A new luxury Anantara hotel and spa complex will open later this year in Dhofar, Oman, with a design inspired by the region’s coastal fortresses.

The Anantara Salalah Al Baleed Resort is a joint venture between Omran – the state-owned company currently investing huge sums of money into the country’s hospitality sector – and property developer Musstir.

The resort will be located in the Salalah, the capital of Dhofar province, between a natural lagoon and the beach. The design features numerous low-lying, white-clad buildings featuring intricate artistic flourishes popular in traditional Omani architecture. These are flanked by a turreted fortress-style entrance and a large tropical garden containing flowers, palm trees and an expansive moat-like water feature.

The Salalah Al Baleed Resort will have 136 guest rooms and pool villas, and an Anantara Spa and hammam offering both signature and local spa treatments.

Other leisure facilities will include tennis courts, a children’s club, an outdoor activity centre, a Middle Eastern beach bar, and a signature Asian restaurant. The resort will also offer boat rides to nearby cultural landmarks, including the Al Baleed Museum of Frankincense and Al Baleed’s UNESCO-protected Citadel and Grand Mosque.

International contractor Carillion is constructing the resort, which is scheduled to open by the end of Q3, and the developers are collaborating with Omran’s Tourism College to assist in pre-opening training programmes for potential staff.

“The opening of Al Baleed Resort is a major milestone for the region and reflects our commitment to developing the tourism sector to support the local economy on a long-term, sustainable basis,” said Dr Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, chair of Omran.

“Salalah is a very popular destination, known for having some of the best beaches in the region, as well as a rich cultural heritage. The opening of this resort puts Dhofar firmly on the map for international travellers.”

Dr. Mohamed bin Ali bin Mohamed Al Barwani – founder and chair of Musstir, added: “This development is testament to the results which can be achieved through strategic Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) with the government, which is the first of its kind in Oman for the real estate and hospitality sector. It is a learning experience.”

At 300,000sq km, Oman is about the size of Italy, but with a population of just four million. This light human footprint combined with great geographic diversity has made the country attractive to international tourists.

A number of developers have identified Dhofar as a potential tourist hotspot, and the Anantara development will soon be joined by the Alila Salalah – a 125-key beachfront destination resort due to open in the second half of 2017.