As global creative industries command an increasing share of international GDP, Oman is positioning its historical assets as a core driver for future growth. The upcoming edition of Tejarah Talks will gather leaders across the museum and tourism sectors to outline how the Sultanate can translate its heritage into commercial opportunities without compromising authenticity.
Quick Facts
- Focuses on monetizing Omani heritage while preserving authenticity.
- Global creative sectors contribute 3.1% to worldwide GDP.
- The session takes place April 14 in Muscat.
Bridging Omani Culture and Creative Enterprise
With culture and creativity accounting for 6.2% of global employment, the creative economy represents a massive vertical for MENA nations. The upcoming session, themed “Cultural Capital: Turning Heritage into Global Influence,” will dissect how historic places, cultural experiences, and craftsmanship can support sustainable business growth in Oman.
The agenda places a strong emphasis on technology’s role in scaling cultural exports. Panelists will analyze proper funding models to support new ventures within the heritage space, ensuring traditions are protected as cultural industries scale and capture broader markets.
Sustaining Authenticity in Heritage Monetization
A core challenge for any cultural ecosystem is commercializing assets without diluting their original meaning. This balance will be central to the event’s panel, which features Dr. Fatma Al Balushi of The National Museum, Bait Al Zubair Museum Manager Omar Al Mamari, and GUtech Senior Research Fellow Ahmed Al Mukhaini. The session will be moderated by Jamal Al Asmi, Creative Growth Director at Mubashir.
Badriya Al Amri, from the Oman Business Forum Office at MoCIIP, outlined the primary objective: “The challenge isn’t whether Omani heritage has value. It clearly does. The real task is bringing that value into wider view without flattening what makes it distinctive in the first place.”
She emphasized that culture often falls into extremes—either protected so rigidly that it fails to scale or heavily commercialized until it loses its true meaning. The goal for this initiative is to locate the operational middle ground where heritage generates tangible economic opportunities, supports local livelihoods, and reaches new audiences while remaining unmistakably Omani.
About Tejarah Talks
Tejarah Talks is an interactive platform organized by the Oman Business Forum Office at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion (MoCIIP). The initiative hosts regular sessions to discuss the ideas, emerging sectors, and economic strategies shaping Oman’s commercial future.
Source: Zawya
