Omar’s Dhofar Municipality has signed an agreement to further develop a waterpark as part of a multi-million dollar mixed-use leisure development to also feature a five-star hotel, mall and conference halls in Salalah.

Sayyid Mohammed bin Sultan Al Busaidi, minister of state and governor of Dhofar – the largest of the eleven Governorates in the Sultanate – signed the development agreement, which will be located in Ittin – the site of the annual Salalah Festival.

The development is part of a OMR1bn (US$2.6bn, €2.5bn, £2.1bn) 2040 tourism strategy by Oman’s government as it steps up efforts to boost its tourism sector with billions in future investment to offset faltering oil prices.

The waterpark, which is currently under construction, will include a selection of water rides, in addition to a restaurant and coffee shop. A second phase of development included in the signing will see the waterpark further expanded to include six different types of watersports, as well as vast green areas.

In addition to Salah, which will be completed in 2017, three other waterparks are currently under development in the country, including the OMR40m (US$103.6m, €94.3m, £72.8m) Majarat Oman.

Official statistics show more than a million people visited the UAE from Oman every year – more than a fifth of the total population. By 2020 the country hopes to have more than 20,000 rooms in 3 to 5 star hotels, while in the next quarter of a century it’s aiming to have 50,000 rooms available.

Oman’s National Strategy for Tourism 2040, includes a 6 per cent rise in tourism contributions and a near doubling of visitor numbers to five million annually.