benefits to short-term rental owners and companies – from distributing to 40+ channels (including the likes of Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, vrbo and Marriott Homes and Villas as well as Omani travel portals in the future), dynamic
pricing to maximize rates, direct booking capabilities, automated check-in software and smart scheduling to enable owners and companies to manage their guest experience efficiently and to the highest standards.

"The Hospiria platform will provide crucial
technology infrastructure to the country that will enable this ecosystem to thrive by
supporting a balanced approach to opening up the sector."

Shabib Al Mamari, Managing Director, Visit Oman, added that the UnderTheDoormat partnership is another significant milestone for Visit Oman in its journey to provide Oman tourism suppliers opportunities to market their products to global travelers.

He explained, “Through the Visit Oman gateway, the Hospiria platform will provide an efficient launching point for Omani companies, SMEs and property owners to place their apartments, villas and homes onto the short-term rental market globally. This latest Visit Oman initiative with
UnderTheDoormat falls in line with the broader, existing Oman Tourism Vision 2040 strategy, and serves to shift the Sultanate of Oman towards a more diversified and developed tourism economy, and one that leverages digital innovation and technology to maximize
value for the Omani tourism market, as well as the tourism-related SME economy in Oman.”

Licensed and approved companies, SMEs and property owners in Oman who would like to register their interest in being a part of the program can contact the Visit Oman team through the dedicated website www.visitoman.com and click on “Register now”.

Tourism management companies, operators and portals who are interested in accessing the system and the accommodation for their clients can register with Visit Oman through the same link

ENDS

MEDIA ENQUIRIES - PLEASE CONTACT:

Visit Oman: Omar Al Hosni – Senior Marketing Executive
Email: omar.alhosni@visitoman.om
Telephone: +968 242 33 971
Website: www.visitoman.om

UnderTheDoormat: Saasha Verma – Senior Marketing Manager
Email: Saasha@underthedoormat.com
Telephone: +442079521650
Website: www.hospiria.com, www.underthedoormatgroup.com

ABOUT: VISIT OMAN
In Q4 of 2021, in partnership with Oman’s Ministry of Tourism, VisitOman.om launched as a dynamic, all-encompassing resource which seamlessly connects the entire accredited Omani tourism supply chain to the travel-trade sector in key international markets. Visit
Oman’s vision is, “To be Oman’s extensive travel booking gateway that connects you to unlimited discovery.” Their stated mission is, “To build strong, strategic, and commercial partnerships in all key source markets, and with Omani suppliers, to deliver one connected booking platform that is designed to enable the unlimited Omani traveler experience.”

ABOUT: UNDERTHEDOORMAT GROUP
UnderTheDoormat Group is an award-winning, prop-tech company, recognised by Skift as one of the top companies globally shaping the future of short-term rentals and by JP Morgan as one of the top Female Powered Businesses headquartered in the UK. The Group covers every part of the short term and flexible rental value chain between the property and the guest. They help governments, large institutional real estate companies and property management companies around the world access this industry (estimated by PWC to be worth $330 billion by 2025) with transparency, visibility, and standards.

ABOUT HOSPIRIA
Hospiria is a leading global SaaS technology platform providing access to the short term and flexible rental market. They provide a single system to operate, distribute and manage portfolios of apartments, homes and villas. The technology provides a data dashboard at a national, portfolio or property level through integrated distribution, revenue management, and operations. Its custom-built software simplifies access to the market for real estate companies, SMEs and individuals. This enables properties reach both corporate and leisure channels alongside exclusive connections such as to the Global Distribution System through the industry platform TrustedStays.