EXAMINING RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN RURAL AREAS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE SULTANATE OF OMAN IN THE POST-COVID-19 ERA: A RESEARCH INVESTIGATION

Oman’s Vision 2040 Tourism Strategy is a core pillar of national economic diversification, aiming to attractover five million international visitors and significantly increase contribution from domestic tourism. Thestrategy heavily emphasizes the development and enhancement of local culture as a primary promotional tool.This study assesses the critical role of Responsible Tourism (RT)—defined as sustainable visitor-hostinteractions where decisions prioritize the local community's best interests—in achieving sustainable societaldevelopment in Oman's rural areas during the post-COVID-19 recovery period.While tourism contributed OMR 718 million (2.5% of GDP in 2019), and RT has vast, largely unexploredpotential in the Sultanate for reducing regional imbalances, generating employment, and conserving theenvironment, its current growth is hampered by structural impediments.This investigation analyzes the strengths, potential, challenges, and problems of rural tourism, identifying keyobstacles through explorative and descriptive research, including interviews with stakeholders in regions likeNorth Al Batinah. The core findings highlight issues related to fragmented governance and policy alignment,critical infrastructure deficits (particularly digital connectivity), a lack of specialized local human capital, andthe absence of carrying capacity limits necessary to protect fragile rural environments.The expected outcome of this study is the proposal of a Systematic Tourism Development Model and acomprehensive Strategic Action Plan. This model is designed to provide actionable measures—such asestablishing a Unified Responsible Tourism Authority (URTA), simplifying SME financing, and enforcingenvironmental carrying capacity—to reduce regional imbalances, maximize RT’s contribution to GDP, andensure sustainable economic development. It calls for all stakeholders, from government to tourists, to embraceself-responsibility in shaping a sustainable future for Oman’s rural economy.Keywords: Responsible Tourism, Rural Tourism Potential, Sustainable Development, Diversification ofEconomic Development.