Plans underway for centralised used car market in Muscat
Muscat – Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP) held a workshop on Wednesday titled 'Regulating the Used Vehicle Sales Sector' as part of efforts to enhance collaboration with the private sector and create a more organised commercial environment.
The workshop was attended by H E Qais bin Mohammed al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, with Majlis A'Shura members and representatives from Muscat Municipality, Royal Oman Police, Ministry of Interior and the General Administration of Customs. Stakeholders and representatives from used car dealerships across the country also participated.
Nasra bint Sultan al Habsi, Director General of Commerce at MoCIIP, said the sector makes a significant contribution to the national economy and reaffirmed the ministry's commitment to regulating it and promoting a supportive business climate. She described the workshop as a platform to address challenges and find practical solutions.
Participants highlighted several key issues including the absence of a centralised location for dealership operations, which leads to fragmented services and higher costs. Other concerns included the need to better regulate non-Omani participation to protect local businesses, high rental fees, limited financing, costly customs clearance and the presence of unlicensed vendors.
Khazaen Economic City presented a proposal to develop a centrally located market for used vehicles in Muscat governorate. The project, currently under review, aims to bring all dealerships together in one integrated hub with dedicated facilities and services.
Mansour bin Khalifa al Siyabi, Majlis A'Shura member from Bausher, welcomed MoCIIP's dialogue with stakeholders on the matter and suggested offering financial incentives to help dealerships move to the new site. He proposed forming a closed joint-stock company owned by dealers to manage the market and ensure sustainable operations and fair rents.
Providing details of the planned central car market, Salim bin Sulaiman al Thuhli, CEO of Khazaen Economic City, said it would cover 500,000sqm and include showrooms for new and used cars, inspection and maintenance centres, insurance and registration services, auction facilities and various amenities such as banks, restaurants, fuel stations and parking.
Thuhli said the project is designed to provide a one-stop hub for consumers and modern infrastructure for dealers, while supporting urban planning, simplifying government monitoring and generating reliable data for policymaking.
Ali bin Hamad al Maamari, Director of Licensing Department at MoCIIP, said the workshop was part of a wider strategy to improve Oman's business environment and that its recommendations would be submitted to relevant authorities for follow-up.
The workshop concluded with calls to commence work on the proposed central market and implement agreed measures to regulate the sector and facilitate a competitive, investor-friendly climate.
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