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themarketinsights · 2 years ago

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Drone Based Consulting Services Market Unidentified Segments – The Biggest Opportunity Of 2023

Latest released the research study on Global Drone Based Consulting Services Market, offers a detailed overview of the factors influencing the global business scope. Drone Based Consulting Services Market research report shows the latest market insights, current situation analysis with upcoming trends and breakdown of the products and services. The report provides key statistics on the market status, size, share, growth factors of the Drone Based Consulting Services The study covers emerging player’s data, including: competitive landscape, sales, revenue and global market share of top manufacturers are Consortiq Limited (United Kingdom), DARTDrones Inc. (United States), Draganfly Inc. (Canada), LOGXON GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Pilot Institute (United States), PrecisionHawk, Inc. (United States), Skyward IO, Inc. (United States), Drone Industry Insights UG (Germany), Terra Drone Corporation (Japan), Sharper Shape Inc. (United States)

Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/174319-global-drone-based-consulting-services-market?utm_source=Organic&utm_medium=Vinay

Drone Based Consulting Services Market Definition:

Drone consulting services play a major role in providing information about how to operate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones in order to inspect processes and products as they move through different stages. Furthermore, drone consulting services also support drone operators so that they can improve operations, safety, and support emergency services. The rapid change in the emergent drone market is enormous. This applies to both the hardware and software and also the legal frameworks.

Market Drivers:

Rising Aerial Photography Applications Coupled With Increasing Demand For Data Collection Of Different Projects

Rising Usage Of Drones For Remote Monitoring And Surveillance In Order To Obtain Real-Time Insights

Market Opportunities:

Rise In The Demand For Mapping & Inspection, Surveying, And Supportive Government Regulations Related To The Adoption Of Drone Across The World.

The Global Drone Based Consulting Services Market segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below:

by Type (Drone Strategy Development Service, Equipment Evaluation Service, Operations Manual Guidance Service, Training Framework, Software Advice, Others), Platform (Offline (On-site, In-class), Online), End-Use Industry (Oil & Gas, Aerospace & Defense, Governments, Media & Entertainment, Agriculture, Mining, Construction, Others)

Region Included are: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Oceania, South America, Middle East & Africa

Country Level Break-Up: United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, South Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Germany, United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Turkey, Russia, France, Poland, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand etc.

Enquire for customization in Report @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/174319-global-drone-based-consulting-services-market?utm_source=Organic&utm_medium=Vinay

Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Drone Based Consulting Services Market:

Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Drone Based Consulting Services market

Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary – the basic information of the Drone Based Consulting Services Market.

Chapter 3: Displayingthe Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges of the Drone Based Consulting Services

Chapter 4: Presenting the Drone Based Consulting Services Market Factor Analysis Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis.

Chapter 5: Displaying market size by Type, End User and Region 2015-2020

Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Drone Based Consulting Services market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile

Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by manufacturers with revenue share and sales by key countries (2021-2026).

Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source

Finally, Drone Based Consulting Services Market is a valuable source of guidance for individuals and companies in decision framework.

Data Sources & Methodology The primary sources involves the industry experts from the Global Drone Based Consulting Services Market including the management organizations, processing organizations, analytics service providers of the industry’s value chain. All primary sources were interviewed to gather and authenticate qualitative & quantitative information and determine the future prospects.

In the extensive primary research process undertaken for this study, the primary sources – Postal Surveys, telephone, Online & Face-to-Face Survey were considered to obtain and verify both qualitative and quantitative aspects of this research study. When it comes to secondary sources Company's Annual reports, press Releases, Websites, Investor Presentation, Conference Call transcripts, Webinar, Journals, Regulators, National Customs and Industry Associations were given primary weight-age.

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What benefits does AMA research study is going to provide?

Latest industry influencing trends and development scenario

Open up New Markets

To Seize powerful market opportunities

Key decision in planning and to further expand market share

Identify Key Business Segments, Market proposition & Gap Analysis

Assisting in allocating marketing investments

Definitively, this report will give you an unmistakable perspective on every single reality of the market without a need to allude to some other research report or an information source. Our report will give all of you the realities about the past, present, and eventual fate of the concerned Market.

Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Southeast Asia.

Contact Us: Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) AMA Research & Media LLP Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA – 08837

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theresearchblog · 3 years ago

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Drone Technology in Education Market to see Booming Business Sentiments | Extreme Fliers, Draganfly, Parrot, Action Drone

Advance Market Analytics published a new research publication on “Global Drone Technology in Education Market Insights, to 2027” with 232 pages and enriched with self-explained Tables and charts in presentable format. In the study, you will find new evolving Trends, Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities generated by targeting market-associated stakeholders. The growth of the Drone Technology in Education market was mainly driven by the increasing R&D spending across the world.

Major players profiled in the study are:

DJI (China), Draganfly (Canada), Extreme Fliers (United Kingdom), Parrot (France), 3DR (United States), Action Drone (United States), Pix4D (Switzerland), Skycatch (United States), Skyward a Verizon Company (United States), Syma (United States)

Get Exclusive PDF Sample Copy of This Research @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/7610-global-drone-technology-in-education-market#utm_source=DigitalJournalVinay

Scope of the Report of Drone Technology in Education

Drone technological know-how in Education has developed into many exclusive varieties and is now extensively employed in areas such as defence, business aerial surveillance, journalism, crowd management, e-commerce, and search and rescue. Students gain from technological know-how due to the fact it offers them with speedy get right of entry to to knowledge, fast learning, and attractive methods to practice what they’ve learned. It permits students, mainly in STEM, to discover new disciplines and get a higher comprehension of complicated concepts. A drone, additionally acknowledged as an unmanned aerial automobile (UAV), is a system that is a tiny model of an plane system. Within the plane system, these devices can be operated besides the want for human intervention. Fixed-wing drones are comparable to aeroplanes. They have a easier shape and are extra environment friendly than rotary-wing drones. The former demonstrates blessings such as multiplied velocity and longer flying time.

In 2020, Pix4D has launched Pix4Dcloud, a mapping platform for online surveying workflows and site monitoring. Company confirmed that Pix4Dcloud replaces the previous Pix4Dmapper Cloud and Pix4Dbim Cloud in a move to offer better functionality. Both Pix4Dcloud and Pix4Dcloud Advanced are standalone cloud products that can be purchased on top of any Pix4D product although they differ in their functionality.

The Global Drone Technology in Education Market segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below:

by Application (Experiential Learning, STEM Education, Others), Drone (Rotor crafts, Fixed-wing, Flapping-wing, Hybrid UAVs)

Market Opportunities:

Rising urban population

Market Drivers:

Increasing number of education institutions

Market Trend:

Adopting collaboration and acquisition strategies to develop and commercialize

What can be explored with the Drone Technology in Education Market Study?

Gain Market Understanding

Identify Growth Opportunities

Analyze and Measure the Global Drone Technology in Education Market by Identifying Investment across various Industry Verticals

Understand the Trends that will drive Future Changes in Drone Technology in Education

Understand the Competitive Scenarios

Track Right Markets

Identify the Right Verticals

Region Included are: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Oceania, South America, Middle East & Africa

Have Any Questions Regarding Global Drone Technology in Education Market Report, Ask Our Experts@ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/7610-global-drone-technology-in-education-market#utm_source=DigitalJournalVinay

Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Drone Technology in Education Market:

Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Drone Technology in Education market

Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary – the basic information of the Drone Technology in Education Market.

Chapter 3: Displaying the Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges & Opportunities of the Drone Technology in Education

Chapter 4: Presenting the Drone Technology in Education Market Factor Analysis, Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis.

Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region/Country 2016-2021

Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Drone Technology in Education market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile

Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by Manufacturers/Company with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions (2022-2027)

Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source

Finally, Drone Technology in Education Market is a valuable source of guidance for individuals and companies.

Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/buy-now?format=1&report=7610#utm_source=DigitalJournalVinay

Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)

AMA Research & Media LLP

Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ

New Jersey USA – 08837

#Drone Technology in Education market analysis #Drone Technology in Education Market forecast #Drone Technology in Education Market growth #Drone Technology in Education Market Opportunity #Drone Technology in Education Market share #Drone Technology in Education Market trends

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ebenpink · 6 years ago

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May 27, 2019 http://bit.ly/2X4r17M

U.S. deploys 1,500 troops to 'bolster defenses against Iran'. Pictured: An F/A-18E Super Hornet flying above the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea. AFP

Reuters: U.S. military in region is 'weakest' in history: Iran deputy Guards chief (Reuters) - The U.S. military presence in the Middle East is at its “weakest in history”, a deputy commander of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards was on Sunday quoted by the semi-official news agency Fars as saying. U.S. President Donald Trump has tightened economic sanctions against Iran, and his administration says it has built up the U.S. military presence in the region. It accuses Iran of threats to U.S. troops and interests. Tehran has described U.S. moves as “psychological warfare” and a “political game”. Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May 27, 2019

Iran can sink US ships with ‘new secret weapons’, senior military official warns -- RT About 1,000 US troops will head to Mideast as tensions with Iran grow -- Military Times U.S. Military Is Sending Fighter Jets, Recon Aircraft, Engineers, and More To The Middle East (Updated) -- Warzone/The Drive How many troops to the Mideast? Media’s got it wrong says acting SecDef -- Military Times U.S. Sends Three Warships Back Into Persian Gulf After Clearing Them Out Earlier This Month -- USNI News Trump invokes emergency provision to OK Saudi, UAE arms sales -- UPI Despite Congress, Trump pushes through weapon sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan -- Defense News Russia Warns Potential US Military Surge in Mideast to Create New Risks -- Sputnik Navy's Zumalt destroyers to join drone ships in new experimental squadron -- UPI The US military was allegedly duped into buying $20 million in Chinese counterfeits -- Quartz WATCH US Army Cadets Ride 'Made in USSR' Tank in Central Asia -- Sputnik The Air Force Found Airmen Boozing It Up In A Nuclear Missile Alert Facility In Wyoming -- Warzone/The Drive Senate’s Pentagon budget bill would obstruct Trump from leaving NATO -- Defense News Senate authorizers approve Space Force but switch up its organizational structure -- Defense News GOP senator: Trump needs to be 'very careful' on pardons of soldiers charged with war crimes -- The Hill Trump defense pick expected to face tense confirmation -- The Hill Sen. Martha McSally takes on mission to change how US military handles sexual assault -- ABC News US Military to Trawl Through 350 Billion Social Media Messages -- Bloomberg US Army's Tweet Prompts Stories of Harmful Effects of Military Service -- New York Times Video: Military Times Honor the Fallen 2019 Memorial Day Video -- Military Times China and the United States face off in Djibouti as the world powers fight for influence in Africa -- CNN Saab CEO sees ‘huge interest’ in T-X trainer aircraft following US Air Force deal -- Defense News Russian Army Introduces New Military Rank -- Moscow Times Russia to send military specialists to Congo Republic: Kremlin -- Reuters Russia Upgrading Soviet-Era Grad Multiple Launch Rocket Systems - Manufacturer -- Sputnik China’s long battle to build a better soldier for a modern fighting force -- SCMP China’s navy is being forced to rethink its spending plans as cost of trade war rises -- SCMP Australian ships tailed by Chinese military in South China Sea -- ABC News Online Two U.S. Navy ships pass through Taiwan Strait as tensions with China rise -- UPI Beijing protests American warships sailing through the Taiwan Strait (again) -- AP F-35s and Aircraft Carriers: Making Great Britain’s Military Great Again? -- David Axe, National Interest Taiwan military holds biggest exercises in five years -- UPI Taiwan begins mass production of home-grown missile corvettes, minelayers -- SCMP South Korea, Japan take part in U.S.-led Pacific naval exercise -- UPI South Korea's Military Has Gone Into Beast Mode -- National Interest Pakistan military says it test-fired ballistic missile Shaheen-II -- Al Jazeera Indian Army Unit Looking After China Border Test-Fires BrahMos Missile -- Sputnik Aircraft Carriers vs. China's Missiles: The Military Contest of Our Time -- National Interest from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2XhyEaU via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Blogger

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wowffer-com · 6 months ago

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briefmarketshare · 4 years ago

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Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Drones Market Size, Global Industry Statistics, Product Types, with COVID-19 Pandemic Presenting Future Opportunities 2027

The recently publised report titled Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Drones by Axel Reports offers a comprehensive picture of the market from the global viewpoint as well as a descriptive analysis with detailed segmentation, complete research and development history, latest news, offering a forecast and statistic in terms of revenue during the forecast period from 2021-2027. The report covers a comprehensive analysis of key segments, recent trends, competitive landscape, and key factors playing a substantial role in the market are detailed in the report. The report helps vendors and manufacturers to understand the change in the market dynamics over the years.

The report then delivers an absolute overview of prime players by the weightlessness of their product definition, company summary, and business strategy at intervals in the market. It elaborates on the market competitors, their product portfolios, new product launches, and other market dynamics. An overview of the market with respect to market size, shares, sales patterns, and pricing structures has also been given in the report. Detailed segmentation of the global Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Drones market, on the basis of type and application, and a descriptive structure of trends of the segments and sub-segments are elaborated in the report.

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NOTE: Consumer behaviour has changed within all sectors of the society amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Industries on the other hand will have to restructure their strategies in order to adjust with the changing market requirements. This report offers you an analysis of the COVID-19 impact on the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Drones market and will help you in strategising your business as per the new industry norms.

Report offers: 1. Insights into the intact market structure, scope, profitability, and potential. 2. Precise assessment of market size, share, demand, and sales volume. 3. Authentic estimations for revenue generation and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Drones Market development. 4. Thorough study of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Drones Market companies including organizational and financial status. 5. Perception of crucial market segments including, forecast study. 6. Acumen of upcoming opportunities and potential threats and risks in the market.

By Market Players: Northrop Grumman DJI General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Parrot Thales 3DR Boeing PrecisionHawk Lockheed Martin Textron AeroVironment By Type Fixed Wing VTOL STUAS MALE HALE By Application Media & Entertainment Precision Agriculture

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Key Elements Discussed In The Report: The report then discusses important dynamics on the business drivers that have a major impact on the performance are given in the report. The business drivers are important to the business operations and financial results of the industry. All the drivers are determined in the research study using market analysis. The report is comprehensive coverage of the existing and potential markets along with their assessment of their competitive position in the changing market scenario. It scrutinizes in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors dr iving the global Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Drones market, as well as those hindering it.

The report diversifies the global geographical expanse of the market into five prominent regions as:

North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

Europe (Germany, France, United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, and Rest of Europe)

Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia)

South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Rest of South America)

Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, South Africa, and Rest of Middle East & Africa)

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Moreover, the report throws light on the pinpoint analysis of global Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Drones market dynamics. It also measures the sustainable trends and platforms which are the basic roots behind the market growth. With the help of SWOT and Porter’s five analysis, the market has been deeply analyzed. Consumer behavior is assessed with respect to current and upcoming trends. The report takes a detailed note of the major industrial events in past years. These events include several operational business decisions, innovations, mergers, collaborations, major investments, etc.

Customization of the Report: This report can be customized to meet the client’s requirements. Please connect with our sales team ( [email protected]), who will ensure that you get a report that suits your needs. You can also get in touch with our executives on +18488639402 to share your research requirements.

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Email: [email protected] | +18488639402

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researchkraft19 · 5 years ago

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Consumer Robotics Market 2020 Competition Situation Research Report to 2027

In the starting area this report will give us a fundamental review of Consumer Robotics Market alongside the business definitions, Type, application and chain structure. Market examination of Consumer Robotics is including the universal markets alongside the advancement patterns, serious scene investigation and key geological improvement status.

The examination is introduced so that it comprises of all the graphical portrayals, pie outlines and different other diagrammatic portrayals of the considerable number of components that are utilized for the exploration. Consumer Robotics statistical surveying report additionally gives data on how the business is foreseen to give an exceptionally serious investigation all inclusive, incomes produced by the business and expanded seriousness and developments among different market players/organizations.

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This area of the Consumer Robotics report offers an intensive and complete data about the different makers in the market. It gives imperative data about different methodologies actualized by these makers to battle rivalry and grow their impression in the Consumer Robotics industry. It also reviews the current patterns embraced by the makers to advance their item for what's to come. This Consumer Robotics report is organized in such a manner to enable the peruser to comprehend the market and settle on business choices likewise.

Key Players Mentioned in the Global Consumer Robotics Market Research Report:

iRobot, Ecovacs, Xiaomi, Shark, Neato Robotics, Cecotec, Yujin Robot, Matsutek, Proscenic, Samsung, iLife, Dyson, Miele, LG, Vorwerk, Infinuvo(Metapo), Fmart, DJI, Parrot, Google, Amazon, Alibaba, Baidu, Ubtech, Iflytek, CANBOT, Gowild

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Global Consumer Robotics Market Segmentation by Type:

Cleaning Robots

Smart Speakers

Consumer Drones

Service Robots

Global Consumer Robotics Market Segmentation by Application:

Online Sales

Offline Sales

The Consumer Robotics Market research report briefs on portions, for example, item type and end clients. The item type section gives a comprehension about different items accessible in the Consumer Robotics market. It also gives data on what is the extension and capability of every item. Likewise, the section presents a detailed data on end clients. Understanding end clients is of most extreme significance as it helps in distinguishing attractive zones.

Global Consumer Robotics Market Regional Analysis:

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico) Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Spain, etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Southeast Asia, etc.) South America (Brazil, Argentina, etc.) Middle East & Africa (South Africa, Saudi Arabia, etc.)

Consumer Robotics Market research report gives a top to bottom examination of the whole market situation beginning from the rudiments which is the market presentation till the business working and its situation in the market just as all the activities and most recent presentations and usage of different items. The examination study has been collected by comprehension and joining different investigation of locales all around and organizations and every single fundamental diagram and tables that bring the hypothesis into a careful portrayal through numerical qualities and standard tables.

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The worldwide estimations of the market value, market advertise data/definition, characterizations of the considerable number of types and applications, generally dangers and plunges that can be accepted and numerous different variables which comprise the general market situation and it's going on all around alongside the imminent years are gathered in the Consumer Robotics market research report. Consequently this report can fill in as a handbook/model for the endeavors/players inspired by the Consumer Robotics Market as it comprises all the data in regards to the Consumer Robotics showcase

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jobsearchtips02 · 5 years ago

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Oil prices rise ahead of OPEC+ meeting on extended output cuts

An aerial drone view of a crude oil storage facility on April 23, 2020 in Cushing, Oklahoma.

Tom Pennington | Getty Images

Oil prices rose on Tuesday on expectations that major producers would agree to extend output cuts that have shored up prices, during a video conference likely to be held this week.

Benchmark Brent crude rose 2.5%, or 99 cents, to trade at $39.27 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed 2.3%, or 83 cents, to $36.27 a barrel.

Brent has doubled in the past six weeks, thanks to supply cuts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, including Russia, a grouping known as OPEC+.

But oil prices are still 40% down so far this year.

OPEC+ producers are considering extending their production cuts of 9.7 million barrels per day (bpd), equivalent to about 10% of global production, into July or August, at an online meeting likely to be held on June 4.

“Most likely, OPEC+ could extend current cuts until Sept. 1, with a meeting set before then to decide on next steps,” said Citi’s head of commodities research Edward Morse.

Under the original OPEC+ plan, the cuts were due to run through May and June, scaling back to a reduction of 7.7 million bpd from July to December.

Saudi Arabia has been pushing to keep the deeper cuts in place for longer, sources said.

“An agreement to extend would buy the OPEC+ group some time to actually fully comply with the initial supply cut of 9.7 million bpd before decreasing output curtailment to 7.7 million bpd for the balance of the year,” BNP Paribas Global Head of Commodity Markets Strategy Harry Tchilinguirian told the Reuters Global Oil Forum.

Price gains have been capped by trade tension between China and the United States over Beijing’s security legislation in Hong Kong, as well as manufacturing data on Monday showing the world’s factories were still struggling.

from Job Search Tips https://jobsearchtips.net/oil-prices-rise-ahead-of-opec-meeting-on-extended-output-cuts/

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topfygad · 6 years ago

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Tips & How to travel to Oman in 2019

For most people back home, Oman is an exotic, off the beaten track destination which would never get into their travel plans, and they are particularly surprised when I tell them that Oman is a country that has been receiving tourists for decades.

I mean, Oman was never the type of country filled with random backpackers and casual independent travelers, but Western tour groups were not a rare thing to see, and both the harbors of Muscat and Salalah were daily loaded with cruise ships coming from all over the world.

It was, however, an exclusive country, with very little and really expensive tourism infrastructure; but today, thanks to the gradual internationalization of its neighbor Dubai, Oman is becoming a popular destination, both for expats who wish to escape from the urban jungle of Dubai, and Westerners who wish to explore the most traditional and welcoming Arab country.

This travel guide contains everything you need to know to travel to Oman, including all the practical information, travel tips, top experiences and loads of cultural facts.

If you are interested in Saudi Arabia, read here how to get a visa and travel to Saudi

Here you will find:

Intro: why visit Oman Visa for Oman Best time to visit Oman Travel insurance for Oman Books for traveling to Oman 5 Top experiences in Oman Tours in Oman Is Oman safe 20 Cultural facts about Omanis and Oman Food in Oman Money and budgeting Transportation in Oman How to get in Accommodation Internet More information

Intro: Why visit Oman?

I have visited Oman 7 or 8 times.

The fact is that I lived in Dubai for nearly 3 years, and going to Oman was the classic weekend getaway.

Two years after leaving Dubai and my corporate job, I came back to the region and decided to travel around Oman for a whole month, this time without a car, right before making my way to Saudi Arabia.

I love Oman, I absolutely love it, for many reasons, but mainly because it is a country which, unlike the United Arab Emirates, Qatar or Kuwait, has managed to keep its own character and traditions.

Oman is an oil-rich country, but they don’t need to spend billions building extravagant buildings and nonsensical monuments.

No, they don’t need to because people visit Oman to meet the kind-hearted Omanis, to check out the incredible coastline and the most epic mountains in the Arabian Peninsula, which go as high as 3,028m.

However, I like to travel to Oman because I freaking love experiencing a culture which, despite the modernization of the country, has managed to preserve all its traditions and that is why, today, in Oman you can still attend a livestock market and always share a meal with a local in the traditional way.

Not surprisingly, Oman is getting immensely popular, but the good thing is that the country is big enough, so you can still find loads of off the beaten track places that have remained untouched for centuries.

Welcome to Oman.

Animal auction in Rustaq – I was the only tourist in the entire market

How to get a visa for Oman

Most nationalities can buy an Oman tourist visa on arrival:

30-day visa: 21 rials or 60USD.

10-day visa: 5 rials or 13USD

Multiple-entry visa, valid for 1 year: 50 rials or 130USD.

If possible, try to pay in either Omani Rials or with a credit card, because the price in USD is higher than the actual exchange rate.

You can also buy your Omani visa online through this portal at a discounted price (around 1 rial), which is 2-3USD, for the 30-day visa at least.

What nationalities are eligible for visa on arrival?

European Union, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Moldova, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela

If you come from any other country, I suggest you check the e-visa portal.

Do you have UAE residence? If you are not in the lucky countries list, but you are living and working in the United Arab Emirates, you may also be able to get a visa on arrival. However, you should check it with your own embassy.

Entry & stamp for Oman – Oman travel blog

Best time to visit Oman

In Oman, there really isn’t a spring or autumn season but the weather just evolves from crazy hot to pleasant. Note that, depending on the year, May and October could still be really, really hot

Summer: May to October Winter: November to April PROS

Pleasant weather in the high mountains

Low-season prices

Monsoon season in Salalah (South Oman)

Pleasant weather across the whole country

Loads of social life, events, etc. (Omanis are in their best mood)

CONS

Unbearable heat across the country

High levels of humidity in the coastal areas

Summer is so hot that you can’t even go to the beach because the level of humidity is just crazy – I found this beach around 2 hours driving north of Salalah

Travel insurance for Oman

Hey, Oman is an adventure destination, a country where you may be camping in the wild, go trekking and do epic road trips, plus their health care system is private.

For this reason, you should get the right insurance and I strongly believe that World Nomads is the best one because:

It covers the largest number of adventure activities

It is the only company that gives an unlimited medical budget

Pretty much any nationality can apply for it

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE QUOTE FROM WORLD NOMADS

Books for your trip to Oman

Oman Travel Guide by Bradt – The guide to Oman by Bradt is, definitely, the best guidebook about Oman that exists.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK PRICES ON AMAZON

Arabian Peninsula travel guide by Lonely Planet – They also mention UAE and other Gulf countries but if you like collecting the LP or want to combine a few countries, this is also a good option.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK PRICES ON AMAZON

5 Top experiences in Oman

Some travelers may not agree with the below list, basically because most of them are not on the tourist trail, but having visited Oman extensively, getting quite off the beaten track, these are my personal must-try experiences:

Traveling to Dubai? Read my complete 1-week itinerary to UAE for the independent traveler

Experience the khareef season in Salalah

In Oman, there is a place full of green meadows, where it rains, and the locals sell locally-grown coconuts, pineapples, and papayas. This place is called Salalah, in southern Oman, a city that experiences a monsoon season called khareef, which takes place from July to September.

During this season, Salalah becomes beautiful and lush green, attracting visitors from all over the country, as well as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Lush green hills of Salalah during the monsoon season – I took this photo in 2014, the first time I visited Oman

Driving the coastal road from Salalah to the Yemeni border

Very few travelers visit this remote part of the country, which is a real shame, because the coast of Dhofar province is home to the most dramatic coastline in Oman, composed of lush green mountains which, at the same time, serve as vertiginous cliffs that directly drop to turquoise-blue waters.

A type of landscape you would never think of in the Arabian Peninsula.

It looks like Hawai, right?

Dhofar coastline, somewhere near the Yemeni border – By the way, this isn’t a drone photo, but it was taken from the top of a cliff

Experiencing the Omani traditional life

What I like about Oman is that, unlike its neighbors from UAE, Qatar, Bahrain or Kuwait, it is a country with a complex, ancient history that managed to keep its traditions.

From livestock markets to artisan shops, actual Bedouins and historical mountain villages, the cultural experience in Oman is just as great as its epic landscapes.

Artisan man, in Nizwa

Camping at one of the many wadis in Oman

Oman is about outdoors and since the country is not known for its nightlife, not even Muscat, both locals and expats tend to spend their weekends outdoors, especially camping in a wadi (valley) over a night barbecue.

If you want to join an Omani group, check the weekly events on Couchsurfing.

If you decide to go alone and go on a weekend, expect kind Omanis to tell you to join them.

One epic wadi, somewhere in Oman

The historical heritage, from ruined cities to epic forts and abandoned villages

Despite being a mostly desert country, Oman has a fair amount of historical places to visit, ranging from well-restored, impressive forts, like the one in Rustaq, Nizwa or Bahla; to absolutely ruined historical cities like the barely visited one in Manah.

Moreover, the mountains of Oman are also filled with abandoned villages that had been inhabited for centuries, but due to their inaccessibility, the Omani Government gave the villagers incentives to move to more accessible towns.

The ruined city of Manah

Manah ruined city

Do you need to join a tour in Oman?

Heads-up.

Oman is a difficult country to move around, basically, because you hardly find public transportation.

Therefore, to travel in Oman, you need to either rent a car or go on a tour.

There is a third, more challenging way: hitchhiking – but we will get into that later.

If you want to go on a tour, I recommend the guys from GetYourGuide, as they offer a large variety of tours for all prices, and you can book them with just one click. These are some of the best tours they offer:

Empty Quarter – Well, like I said in the top 5 experiences, the Empty Quarter is one of the top experiences in Oman, and in any case, you can’t really go on your own, so booking a tour is your best bet. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Muscat City Tour – Muscat is full of amazing sites, but it is not very walking-friendly precisely. Joining a tour will definitely prove cheaper than hiring a taxi driver. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Jebel Shams – The Grand Canyon of Oman is one of the most epic, natural places in the country, and it is easily visited from Muscat on a day trip. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Nizwa Tour – One of the most historically important cities in Oman has a great souq and a beautiful fortress. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Musandam – Dolphin watching and the most impressive fjords in the Persian Gulf. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL TOURS IN OMAN

Taking sunset photos in epic Jebel Shams – Oman travel guide

Is it safe to travel to Oman?

Oman is safe and, perhaps, one of the safest countries I have ever been to, no kidding.

Even the utterly negatively-exaggerated FCO advice says that Oman is trouble-free.

The fact is that Oman is one of those countries where crime is a rare thing to see.

Actually, a good friend of mine from southern Oman told me that since he was born 40 years ago, there is only been one murder in his province (Dhofar), and it was between foreign workers.

How many people have been murdered in your province or city?

There are no pickpockets and nobody will mug you. Oman is very safe and terrorism is unheard of, especially because it has always kept away of all Middle Eastern conflicts.

For a more comprehensive analysis, read: Is Oman safe?

Here you can find all my travel guides to the Middle East

An abandoned village in the middle of an oasis

20 Facts about Omanis and the country of Oman

1 – Oman is an Arab country and Omanis are Arabs – It is one of the 22 countries that comprise the Arab League.

2 – Many Omanis are ethnically from Zanzibar – From the 17th to the 19th century, the Sultanate of Oman was a major maritime force which controlled a large part of East Africa, Zanzibar being one of the most important territories.

When you travel in Oman, you will see a lot of very dark Omanis with strong East African features. Most likely, their ancestors come from Zanzibar but, culturally, they are 100% Omani.

Read my city guide to Muscat!

3 – And then you have the Baluchis – Balochistan is a region spread across Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan and, for many years, the Baluch city of Gwadar (in today’s Pakistan) was under Omani rule. Baluchis were known for being fierce warriors and that is why, over the centuries, the Sultanate used them as loyal mercenaries to consolidate Oman’s power.

Today, a large population of Baluchis still remain in Oman (about half a million) and while they are considered 100% Omanis, many of them speak a distinct language which is close to Hindi or Urdu, and they have similarities with their South Asian neighbors.

4 – But there are more groups – From the several Dhofari tribes in southern Oman (which are culturally closer to Yemen) to the Bedouins, Oman is ethnically rich.

An Omani man from a certain Dhofari tribe, somewhere in the remote mountains of Dhofar province

5 – South Asians make up around 45-55% of the total population – By South Asians, I mean people from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, especially Bangladesh, most of them being workers with low-qualified jobs.

Bengali man selling fruit in Oman

6 – Arabic is the official language – Omani Arabic is very similar to the one spoken in UAE, Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Gulf countries, with its own similarities, of course. They claim that the Arabic from the Gulf is the closest to Classical Arabic, the Arabic the Quran is written in.

7 – Other languages, however, are also spoken – I personally spent several days in Dhofar province, staying with a guy named Mussab in a small village north of Salalah. Mussab spoke Jabali (Shehri), a language that sounded completely different from Arabic. He said that some old people from remoter villages in his region can’t speak Arabic, only Jabali.

8 – Many educated Omanis speak English – Especially in Muscat but, in smaller cities and rural areas, communicating in English can be a problem sometimes.

9 – Most Omanis are Sunni Muslims – There are small concentrations of Shias in Muscat and along the northern coast, but Sunni Islam is the prevalent religion.

10 – And they are a very conservative society – Islam is the basic pillar for pretty much any Omani, including the young generation. I hung out with Omanis from all ages and social classes and I barely met anyone who didn’t pray 5 times a day. They are strong believers and most of their rules, habits, and laws are based on Islam.

Some old Omanis in the market of Nizwa

11 – Conservative, but tolerant with foreigners – In Oman, there aren’t specific rules dictating how you need to dress, and alcohol is widely available for foreigners. Women don’t need to cover up and, if you want to wear shorts, you just wear them. Omanis understand the cultural differences between themselves and Europeans, so you don’t need to explain anything to them.

A piece of advice for women – When I was traveling in the touristic areas of Oman, I saw quite a few Western women dressing like they would do in a beach destination back home, and that was with very tight and small clothes. There isn’t really a law against that, and Omanis are the kindest people on Earth, so most likely, whatever you wear, they won’t say you anything to you because you are their guest. However, I certainly know that many Omanis get bothered when they see a woman dressing like that, especially in villages. Look, I know that I shouldn’t tell a woman what to do, but just bear in mind that you are in their country and, in order to enjoy their kindness and hospitality, showing your respect for their culture is a great start. You don’t need to cover your head or anything like that, but just try to dress more conservatively, and you will see that Omanis will receive you in open arms. For more information, read: Solo female travel in Oman

12 – Some of the most hospitable people ever – You may think this as a cliché statement, but it’s not. Omanis are in the top 3 of the most hospitable people I have ever met, along with Iranians and Pakistanis.

Over my backpacking journey, I lost count of all the house invitations I got, plus the kindness of the many locals I hitched a ride with, always willing to meet and help you, expecting nothing in return.

With a family of Bedouins, somewhere in Central Oman

13 – You will visit many guest rooms, but nothing beyond that – Omanis are very private. Families don’t really like people entering their houses, especially because it is the only place where their women can roam around freely.

For this reason, all houses tend to have a guest room, which is a living room attached to the main entrance of the house. If you are a man, you won’t be allowed to cross that room but, in that room, you will be treated like a royal guest.

14 – About women – Yes, Oman is a conservative Muslim society and as such, women have fewer rights than men but still, they are much further ahead than Saudi Arabia, especially when it comes to high education and public jobs, and you will hardly see any women wearing the niqab. However, you won’t really see women socializing alone in the street and, as a man, you will hardly talk to any of them.

Read: 9 Misconceptions about traveling as a female in Saudi

Men & women dancing together, in a random festival I attended in Badiyah

15 – Expect to see many pictures from Saddam Hussein – I traveled around Oman always hitchhiking and, during my journey, I got lifts from many people who had Saddam Hussein’s photo hanging from the rear mirror.

One of the few cars I saw with a picture of Sadam

16 – Get used to shopping from the car – Omanis have a strange custom which is that they don’t like to get out of their car when they go to the grocery store or want to take away food. Instead, they stop at the entrance and beep like crazy until a poor Bengali comes out asking for their order. A strange custom which I never managed to get used to.

17 – They even have drive-thru ATMs – When I was at the gas station of Salalah, for the first time in my life, I saw a drive-thru ATM, which was also located right next to a few normal ATMs. The shocking fact was that there were 3-4 cars standing on the line, yet, the normal ATMs were empty, which meant that they preferred waiting to getting out of the car – and it wasn’t due to the heat because it was during winter.

18 – The strangest signboards for shops – ”Fish Marketing”, ”Food Stuff”, or ”Café that offers meals mainly”, among the most classic ones.

Café that offers meals mainly

19 – Sultan Qaboos is the most beloved leader in the world – There isn’t a single Omani who doesn’t love their leader and the reason is that he has made their country great, not only when it comes to giving free stuff to its citizens – like houses – but he introduced a bunch of liberal laws (like freedom of religion) which his dictatorial predecessor didn’t allow.

20 – What you need to know about camels – In Oman there are a lot of camels, but most of them are concentrated in the south, in Dhofar province (the north is more about goats). Dhofar is perhaps, the place with the largest concentration of camels in the world, no kidding. They are absolutely everywhere, like sleeping in the middle of the road and stuff like that. Unfortunately, most of them will end up their days in a butchery.

Tales of Omani hospitality – I wish I had space here to tell you all the stories of hospitality and kindness I had with the tens of Omanis I hung out with. As I told you before, I traveled in Oman completely by hitchhiking, camped in the middle of towns and cities, and did a lot of Couchsurfing. When you are backpacking this way, the local interactions are non-stop and in most cases, Omanis just tried to be overwhelmingly helpful. I got invited to have coffee to countless houses, they took me out for lunch and dinner every other day and, on many occasions, the people I hitched a ride with, always insisted on driving me to my exact location, even if that required them to make a huge detour. For this reason, I strongly recommend you travel in Oman independently, not on a tour.

I love camels

Food and coffee in Oman

Honestly, food isn’t the highlight of any Oman trip, but there are some surprises and interesting facts.

The first thing you need to know is that Omani cuisine is very limited, as it mainly consists of meat or fish with rice, served in ridiculously massive portions.

Camel meat is eaten all across the country but nowhere like in Dhofar province, the place with perhaps, the largest concentration of camels in the world. In Salalah and around, camel meat is eaten very regularly in most restaurants, usually grilled, but you also find camel shawarmas, burgers and stuff like that.

Grilled meat plus a huge amount of rice. This massive Omani meal cost around 7-8USD and it could feed 3 people

Besides rice with its respective portion of protein, you may also find shurbah, a local soup made of oatmeal, tomatoes, and other vegetables.

That’s it pretty much when it comes to Omani food but, one day when I was Sadeh, a coastal village 2 hours north of Salalah, my host wanted me to eat a very special dish from his region.

And what are we gonna eat? – I asked

He didn’t know the name in English, so he Googled it and said: It’s called oysters. My friend catches them.

I thought we would be eating oysters in the same way we eat them back home but instead, he brought a massive dish of oysters without shells, cooked in a spicy sauce, but they still preserved the strong sea taste oysters usually have.

That dish was, definitely, one of the best dishes I ever had traveling, if not the best.

Loads of oysters, cooked in a spicy sauce

On the other hand, due to the big Indian influence, you also find loads and loads of restaurants – even in the smallest villages – serving all kinds of Indian food, ranging from daal to fish curries, and even calamari masala, always very cheap. Daal was usually my everyday breakfast.

Here are some facts about eating when you travel in Oman:

Typically, you will eat on the floor, with a plastic tablecloth

Usually, everything will be served on one single plate, even if you are several people, and you will eat from the same plate.

You eat with your hands, and no plates or forks are provided.

Guests are not supposed to leave any food – That was hard because of the XXL portions

In rural areas, you should eat with your right hand and doing otherwise is considered rude – This rule applies in all Muslim countries but Oman is particularly conservative and, along with Saudi Arabia, it is the only country where, on several occasions, the locals told me I was doing it wrong (I am left-handed).

What you need to know about kahwa

Kahwa is the local coffee from the Arabian Peninsula, consisting of regular coffee with cardamom, served in a traditional pot.

The problem with kahwa is that if you travel in Oman independently and have a lot of local interactions, you will be offered this coffee several times a day, meaning that you will have a shit load of cups, therefore, your heart rate is likely to increase.

When I was hitchhiking in Central Oman, where tourists are rare, one day I had to have more than 25 cups of kahwa – no kidding – as you are supposed to have at least a few when you are offered.

If you are in a house, kahwa will be typically served with dates and if you are lucky, with tajin as well, a kind of sauce in which you dip your dates.

In fancier occasions, they will serve it with halwa, a traditional sticky, jelly-like dessert made of wheat starch, eggs, saffron, cardamom, nuts, and A LOT of sugar. It’s a bomb.

What to do with all the dates – Of course, dates are immensely popular in Oman, especially in the north, and they claim that dates from Nizwa are the very best. Every time I stayed with an Omani from the north, they gifted me with a crazy bag loaded with dates, and they were so heavy. Since I couldn’t finish them all, they were piling up, so every time I hitched a ride with a foreigner, I also gave them dates.

Money & budgeting when you travel in Oman

In Oman, they use the Omani Rial (OR) and, approximately, 1USD = 0.39OR – Yes, it is worth more than 2USD.

Omani Rials are split into baisas (bzs) and 1OR = 1,000bzs

The Omani Rial is a stable currency.

Exchanging money – Given the fact that half of the population are foreigners, money exchange offices abound.

ATMs – Plenty of ATMs everywhere

Credit cards – In local eateries, taxis, small shops, budget hotels etc. you must pay in cash, so always bring plenty of it.

How much does traveling to Oman cost?

All right, Oman is an expensive destination (yeah, really), for two reasons:

There is no public transportation

There aren’t budget hotels

How much you will spend when traveling in Oman is hard to say, as it will depend on several factors.

For example, I have never spent much because, during my first 6 or 7 visits, I always came with my own car and used to camp in the wadis or the beach and, on my last occasion, I was purely hitchhiking and Couchsurfing, so I barely spent 20USD a day.

Local food is actually cheap but, if you rent a car and stay in hotels, costs will add up significantly.

Here are the typical prices of the most basic stuff:

One-month visa – 20OR (52USD)

Welcome package SIM + Data – 3OR (7.80USD) but then you pay 3OR for 1GB

The most budget hotel – 10-12OR (26-31USD)

A plate of daal – 500bzs (1.30USD)

A biryani – 1.5OR (3.90USD)

A big bottle of water – 200bzs (50¢)

A beer – 4OR (10USD)

Short taxi rides within Muscat – 2.50OR (6.50USD)

Bus from Muscat to Salalah – 7OR (18USD)

How to travel in Oman on a super budget:

Do hitchhike (it is fairly easy)

Do Couchsurfing

Only eat in Indian-run restaurants

Go to the mountains and camp outdoors

If you want to know more, read my guide on how to go backpacking in Oman on a super budget

Half Omani Rial, the most curious note

Transportation tips – How to move around Oman

In Muscat

Regular taxi – If you don’t have a car, taxis are the way to go in Muscat. They don’t have taximeters, however, and taxi drivers from Muscat are really annoying because they always try to rip off tourists. I recommend using Careem or Uber.

Bus – There are a few bus lines in Muscat that go all the way to Ruwi from the airport. They cost 500bzs. For more information, read my Muscat City Guide.

Renting a car in Oman

To be very honest, Oman is a country which is best explored by car, as the vast majority of its places are completely inaccessible.

A car will make your life much easier, plus you will be able to find epic camping spots and just have a lot of freedom.

I recommend you find your car via Rental Cars, a search engine that helps you find the best deals, no matter where you are.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE BEST CAR RENTAL DEALS IN OMAN

Do you need a 4×4 for your trip to Oman?

Before making this decision, you need to think: where are you going to go?

The roads in Oman are generally good and the only 2 places I went where a 4×4 was needed were Jebel Akhdar and the road from Al Hamra to Rustaq via Bald Sayt.

Then, you have the Empty Quarter but, even if you had the best 4×4, it is not recommended to go without an experienced driver – The dunes in the Empty Quarter are a few hundred meters high, and they are shifting sands.

Unless you really want to drive off-road, bear in mind that renting a 4×4 is much more expensive than a regular car, so you really need to assess whether it is worth to pay the extra money for being able to go to Jebel Akhdar and Bald Sayt.

Bus

Traveling in Oman by bus sucks, for 3 reasons:

They just go to the main cities and towns

There are only a few a day

Cities in Oman are not walking-friendly, so when you get to a city by bus, you are screwed again.

Going by bus isn’t a good option for traveling in Oman.

Hitchhiking

The best option for budget backpackers.

Hitchhiking in Oman is super easy. I hitchhiked more than 1400km, from Salalah to Muscat and everything in between, and never had to wait much.

For more information, read my budget backpacking guide in Oman.

Why visit Oman? Camels are often found on the road

How to travel to Oman

Traveling to Oman by air – Today, there are many international connections coming from different European and Asian cities to Muscat. However, flying to Dubai will always be cheaper, so I recommend you check both and then you decide. The southern city of Salalah also has an international airport, with connections from other Arab countries, India, Pakistan, etc.

Traveling to Oman by land – Oman shares a border with UAE, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia.

UAE – Traveling from Dubai to Muscat is a 400km drive. You can come by car but there are also buses from Bur Dubai. Check here for more info.

Saudi – Apparently, the border was recently opened, but there are no buses and it is actually faster going through UAE, which would be a 1,300km drive from Riyadh to Muscat. Read my travel guide to Saudi Arabia.

Yemen – The border is open but it is a very long drive. For more information on visiting Yemen, read this post.

Accommodation tips – Which kind of accommodation do you have?

The first thing you need to know is that in Oman there aren’t hostels or guest houses, only hotels.

Budget Hotels – Only available in big cities and on roads. You pay 25-30USD for a single room but on the bright side, the few I stayed in tended to be clean and have some minimum standards.

Hotel-apartments – In big cities, you can also find hotel-apartments, which are very good value-for-money if you are more than 2 people.

Mid-range hotels – In rural touristic places such as Jebel Shams, Jebel Akhdar, villages like Bald Sayt, etc. there aren’t budget hotels and rates may easily start at 100USD per night.

5-star hotels – The offer of luxury hotels in Oman is very large.

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE LATEST HOTEL DEALS IN OMAN!

Airbnb – Probably, the most budget options but the offer is quite limited outside of the main towns. Remember that, if you create an account through my link, you will get up to 35€ of FREE credit on your next booking.

Couchsurfing – Plenty of profiles but I recommend you send the requests in advance because Omanis tend to take a while to reply.

Internet

Wi-Fi – Wi-Fi usually works great but, unfortunately, it is difficult to find a Wi-Fi network, as the internet is expensive in Oman, so only hotels and Western-style cafés can afford it. So, when you are traveling in rural Oman, getting connected may prove challenging.

Moreover, Wi-Fi networks tend to require a local Omani number in order to connect, so you will have to buy a SIM Card anyways.

SIM Card – SIM Cards in Oman are expensive as well. Omantel is the most popular one. They offer an entry plan which may be enough for short-term stays but then, if you are planning to travel to Oman for several weeks, the price per GB is pricey, like 8-9USD for 1GB worth of data.

More information to add up to this Oman travel guide

Here you can find all my articles and guides to Oman

Traveling to Saudi Arabia? Here you can find all my articles and guides to Saudi Arabia

Are you traveling to Dubai and have little money? Read how to travel in Dubai on a budget

Iran is so close to Oman, are you going there? Remember to check then my tips for visiting Iran

And here all my content to the Middle East

This Oman travel guide contained everything you needed to know for your trip. If you have any additional information, or questions, kindly post it in the comments section

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todaybharatnews · 6 years ago

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via Today Bharat Petrol prices have soared by Rs 1.59 a litre and diesel by Rs 1.31 in the last six days -- the most since daily price revision was introduced in 2017, as a massive strike at Saudi Arabian oil facilities jolted oil markets. Petrol price was on Sunday hiked by 27 paise to Rs 73.62 a litre in the Delhi market -- the benchmark for national rates, according to a price notification by state-owned oil firms. Price of diesel was increased by 18 paise to Rs 66.74 per litre in Delhi. This is the sixth straight daily increase and has taken the cumulative price hike since September 17 to Rs 1.59 per litre in case of petrol and Rs 1.31 for diesel. Global oil prices shot up the most since the Gulf war in the immediate aftermath of the unprecedented drone missile strikes on key oil facilities in Saudi Arabia that disabled 5 per cent of the global supply. Oil prices have cooled since the spike on September 16 but remain on the edge. Attackers using low-flying drones and cruise missiles knocked out 5.7 million barrels of production, or about 60 per cent of what Saudi Arabia currently produces. It was the largest supply disruption in history. On Monday, Brent oil futures soared 15 per cent. Analysts have warned that the style of the attacks on Saudi Aramco's Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities may add a permanent risk premium to oil and gasoline prices. While Saudi Arabia is saying it can quickly bring supply back online, experts say the shock to the global oil market will be felt for years. India depends on Saudi Arabia for a fifth of its oil imports and has been in constant touch with Kingdom officials on securing its supplies. Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday spoke to Saudi Arabia's new oil minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman to discuss the supply plan. Saudi Arabia, according to Pradhan, has assured India of meeting all its committed oil supplies. Saudi Arabia, which is India's second-largest oil supplier, sells close to 2 million tonnes of crude every month. Of this, 1.2-1.3 million tonnes of supplies for September have already been taken and the rest too has been assured. However, Saudi has sought deferment of some LPG supplies, but they have assured to make up for all the quantities, Indian Oil Corp (IOC) Chairman Sanjiv Singh said, adding any shortfall can be bought from Qatar. Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) has already tendered for import of LPG in October, possibly to make up for the shortfall from Saudi Arabia. India buys around 2,00,000 tonnes of LPG every month from Saudi Arabia. Industry sources said Saudi Arabia has cut throughput at its refineries to meet its crude oil supply commitments. India imports 83 per cent of its oil needs, with Saudi Arabia supplying a fifth of the purchases. Saudi Arabia is its second-biggest supplier after Iraq. It sold 40.33 million tonnes of crude oil to India in 2018-19 fiscal, when the country had imported 207.3 million tonnes of oil. China, South Korea, Japan and India are the biggest takers of the Saudi oil in Asia, with China and Japan leading the pack at an average of 900-1,100 kilo ba

#IFTTT #Today Bharat

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leonfrancisblog · 4 years ago

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Appointment Scheduling Software Market Country Level Analysis:

Appointment scheduling software market is analyzed and market size, volume information is provided by type, organization size, end-user industry and application as referenced above.

The country section of the appointment scheduling software market report also provides individual market impacting factors and changes in regulation in the market domestically that impacts the current and future trends of the market. Data points like down-stream and upstream value chain analysis, technical trends and porter's five forces analysis, case studies are some of the pointers used to forecast the market scenario for individual countries. Also, the presence and availability of global brands and their challenges faced due to large or scarce competition from local and domestic brands, impact of domestic tariffs and trade routes are considered while providing forecast analysis of the country data. The countries covered in the appointment scheduling software market report are U.S., Canada and Mexico in North America, Brazil, Argentina and Rest of South America as part of South America, Germany, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe in Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC), Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, Rest of Middle East and Africa (MEA) as a part of Middle East and Africa (MEA).North America will dominate the appointment scheduling software market in the forecast period of 2020 to 2027 due to rising popularity of online booking system, increasing penetration of mobile phones and growing adoption of digitalization in the region.

Global Appointment Scheduling Software Market Scope and Market Size:

Appointment scheduling software market is segmented on the basis of type, organization size, end-user industry and application. The growth among segments helps you analyse niche pockets of growth and strategies to approach the market and determine your core application areas and the difference in your target markets.

On the basis of type, the appointment scheduling software market is segmented into web-bases, SaaS, mobile app and others. Organization size segment of the appointment scheduling software market is divided into small & medium sized enterprises and large enterprises. Based on end- users, the appointment scheduling software market is segmented into corporate, beauty & wellness, education, healthcare and others. The application segment of the appointment scheduling software market is divided into commercial, personal and others.

The major players covered in the appointment scheduling software market report are Appointy, Acuity Scheduling, Inc, Melian Labs, Inc., MINDBODY, Inc., Square, Inc., SuperSaaS., TimeTrade., 10to8 Ltd., TIMIFY, 1stGroup Ltd., Reservio, Cirrus Insight, JRNI, Tappointment, Valsoft SARS, Inc., Yocale Network Corporation., BOOKMEMATE PTY LTD., ADDY SYSTEMS LLC., BOOXI INC., MAQTOOB Ltd., Ovatu Pty Ltd. among other domestic and global players. Market share data is available for global, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America separately. DBMR analysts understand competitive strengths and provide competitive analysis for each competitor separately.

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whittlebaggett8 · 6 years ago

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China and Saudi Arabia: The Global Ambitions of Mohammad bin Salman

Trans-Pacific Watch writer Mercy Kuo routinely engages subject-make a difference specialists, coverage practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the world for their numerous insights into U.S. Asia coverage. This discussion with James M. Dorsey, Senior Fellow at Nanyang Technological College in Singapore, is the 180th in “The Trans-Pacific Perspective Insight Sequence.”

How does China match into the worldview of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS)?

China is Saudi Arabia’s major oil customer. The U.S. is getting a self-sufficient exporter of oil. Saudi Arabia desires to safe other clients. China has develop into a essential spouse to Saudi Arabia. In this context, uncertainty about the dependability of United States as an ally, which predates [current President] Trump, heading again to President Obama, looms big in Saudi Arabia’s strategic calculus. President Obama’s world-wide perspective centered on the pivot to Asia, which resulted in the reduction of the Center East’s strategic importance. In addition, Obama concluded the Iran nuclear treaty. Saudi Arabia sees Iran as an existential threat.

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For Riyadh, Trump is a much more welcome partner for Saudi Arabia vis-à-vis Iran. Nonetheless, Trump is significantly noticed as unreliable and very transactional with an isolationist perspective of the U.S. part in world geopolitics. Even on Iran, Trump is not reliable, with waivers supplied to eight nations on sanctions, such as China.

The important dilemma is how very long China can wander the tightrope concerning Saudi Arabia and Iran, and at what point will it develop into an problem? Ultimately, China’s romance with Iran is substantially more mature than China’s relations with Saudi Arabia. Chinese and Iranians understand every single other on a deeper amount, as empires that did not interfere with every other. Each individual region bookends the Asian continent.

Iran as properly as North Korea are disruptors of international buy. China is not unfavorable to a certain degree of disruption. Iran has a extremely educated inhabitants, technologically savvy. Iran as a landlink for China’s BRI [Belt and Road Initiative] tends to make Iran crucial since one BRI corridor finishes in Tehran.

Saudi Arabia is significant to China, but the United States is nonetheless the Center East defense umbrella. Chinese does not want to take above the defense umbrella in the region. Chinese policy in the Middle East usually takes the U.S. into account, and Beijing will not rock the boat in the Middle East vis-à-vis the United States.

Even nevertheless Saudi Arabia’s relations with China are escalating, their agendas are not totally aligned. The most well known illustration is in Pakistan on two issues. It is not very clear if Saudi funding of militant anti-Shiite, anti-Iranian madrassas that dot the Iran-Pakistan border is govt-sourced or tacitly endorsed by Riyadh. Possibly way, it needs some type of acquiescence from Riyadh. Sufficient proof indicates the Saudis are thinking of the chance of destabilizing Iran by stirring unrest between its ethnic minorities. This pondering is shared by U.S. Countrywide Safety Advisor John Bolton. Bolton hinted at it in a movie revealed on Twitter at the time of the Warsaw convention in February.

If Saudi Arabia and the U.S. needed to wage war against Iran, Balochistan would be section of the battleground, which is the middle position of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China-Pakistan relations are strained now thanks to Imran Khan’s demand from customers for a refocus of the China-Pakistan Financial Corridor, which the Chinese do not want to do right away. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have bailed out Pakistan. Pakistan was likely to welcome Saudi investment in Balochistan, introduced as portion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, but China said [Saudi] investments weren’t part of it.

Why is China’s recognition of MBS’s leadership critical to Saudi Arabia’s financial potential?

China’s recognition of MBS matters not so substantially mainly because of MBS the male, but MBS as the de facto king of Saudi Arabia. MBS is significantly turning Saudi Arabia into a person-man rule. Undertaking business with Saudi Arabia suggests executing company with MBS. Chinese assistance for MBS is extra important to MBS than for China. The pomp and circumstance of MBS’s modern stop by to Asia compensated for the cold reaction from the U.S. and the West. The Asia journey cast MBS in a various gentle and shown that critical earth powers are completely ready to do business enterprise with him, somewhat than address him as a pariah. He wished to job that he stays internationally respected ̶ a message he desired to amplify at household and abroad.

How is MBS balancing China and Russia vis-à-vis the United States?

Based mostly on his statements considering the fact that 2015, prior to the Jamal Khashoggi killing, MBS was determined to do whichever was vital to convey the United States again to the Middle East. One approach was to make an imbroglio in Yemen to compel the U.S. to re-have interaction in the Middle East, which labored quite nicely till the killing of Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia’s incapability to arrive up with a coherent, convincing narrative to make clear Khashoggi’s murder has induced consternation in Congress and friction concerning Capitol Hill and the White Residence.

It is remarkably not likely that MBS could not have been afflicted by the Khashoggi killing in a person of two methods: he possibly realizes that ability is not absolute and need to be managed or he’s emboldened. My sense is that MBS is emboldened, and this emboldened position could additional complicate relations with the U.S. and effect relations with China and Russia.

Particularly, Saudi Arabia need to control the geopolitics of electrical power with Russia seeking to manipulate power marketplaces, in spite of significant Gulf investment in Russia. In addition, Saudi Arabia’s weapons acquisition from Russia, together with the S-400 protection program, as nicely as Russia’s purpose in Syria and associations with Iran and Chinese underscore the substantial stakes in an particularly fluid geopolitical landscape.

Clarify the influence of Saudi Arabia’s decision to use Huawei 5G know-how.

Chinese did MBS the favor of honoring him. Saudi Arabia won’t stab China in again with refusing 5G engineering. Riyadh does not have the very same form of concerns that the U.S. has. It is not about the know-how, it’s about rely on. The U.S. would be considerably less concerned if Samsung or Nokia led 5G technological know-how innovation, because South Korea and Finland are not being accused of industrial espionage like China. The connection in between Huawei and the Chinese government is really unique from Nokia-Helsinki and Samsung-Seoul’s government interactions.

China is Saudi Arabia’s product for economic expansion – financial liberalization with domestic repression. Saudi Arabia has to enhance its autocracy to a 21st century in which autocracies have to complete present work opportunities, public safety, and merchandise be much more attentive to the public’s aspirations and sentiments. The Chinese model is considerably a lot more pertinent for Saudi Arabia’s financial progress than the possible nationwide protection risks of utilizing China’s 5G technologies.

What are the foreign coverage implications of developing Saudi Arabia-China cooperation on U.S.-Saudi Arabia relations?

The moment [the furor over] Khashoggi has played out in Congress and the White Home, we’ll know how U.S.-Saudi Arabia relations will evolve. It’s not a zero-sum recreation. Washington would not be upset as a make a difference of theory regarding closer Saudi Arabia-China relations.

Nuclear weapons could also become an concern. Saudi Arabia is far more than delighted to supply. Chinese and Saudis have signed at least a single nuclear arrangement that permits Saudi Arabia to put specific creating blocks in put. The U.S. is not willing to offer Saudi Arabia killer drones. China has no issue and has designed a manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia. Bolstering the country’s military services capabilities is aligned with MBS’s eyesight for creating an industrial military complex.

Navy relations concerning Saudi Arabia-China particularly in phrases of arms product sales will raise troubles in U.S.-Saudi Arabia relations and could be a key indicator of the way in bilateral relations.

Some say Saudis and Individuals have break up up world wide markets with the U.S. emerging as the world’s largest exporter, whereby Saudis market oil to China, and the U.S. sells fuel to China. People in america fully grasp Saudis will need to offer oil to important purchasers these kinds of as China to preserve security.

The post China and Saudi Arabia: The Global Ambitions of Mohammad bin Salman appeared first on Defence Online.

from WordPress https://defenceonline.com/2019/03/19/china-and-saudi-arabia-the-global-ambitions-of-mohammad-bin-salman/

#China and Saudi Arabia #China-Saudi Arabia relations #Mohammad bin Salman #Saudi Arabia foreign poli

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ebenpink · 6 years ago

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May 19, 2019 http://bit.ly/2EicldL

With Abraham Lincoln as the flagship, deployed strike group assets include staffs, ships, and aircraft of Carrier Strike Group 12, Destroyer Squadron 2, USS Leyte Gulf and Carrier Air Wing 7. Petty Officer 3rd Class Darion Chanelle Triplett/U.S. Navy via AP

Arab News: Gulf nations ‘approve US request to deploy troops in the Gulf’ * Media reports quote unnamed sources as saying the move is designed to deter aggression from Iran * Tensions have risen in the region following attacks on tankers in the Gulf and a Saudi oil pipeline JEDDAH: The United States is planning to deploy military forces in the waters of the Arabian Gulf and in a number of Gulf Cooperation Council countries, according to media reports in the region last night. The request from Washington was approved by a number of GCC nations, including Saudi Arabia, according to a report by Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, which quoted unnamed Arab diplomatic sources. Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May19, 2019

Iran military could misidentify commercial airliners amid tension, US diplomats warn -- ABC News Online Iran warns US warships are in range of its missiles as 2 destroyers sail into the Persian Gulf -- Business Insider The U.S. Navy’s Next Submarines Will Be Drone-Carrying Super Special Forces Boats -- Foxtrot Alpha Study Says Navy Logistics Fleet Would Fall Short in High-End Fight -- USNI News The Air Force's New HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter Has Taken Flight For The First Time -- Warzone/The Drive Acting US Defense Secretary Faces Challenges Ahead of Confirmation -- VOA President Trump could pardon Gallagher, Golsteyn, and Marine Scout Snipers on Memorial Day -- Task & Purpose Marine Corps punishes at least eight drill instructors amid allegations of hazing and abuse -- New York Daily News Pentagon spending on sex assault programs quadruples, yet incidents creep back up in latest report -- USA Today The 5 Worst Navy Bases To Be Stationed At (And why). -- National Interest The Pentagon keeps pissing away money on weapons programs and getting little in return -- Task & Purpose/National Interest Where do special forces fit in the National Defense Strategy? -- Jen Judson, Defense News Is the Air Force Really Testing an ‘Earth-Penetrating’ Nuclear Bomb? -- National Interest GenDyn tapped for 120mm tank ammunition for Iraq -- UPI US and Finnish soldiers go head-to-head with Marines in mock armored vehicle battle -- Stars and Stripes U.S., Lebanese Leaders Conduct Bilateral Meeting at Pentagon -- Department of Defense US clears $1 billion in Raytheon weapons for Canada, South Korea and Japan -- Defense News Introducing Russia's S-500: Can It Take Out an F-22 or F-35? -- National Interest Erdogan Says Russia, Turkey May Discuss Joint Production of S-500 Defence System -- Sputnik The US is getting closer to punishing Turkey for buying advanced Russian weapons, but now another US partner is signing up to buy them -- Business Insider/Reuters Nuclear Weapons Are Getting Less Predictable, and More Dangerous -- Patrick Tucker, Defense One Is The Pentagon Exaggerating Russian Tactical Nuclear Weapons? -- Hans Kristensen, Forbes Russia Warns U.S. is Preparing to Use Nuclear Weapons in Europe -- Moscow Times Putin Hails New Russian Laser Weapons -- Military.com Russian Military to Produce Patriotic Movies About War in Syria -- Newsweek South Korea's army is training drones to teabag enemies with explosives -- Task & Purpose Greece Gets First Upgraded Lockheed Martin P-3B Maritime Surveillance Aircraft -- Sputnik Colombia Army’s New Kill Orders Send Chills Down Ranks -- The New York Times from War News Updates http://bit.ly/2w5R1DN via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Blogger

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fashion-sight · 7 years ago

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Saudi Arabia's model-less 'ghost fashion show' ridiculed online - The New Arab (blog)

The New Arab (blog)

Saudi Arabia's model-less 'ghost fashion show' ridiculed online The New Arab (blog) Gowns and accessories - from Dolce & Gabbana no less - glided down the runway not draped over the usual six-foot-tall twenty-something but hanging limply from a drone. Lest we forget, fashion shows in the ultra-conservative kingdom follow a different ... A Saudi fashion show replaced models with drones - VoxVox A Saudi fashion show skipped the models and showed dresses using dronesWashington Post Dresses Flutter On Drones In Saudi Fashion Show, But Critics Aren't Buying ItNPR Newshub -TIME -NPR -Twitter all 76 news articles »

#D&G #Fashion #Hautecouture #Fashionweek

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newstfionline · 8 years ago

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The Messaging App Fueling Syria’s Insurgency

By Adam Rawnsley, Eric Woods, Christiaan Triebert, Foreign Policy, November 6, 2017

In rebel-held Syria, access to the weapons you need to wage an insurgency are just a tap away thanks to an encrypted messaging app. The Islamic State may be in retreat, but other militants in Syria have been trading thousands of weapons in publicly accessible black markets hosted on Telegram, including dozens of U.S. military assault rifles and parts for the same kind of anti-tank missile systems distributed by the CIA to anti-Bashar al-Assad rebels. Foreign Policy conducted an exclusive investigation to determine the scale of these arms markets, and where the weapons that ended up on them originated.

The markets have hosted over 5,000 users and catered to buyers and sellers primarily based in the northwest Syrian province of Idlib, according to information posted by users. The province is home to a diverse array of rebel groups, including factions that used to receive advanced weaponry from the CIA, but the al Qaeda-affiliated Hayat Tahrir al-Sham represents far and away the strongest force there after ousting its rivals from power.

Some of the U.S.-made weapons available on these markets likely first entered Syria as part of an ill-fated Pentagon program to train and equip fighters in northern Syria to take on the Islamic State. The Barack Obama administration ended the effort in October 2015, after U.S.-trained commanders were kidnapped and shaken down for arms by al Qaeda soon after crossing from Turkey into Syria--but the American guns from the program continue to live on in illicit arms markets. The American arms, however, are just a small part of thousands of weapons being traded by Syrian militants on the online black markets hosted on the Telegram messaging app.

Provided with a list of serial numbers and accompanying photographs of Defense Department arms for sale in the markets, a spokesperson for Operation Inherent Resolve said that the coalition believes the weapons “may have been part of the now-terminated Syria Train and Equip program that supported Vetted Syrian Opposition forces.”

The apparent diversion from the Syria Train and Equip Program represents another in a series of black marks for the much maligned 2015 effort. At the time the $500 million initiative was closed down, it had trained fewer than 150 fighters and failed to mount an effective opposition to the Islamic State.

The spread of weapons from the program into the black market is just one example of how the United States has struggled to ensure the security of arms transfers in support of America’s war against terrorist groups. In the chaos following the fall of Mosul in 2014, the Islamic State captured huge stockpiles of American-made firearms, armored Humvees, and tanks from fleeing Iraqi troops. In the rush to buttress Iraq against the terrorist group’s advance, the U.S. Defense Department lost track of over $1 billion worth of arms sent to Iraq and Kuwait. Iranian-backed Shiite militias and other militant groups also got their hands on some of the billions of dollars’ worth of arms Washington sent to partner forces in Iraq and Syria to help them fight the Islamic State.

The CIA’s program to arm and train anti-Assad rebels with TOW anti-tank missiles and other small arms has also suffered from diversion, after corrupt Jordanian intelligence officials skimmed arms from the program to sell on the black market.

The markets also offer a window on the scale and scope of weaponry and equipment now available to Syrian militants. The Telegram channels have offered everything from Cold War-vintage surface-to-air missiles to anti-tank weapons, armored vehicles, suicide belts, assault rifles from Russia and Serbia, drones, and Iranian thermal scopes, among other items.

Craigslist for militias. The markets, based in a handful of Telegram channels with a few thousand members, allow anyone with a link to the market to post pictures of weapons for sale or contact sellers. They resemble chatrooms, with sellers posting photographs of weapons often taken inside homes with a description of the item, a suggested price, or the location where a buyer can meet to pick up the weapons. Buyers can either post a public request for the weapons they’d like to buy or direct-message a seller to agree on a price and location to meet up and complete the sale.

The Telegram arms markets in Syria function as a kind of social media Craigslist, with little apparent central administration. With much of the markets’ trade taking place in rebel enclaves, the absence of a government regulating the arms trade has given buyers and sellers little cause for anonymity, with members often posting their cellphone numbers and locations openly.

A review of locations mentioned in the markets indicates that much of the markets’ user base is located in Idlib province, where the al Qaeda-affiliated Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has recently consolidated its hold on power. The provincial capital of Idlib City and the city of Jisr al-Shughur are among the most frequently cited locations.

In that sense, the Telegram arms markets operate in a similar fashion to other social media arms markets that have sprung up in recent years, including Facebook markets for weapons in Iraq and Libya. Facebook has officially banned arms sales on its platform, but such markets still persist in conflict zones such as Iraq.

Firearms. FP was able to identify 28 different firearms--17 M16 assault rifle variants, nine M4A1 carbines, one modified M16A2 type carbine and one M249 Squad Automatic Weapon light machine gun--for sale with visible U.S. Defense Department markings and serial numbers. Prices for the weapons listed by sellers ranged from $900 up to $3,500. The markets also hosted advertisements for a number of other firearms bearing Defense Department markings but with no visible or only partially visible serial numbers, suggesting that more U.S.-issued weaponry may be available.

But it isn’t only American weapons for sale. These channels ran advertisements for a range of assault rifles from around the world, including Russian AK-103 and AK-104 assault rifles made by Russia’s Kalashnikov Concern. FP documented seven AK-103 and four AK-104 assault rifles with visible serial numbers and shared them with both Kalashnikov Concern and the Russian Defense Ministry. In a statement, Kalashnikov Concern declined to provide information about the weapons or to whom they were sold.

Sellers advertised M70 AK-pattern assault rifles from Serbia’s Zastava Arms. FP reached out to Zastava to learn more about the weapons advertised in Syria’s online markets, but the company referred all questions to Serbia’s Ministry of Defense. Serbia’s Defense Ministry told FP that its Directorate for Procurement and Sales “has never sold automatic rifles M70 of the requested register marks.” Additionally, the Telegram markets featured an M02 Coyote 12.7mm heavy machine gun. Reporters from the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project have previously documented the diversion of Coyote machine guns from Zastava through Saudi Arabia and into the hands of Syrian rebels.

Explosives. Explosives are among the most concerning items for sale in the markets, raising the possibility the homemade bombs and explosive materials could fuel terror attacks outside of Syria, with merchants offering suicide belts for as little as $50.

John Ismay, a former U.S. Navy explosive ordnance disposal officer, reviewed images of explosive devices and components for sale in the markets for FP. The items “show a sophisticated understanding of [improvised explosive device] construction, with features designed for maximum reliability and destructive effect,” he said.

The markets excel in helping would-be bomb-makers purchase often hard-to-locate supplies. “The hardest part of building any IED in my mind is getting blasting caps and getting [detonation] cord,” said Ismay. Buyers in the Telegram markets appear to have plentiful opportunities to overcome that hurdle: Electric blasting caps were among the most frequently marketed explosive components, with vendors periodically posting imagery of caps available for a few dollars apiece.

Market sellers have made efficient use of unexploded cluster munitions dropped by government or Russian warplanes on rebel areas of Syria. In multiple postings, sellers offered cast explosive taken from what appear to be dud submunitions from Russian cluster bombs, selling the explosive fill and allowing buyers to repurpose it into their own homemade IEDs.

For those with bomb-making skills, the markets advertise a range of different explosive precursors. Among the items on offer are staples of IED construction, including bags of ammonium nitrate fertilizer labeled as made by Mert Global, a Turkish company. The arms-tracing group Conflict Armament Research documented Mert fertilizer products in IEDs made by the Islamic State in Tikrit and Ramadi, Iraq. FP made multiple attempts to reach Mert for comment in both Turkish and English but did not receive a reply.

Drums of nitrocellulose, a flammable chemical with a number of legitimate uses in industrial processes but that also can be used to make explosives for IEDs, were common in the markets as well. FP documented images of nitrocellulose drums for sale labeled as the products of Dow Deutschland, Synthesia, and Nitro Chemical Industry Ltd.

Jörg Hartmann, a spokesman for Dow Deutschland, confirmed that the drum featured in the market came from a batch “produced by Dow in July 2016, and shipped from one of our sites in Germany to longstanding and trusted customers in Turkey.” He declined to specifically identify those customers, writing instead that they included “some end users in the ink and coatings industry as well as some distributors who re-sell the product.” Dow ceased all sales of industrial nitrocellulose to Syria in 2011 following international sanctions on the country.

Other chemicals for sale held the potential to increase the explosive power of homemade bombs. One seller advertised a drum of aluminum flakes, which can be used as an oxidizer to boost the power of explosive charges and make an enhanced blast explosive. The drum in the advertisement is labeled as the product of Belgium-based AVL Metal Powders, which sells metal powders for use in paints, plastics, and other decorative products, with Elso Kimya, the main distributor for AVL Metal Powders in Turkey, listed as the intended recipient.

Elso Kimya’s chief operating officer, Ralf Elhadef, confirmed that his company purchases all of its metal powders from AVL. But in emails to FP, both Elhadef and AVL commercial director Pierre Van Lerberghe wrote that they could not authenticate the advertised drum as an AVL product because the image of the drum’s label does not show AVL’s unique factory seal--created to help customers distinguish AVL’s products from counterfeits made by Chinese companies--and its batch number is scratched out.

Vehicles. Commercial drones have risen to prominence as tools of war in the Syrian conflict. They are used to film battles for use in militant propaganda videos, are sent on reconnaissance missions, and occasionally serve as small bombers, dropping grenade-sized explosives. The Telegram markets have kept pace with their popularity, selling commercial quadcopters like the popular Phantom 3 drone made by the China-based DJI.

With regard to heavier equipment, sellers have offered a more limited supply of Warsaw Pact armored vehicles. Sellers posted a rusty T-55 tank, common among both Assad regime and rebel forces, for $150,000, and a BMP infantry fighting vehicle for $38,000. Buyers can help maintain the vehicles by picking from a variety of spare parts occasionally posted in the markets.

Missiles. Militants in Syria have used man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS)--shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles--throughout the Syrian war, targeting low-flying Assad regime aircraft. Should they fall into the hands of a terrorist organization, they would represent a particularly potent weapon: Arms-control experts have long been concerned that MANPADS could be used to attack airliners and other civilian aircraft at low altitudes and during take-off and landing. In countries like Iraq and Libya, where MANPADS were plentiful after the fall of Saddam Hussein’s and Muammar al-Qaddafi’s regimes, the United States has attempted to reduce the risk with buyback programs.

In Syria, scholars have identified at least eight types of MANPADS present in the hands of rebel groups since the war began in 2011. But despite their availability, thus far there have been no known attempts to use MANPADS against civilian aircraft in Syria or its immediate neighbors.

Syria is also home to one of the world’s largest concentration of anti-tank missiles. Rebels have used American TOW as well as Russian and Warsaw Pact anti-tank missiles to chew through the Assad regime’s heavily mechanized forces, posting dozens of videos of missile strikes on social media.

The prevalence of these weapons in the conflict is reflected in their availability on the Telegram arms markets. Sellers posted pictures of equipment that apparently belong to TOW anti-tank missile systems, including a daysight tracker and battery assembly. The CIA began supplying anti-Assad rebels with TOW missiles during a program that began under the Obama administration and that the Donald Trump administration decided to end in July. The material available for sale on Telegram could be useful to militants looking to replace worn-out, cracked, or corroded equipment, allowing them to continue launching any TOW missiles leftover from the CIA program. TOW systems are manufactured by the U.S. defense contractor Raytheon and sold to a number of U.S. allies, but FP could not determine whether the TOW equipment offered for sale in the markets came directly from U.S. stockpiles or from one of those allied countries.

Advertisements for anti-tank equipment reviewed by Damien Spleeters of Conflict Armament Research, which documents and traces weapons in conflicts around the world, also show sellers hawking both missiles and firing units for Russian Metis anti-tank missiles and M79 Osa anti-tank rocket launchers.

Antiquities trafficking. The wars in Iraq and Syria have ravaged the region’s cultural heritage, as militant groups like the Islamic State loot antiquities and traffic them on black markets. “There is frequently overlap in the smuggling and sale of weapons and antiquities,” said Michael Danti, a Near Eastern archaeologist at Colgate University who tracks antiquities trafficking with ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives. The two illicit trades, he said, tend to share similar routes, shipments, and dealers.

Syria’s Telegram arms markets are no exception to this pattern, with one seller posting images of an ancient coin dating from a period around the end of the 4th century and beginning of the 3rd century B.C. Experts consulted by FP from ASOR Cultural Heritage Initiatives, a Boston-based organization that works to protect cultural heritage, identified the piece as a silver tetradrachm minted in western Turkey during the reign of Lysimachus, a king who succeeded Alexander the Great. It has a likely market value of around $850.

Will Telegram do anything? Telegram is far from the only online service that has played host to the illicit weapons trade--but it has proven an especially popular platform for militants in the Middle East, leading some countries to block access or propose restrictions on the app’s usage. Barring Islamic State content has been a particular challenge for the company, as members of the terrorist group and fans alike have flocked to Telegram as their app of choice for communicating and sharing Islamic State media.

In the course of reporting for this article, the largest of the arms markets, @souq4, disappeared from Telegram without explanation, but a number of others remained open until FP approached Telegram with questions about their policies toward these channels. Telegram spokesman Markus Ra wrote on Nov. 5 that the channels had been shut down that morning, and that the company’s abuse team usually shuts down offending channels within a few hours of their being reported.

But as Facebook’s experience with users running arms markets in Libya and Iraq illustrates, the problem is not just limited to one platform. As long as the parties to conflicts have a need for weapons and access to the internet, buyers and sellers are likely to meet online and on the social media platforms where people congregate. And while Syria’s Telegram markets have since closed, they might not be gone for very long.

#Syrian conflict #Telegram arms market #black market arms

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