Oman tourism: Anantara gave jobs to more than 70 Omanis ahead of launch

Muscat: Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar has employed over 70 local Omani nationals to make up the pre-opening team, the resort said in a statement.
“Set to be the highest five-star resort in the Middle East, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar aims to employ over 95 Omani employees in the coming years, which will represent 35 per cent of the 291-strong team,” the statement added.
Led by Director of Human Resources, Sami Al Balushi, an Omani, the resort works closely with government entities such as the Oman Tourism College and National Hospitality Institute to recruit newly graduated Omani citizens looking to learn the art of hospitality.
Recently, in cooperation with the Ministry of Manpower, the resort held a successful career fair at the Nizwa Ministry of Manpower Hall, where candidates were selected and sent to be trained at the Oman Tourism College, before joining the resort.
“The resort will be employing Omanis to fulfil hospitality roles across all functions from housekeeping and concierge to sales, marketing and HR departments,” the statement added.
To support the ongoing development of Omani employees, Anantara has also plans to offer the team the chance to attend training programmes across their resorts in Thailand, providing them with the chance to hone their skills and immerse themselves in to the brand.
Last April, Sami Al Balushi attended an HR conference in Bangkok, where he received training on Anantara’s work and employee development programmes.
“In line with Anantara’s ongoing commitment to the local community in each of its destinations, our goal is to provide long-term employment and development opportunities for the residents of Al Jabal Al Akhdar and Oman. We have recognised that it is vital to attract and retain talent from the local pool after all no-one else has a better knowledge of the local culture as well as a desire to aid the region’s future growth,” Darren Darwin, general manager of Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, said.
The resort has 115 rooms and villas with 82 Premier and Deluxe Rooms and 33 Pool Villas, each offering views of dramatic canyon or tranquil garden. Six restaurants and lounges will cater to every requirement, whilst impressive facilities include the cliff-edge infinity pool, state-of-the-art fitness centre, tennis court and world-acclaimed Anantara Spa.