OMAN Air has recognized the contribution of the Sultanate's travel agents to the airline's success in 2013. Gold, Silver and Bronze awards were presented to the top travel agents of 2013 at a ceremony which was held at the Al Bustan Palace, the Ritz Carlton Group's prestigious hotel near the Omani capital of Muscat. The Gold Award was presented to Bahwan Travel Agencies (BTA) LLC, Silver went to Travel City LLC, and the Bronze award was received by Oman United Agencies (OUA) LLC. A number of other travel agencies were also recognized and received awards for their continued efforts and support. The ceremony was presided over by Oman Air's Chief Commercial Officer Abdulrazaq Alraisi, General Manager Worldwide Sales, Gopal Ramarao, and Senior Manager Sales – GMA Region, Jaffar Juma Al Lawati. Abdulrazaq Alraisi thanked all the participating agencies for their important contribution to the Omani travel industry, and for the support they had provided over the last year to Oman Air. He said: “Oman Air is proud to be working alongside our partners in the travel industry and we are delighted that, together, we can offer our customers added value and an enhanced travel experience. As the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, we congratulate all those agencies that have made, and continue to make, such an important contribution to the growth of tourism in Oman, and we look forward to providing further mutual support, and to attaining even greater heights, over the coming year.” A vital part of Oman Air's mission is to increase the number of visitors to Oman and the airline's partnerships with Omani travel agents have been a key element in achieving this aim. In addition, Oman Air has continued to expand its global network and increase the number of frequencies it operates. This has resulted in a 13 percent uplift in the number of passengers carried in 2013, compared to the previous year. — SG
