Visa
Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) will assist in issuing visas to all participants coming from abroad to participate in the conference. Citizens from GCC countries do not need to apply for visas. Several countries required visa on arrival, to check eligibility and for more information, please visit the Royal Oman Police website https://www.rop.gov.om/english/
Travelling
Before travelling to the Sultanate of Oman please visit Oman Airports rules/regulation for recent updates at https://www.omanairports.co.om/news/en/update-on-travel-restrictions-related-to-covid-19/
Currency
Omani Rial is the currency of Oman. The currency code for the Rial is OMR. It has a fixed exchange rate of $2.59 per 1 OMR. Foreign currency can be exchanged at airport, banks or at currency exchange counters. For further information Please visit the Currency Converter page. https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=USD&To=OMR
Transport
SQU is located approximately 25km to the Muscat International Airport (MCT) and limited pick and drop service will be provided, moreover, Buses and Taxi are available 24hours. Oman has one of the most diverse environments in the Middle East with various tourist attractions and is particularly well known for cultural tourism. The capital of Oman, Muscat was named the second best city to visit in the world in 2012 by the travel guide publisher Lonely Planet. Muscat also was chosen as the Capital of Arab Tourism of 2012. Other than Muscat, Nizwa, Al-Hamra, Sur, Sohar, and Salaalah are the major Omani cities. Please visit the Oman Transport Site. https://mwasalat.om/home
Time-Zone
Muscat is in Gulf Time , UTC+04:00.
Language
Arabic is the official language of Oman. Street names and generally most of the road and transport signs are in Arabic and English. Most restaurants have menus in both Arabic and English. But if there is something you don’t understand, don’t be afraid to ask as Omani people are kind and will be happy to help you.
Weather
December is a wonderful time to visit Oman because the weather at this time is generally excellent. Field trips into the mountains during December can expect temperatures of 20-205oC. Please Visit weather update https://www.accuweather.com/en/om/muscat/258638/weather-forecast/258638
People
Omani people are warm and welcoming. It’s not unusual to be invited into a local’s home after a day touring the mountains or walking through the local souk. It’s considered polite to take a small gift for your host.
When entering an Omani home, you’ll likely be greeted with the scents of frankincense and cardamom, and treated to Omani coffee, dates, and halwa – a local dessert made with saffron, dates, and rosewater. Coffee is served in small cups, which are refilled until the guest gives them a gentle shake to signal they’ve had enough.