Oman, with its beautiful little sea islands and shores, coupled with crystal clear waters and the beautiful building designs propagating the rich arabic culture is the new kid on the bloc when it comes to international wedding destinations for Indians.  Well, in India, Udaipur holds that mantle of being a wedding destination of choice, so we can very well understand what Oman has to offer its visitors and patrons.

Lubaina Sheerazi is the India representative of Ministry of Tourism, Oman and in her communication with Jane D’cruz, Consulting Editor of UdaipurTimes in Mumbai, she was excited about the prospects the tiny country sharing its borders with the United Arab Emirates, has to the present to the world.

In her conversation with Jane, Lubaina explained that Oman, with its coastal beauty, towering mountains, enchanting desert and rich history and culture is the new luxury destination to say ‘I do’.  One can plan a big Indian wedding or an intimate affair by the Omani shores or by the picturesque backdrop of the mountains.  Or set sail on a luxury yacht with a small group and discover the dramatic coastline and private islands.

She added that the natural beauty of the place is unsurpassed and awe-inspiring.  Additionally, Muscat is a well endowed city when it comes to modern infrastructure and provides a perfect set up for weddings with various world class hotels situated in the city. Muscat is the perfect communion of old and new, international cuisines and sprawling luxurious properties that can accommodate large number of guests. Being under 3 hours away and having excellent air connectivity with various cities in India also makes Oman a preferable wedding destination for Indians. What also works in Oman’s favor is the newness it brings to the clients. It is still a relatively unexplored destination compared to other GCC countries and this also adds value as Indian clients want to explore new destinations.

Further on, Lubaina goes on to add that Oman has the infrastructure to cater to the needs of a lavish Indian wedding.  Local vendors in Oman can cater to everything from flower decorations to henna designs.  For a recent Indian wedding in Oman, the bridegroom traveled to the wedding venue on a horse with his baarat, complete in Indian style.  With regards to food as well, one can choose from pure vegetarian meals to international cuisines ranging from Japanese to Mediterranean.  Various venues in Oman can be customised too, according to the various themes of  the wedding.  From pool parties to desert sundowners, from Bollywood nights to Arabian nights, one can be as creative as they want and Oman will have a backdrop or venue to accommodate the theme.

Destination Wedding has seen tremendous popularity and potential in India, especially in the past five years. India has always been famous for its lavish weddings. For many, a wedding is a status symbol and Indian families often save for decades to host a big fat wedding.  As per industry estimates, the wedding market in India is about USD 25 billion and is growing at 25 to 30 per cent annually and appears to be recession-proof. Tying the knot overseas is now in vogue and Indians are constantly on the lookout for new wedding destinations to conduct larger than life weddings.