01 | Oman Invites Private Sector to Develop Bisya and Salut Archaeological Sites
Summary: As of 2026-08-18, Oman’s Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has invited private sector participation in the development of the Bisya and Salut archaeological sites, with project directions covering site operations, visitor services and destination-support facilities. The move indicates that Oman is placing cultural heritage assets within a tourism development framework, and companies in cultural tourism operations, visitor services and destination infrastructure should understand the cooperation conditions for public-asset development.
Source: Oman Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, 2026-08-15
02 | LuLu Expands Procurement Network to Strengthen India-GCC Trade Links
Summary: LuLu Group International continues to expand its procurement network, strengthening trade links between India and Gulf Cooperation Council markets. This development shows that regional retail groups are improving product supply capacity through upstream procurement and cross-border supply-chain integration, and that changes in major retailers’ procurement systems remain an important market signal for food, daily consumer goods and consumer product companies entering Gulf retail channels.
Source: LuLu Group International, 2026-08-17
03 | Oman Tourism Sector’s GDP Contribution Rises to 2.9% in Q1
Summary: Oman’s tourism sector contribution to GDP rose to 2.9% in the first quarter of 2026, indicating that tourism-related activity continues to take a larger share of the local economic structure. The figure reflects the recovery pace of Oman’s tourism market and aligns with the government’s continued promotion of cultural tourism, hotels, MICE and destination management-related industries.
Source: Times of Oman, 2026-08-15
04 | Qatar’s Open Trade Policy Supports Food Security Resilience
Summary: Qatar’s open trade policy is seen as helping strengthen food security resilience, with the focus on maintaining market supply through stable import, distribution and cross-border supply channels. This points to the Gulf food market’s continued reliance on international trade networks, and food trading, cold-chain and distribution companies evaluating Qatar should assess import policy, channel stability and local inventory capacity together.
Source: Gulf Times, 2026-08-16
05 | Sharjah Chamber Discusses Trade and Investment Opportunities with Maldives
Summary: The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry discussed trade and investment opportunities with Maldivian counterparts, with the discussion covering bilateral business cooperation and regional economic links. The development shows Sharjah’s continued expansion of commercial connections with South Asian and Indian Ocean markets, while reinforcing its external links as a regional trade hub within the UAE.
Source: Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 2026-08-17
06 | Bahrain Holds First National Licensing Examination for Dental Assistants
Summary: Bahrain’s National Health Regulatory Authority held its first national licensing examination for dental assistants, further formalizing access requirements for auxiliary roles in oral healthcare. The measure means that practice requirements for these roles are becoming institutionalized, with direct implications for medical training providers, clinic operations and healthcare workforce planning.
Source: National Health Regulatory Authority, 2026-08-16
Last updated: August 2026. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Middle East and Gulf policy and regulatory requirements may change; please refer to the latest publications from the relevant authorities.