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Based on the repeated
requests from exhibition organizing companies in Oman and from
the traders as well, OCCI Exhibition Committee has studied the
possibility of allowing consumer exhibitions to be held in
Oman once again after it was banned for more than one year. A
committee comprising members from the concerned entities was
set up which looked into the criteria and controls for holding
such exhibitions whereby they will not affect the exhibition
industry and the goals and objectives of holding exhibitions.
These criteria and controls were forwarded to the Ministry of
Commerce and Industry, which in turn presented them to Muscat
Municipality and the Ministry of Regional Municipalities,
Environment and Water Resources. OCCI had also sought the
views of the exhibition organizing companies in Oman in this
regard.
Accordingly the following criteria and controls have been
approved:
1. The exhibition organizing companies shall be allowed to
hold only one consumer exhibition in a year, provide such
companies hold at least one specialized exhibition and that
the specialized exhibitions should precede the consumer
exhibition.
2. The area of the consumer exhibition should not be less than
2000 square meters and the dues payable to Oman International
Exhibition Center should be paid in advance at the time of
booking the premises in cash or though a bank guarantee.
3. Consumer exhibitions shall not be allowed to be conducted
at the parks and public places, except during the annual
festivals organized by Muscat Municipality and the Sohar
Development Office.
4. The administrations of Regional Municipalities in the
wilayats shall be allowed to hold consumer exhibitions on the
sidelines of festivals conducted by them. However, each
administration shall be allowed to hold only one consumer
exhibition in a year, whereby it is not repeated in other
wilayats in the same year.
5. International exhibition organizing companies shall be
allowed to hold specialized exhibitions directly, without the
need to go through a local company, provided that such
exhibitions do not coincide with other specialized exhibitions
being held in the country.
6. The duration of the consumer exhibitions held at Oman
International Exhibition Center, should not be less than 7
days and not more than 10 days.
7. Sale shall be allowed during some specialized exhibitions
such as Books, Jewelry, Computers and Communications
exhibitions. As regards exhibitions held by a particular
country (through its embassy in Oman), it should ensure that
at least 40 to 60% of the companies participating in the
exhibition should be only exhibiting their products/services,
in order to allow to sell their products, provided that the
area of the specialized exhibition should be not less than 500
square meters and it should not be for less than 4 days.
8. Consumer exhibitions and their organizers shall be visited
by concerned officials of the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry as well as from the Exhibition Committee of Oman
Chamber of Commerce and Industry during the period of holding
the event.
9. It shall be preferable to set aside a pavilion for Omani
products at the consumer exhibitions as the situation allows.
10. The rates of the products displayed for sale and their
expiry dates, particularly of the foodstuff items, should be
shown and the inspectors should be allowed to inspect the
foodstuff items on display.
11. Restaurant and coffee shop owners shall be allowed to
offer their services at the consumer exhibitions only after
obtaining approval from the concerned municipality.
12. Preference shall be given to Omanis to work at the
exhibition stalls, in order to provide opportunity for the
Omani youth.
13. Opportunity shall be provided to sell Omani handicrafts
and traditional products.
14. The exhibition organizer shall provide the necessary
labour to clean the premises of the exhibitions held inside
exhibitions halls, parks or pubic places.
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