An IP Based Growth Strategy for Omans Tourism

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An IP Based Growth Strategy for Omans Tourism

• Muscat, February 13 and 14, 2005
• Intellectual Property and Economic Development
  Division
• Roya Ghafele, e-mail roya.ghafele_at_wipo.int

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Omans emphasis on tourism as an important
  non-oil sector can be observed in the rapid
  growth rate of the industry. The current tourist
  strategy has mainly sought to expand tourist
  infrastructure. The target group is the
  high-income tourist who is assumed to be
  interested in sports, luxury landscape.
• Integrating the IP dimension in the current
  strategy may help Oman to enhance solid growth in
  the sector. The impact of IP is twofold
  Geographical indications, collective marks
  certification marks can help Oman to better
  market the country. Trade secrets patents on
  business processes can foster the overall quality
  of services in the industry.
• Enriching the current tourist strategy through IP
  means to put more emphasis on marketing and the
  quality of services. To achieve the visions as
  developed in the plan tourism 2020, Oman may
  consider to further study tourist demand and the
  countrys uniqueness. Adequate IP protection may
  help to convey the right message to the market.

Source Roya Ghafele
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AGENDA
The Omani Context Intellectual Property Key In
Tourism Making Oman Better Off
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Tourism Contributes to 0.6 of GDP
The Oman Tourist Industry Grows Rapidly...
749
626
562
502
436
375
50
1997
2001
1999
Source Roya Ghafele, mocioman.gov.om/tourism/stat
istics.html
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Oman is ranked among the top 20 fastest growing
DAC countries
Even by International Standards
795
309
502
466
236
2641
208
194
160
149
890
201
17
53
21
Myanmar
Oman
Cambodia
El Salvador
Madagascar
Source Roya Ghafele, WTO Database, Worldbank
Indicators
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Oman has developed a sound tourist strategy...
Protection of the Ecosystem Development of
cultural sights Active in protecting animals
nature
Marketing Target Group Better off better
educated neighboring countries, U.S.A,
E.U. Tourist representative offices in Russia,
Japan, Italy, Australia, Dubai, at least 22
tour operators worldwide
Infrastructure Development Double hotel
capacity in next 10 years Amusement park Shopping
mall Well functioning airport Joint visa with
Dubai
Vision 2020 Raise Contribution to GDP to 3 Raise
employment from 37 to 85
Human Resource Development Joint hotel management
program with Austria Educate train tourist
professionals
Source Roya Ghafele, CBD Secretariat Report 2000
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Linking IP to tourism
Which Has So Far Not Integrated IP
Does not use Geographical indications,
collective marks certification marks to brand a
place or a nation or to convey its
uniqueness distinctiveness credibility Does
not use trade secrets/ process patents to
guarantee quality of services
Omans Current Value Proposition

• Self contained resort hotels
• Sand beaches
• Nature
• desert expeditions, mountain exploration,
  whales/dolphin/bird watching
• Cultural attractions
• Sports
• Watersports, desert motoring,
• weekend mountains

Source Roya Ghafele
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AGENDA
The Omani Context Intellectual Property Key In
Tourism Making Oman Better Off
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IP Boosts Tourism
Telling the story of who we are promoting
positioning in the market
Geographical Indications
Certification Marks
Collective Trademarks
IP
Process Patents (not in all countries allowed)
Trade Secrets
Developing an intellectual infrastructure
upgrading know how, skills business processes
Source Roya Ghafele, Simon Anholt
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New Horizons Through Collective Marks,
Certification Marks, Geographical Indications
Telling The Story Of Who We Are

• Uniqueness
• What distinguishes Oman from other tourist
  destinations?
• Create new visions
• Convert old perceptions
• Develop a sense of place
• Communicate cultural identity

Dont let others define who you are

• Brand Sustainability
• Control image perception
• Keep promises
• Develop themes in landscape
• cultural sights
• Protect image through IP

• Customer Segmentation
• Understand tourist demand
• Manage tourist expectations
• Motivate tourists to come to Oman

Source Roya Ghafele
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Upgrading Skills Protecting Business Processes
Developing an intellectual infrastructure

• Distinctiveness
• Superior services
• Safety quality of Services

Keep your promises

• Efficiency
• Effectiveness of
• Services

Skilled Labor
Source Roya Ghafele
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Impact Of An IP Based Tourist Strategy
Internal
External

• increases reputation
• brings safeguards in the market
• increases tourist demand
• boosts investor confidence
• creates actively an international
• image

• creates new local pride
• creates respect for
• traditional style
• impacts education
• boosts local economy
• revitalizes process of
• abandoned cultures

Source Roya Ghafele, Walter Santagata, Simon
Anholt
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AGENDA
The Omani Context Intellectual Property Key In
Tourism Making Oman Better Off
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Stabilizing Omans Tourist Strategy Through IP
Perception in the market by Oman itself
Enhanced business processes
IP
Omans tourist strategy
Source Roya Ghafele
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Blueprint For The Short Term
What?
Why?
How?
Make Oman a unique tourist destination
competitive in global markets by
fulfilling tourists dreams
Define yourself
Be the tourists dreams
Keep the promise
Self Perception
Marketing
Business Processes

• What distinguishes
• Oman from other
• tourist destinations?

• Meet
• expectations
• Deliver superior services

• Understand tourist
• demand
• e.g. Oman, a
• fairy tale in white
• Land of friendly
• people dramatic
• landscapes
• Malaysia, truly Asia

Source Roya Ghafele
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Next Steps
Convey message to stakeholders
Learn who you are
Lance redefined approach
Understand what tourists want
Ensure IP protection

• Assess cultural
• heritage
• Understand your
• history
• Review community
• perception

• Let the world
• know who
• you are
• Mobilize funds
• Chose ideal
• communication
• medium

• Transmit message
• to industry, tourist
• operators, tourist
• external relations
• offices, investors
• Bring them
• together for
• discussion

• Ensure
• protection of
• certification marks,
• collective
• trademarks
• geographical
• indications

• Issue studies
• on what your
• clients want

Source Roya Ghafele