Oman Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in oman, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Selling Factors and Techniques
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Overview

The GCC common market grants mutual national treatment to all GCC firms, goods, and citizens. GCC labeling standards require that labels be printed in Arabic and English, although some items are sold in the market without Arabic labels. For packaged food products, the dates of manufacture and expiration must be printed on the label or elsewhere on the container. Oman does not accept production and expiration dates affixed with stick-on tape. Many U.S. firms consider Omani/GCC shelf-life limits to be more restrictive than is scientifically necessary. Imported meat should be Halal, as most consumers are Muslim. Major slaughterhouses in the United States can offer Halal supervision.

Potential exporters should be aware that all media imports are subject to review and possible censorship. For example, the Ministry of Heritage and Culture may reject or expunge morally or politically sensitive material from imported media. The Ministry of Information may also delay or bar the entry of magazines and newspaper editions if it takes exception to a story on Oman or deems the content to be morally suspect.

Trade Promotion & Advertising

Oman International Trade and Exhibition, Al Nimr, CONNECT, Muscat Expo and White Paper Summits are some of Oman’s local and international trade show organizers, which often seek out U.S. presenters and exhibitors. Small- and medium-sized businesses considering entering the Omani market might attend sector-focused expos as an effective means of showcasing new offerings and networking directly with stakeholders, potential clients, and policymakers. Popular expos include the Oman Health Exhibition & Conference, Oman Sustainability Week, Food and Hospitality Oman, Oman Petroleum and Energy Show, ProjectOman, COMEX (information technology), and GHEDEX (higher education). U.S. exporters might also look to international shows as an opportunity to meet Omani importers and market to Oman. In addition, many Omani buyers attend prominent regional conferences, such as Arab Health and ADIPEC in Dubai, as well as the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, and the International Franchise Expo in New York. The Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre aims to establish Oman as a major venue for regional and international events.

The “Direct Marketing” section of Chapter 3 provides a more comprehensive discussion of advertising outlets in Oman.

Pricing

The pricing formula for a product in Oman involves the cost of production, which includes raw materials and labor, distribution, promotion and advertising, taxes, and customs. Oman assesses taxes on corporate profits, and taxes companies for expatriate labor upon issuance of a work visa. Most international restaurants in Oman charge municipality and tourism taxes in their invoices, and landlords pay a lease tax to the municipality.

Oman’s corporate income tax rate is 15 percent. The government allows tax exemptions to entities in the manufacturing, mining, agriculture, fisheries, tourism, education, and health care sectors for an initial five-year period from the date of commencement of business with an available extension. Oman assesses a 100 percent excise tax on tobacco products, energy drinks, alcohol, and pork products, and a 50 percent tax on carbonated drinks. Oman also assesses a VAT of five percent.

Sales Service/Customer Support

Local sales and service agents offer after-sales service and customer support for many foreign products. Service response time varies depending on the type of good. Many Omanis express frustration with seeking service from regional support offices in the UAE, and customers appreciate U.S. companies offering local support.

Local Professional Services

For more information on vetted local professional service providers, please refer to Oman American Business Center’s Professional Services Directory.

Principal Business Associations

The Oman American Business Center, the local U.S. Chamber of Commerce affiliate, provides a variety of activities and forums to promote the exchange of information, advice, and ideas for the U.S. business community in Oman.

The quasi-governmental Oman Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OCCI) represents the Omani private sector.

Limitations on Selling U.S. Products and Services

Exceptions to Oman’s general openness to foreign investment exist in telecommunications, broadcasting, the domestic news media, financial services, legal and other professional services, property ownership, and products and services in violation of Islamic principles.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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