The Religious Issues Influencing Omanis Employment in the Hotel Sector

Abstract

The Sultanate of Oman is located on the South-eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and has borders with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Arabic is the official language. Islam is the official religion.Tourism development has been given special attention by the Sultanate of Oman’s government aspiring that the industry would assist in executing the Omanisation Policy, create direct job opportunities as well as to boost the economy.This study aims to assess the impact of religious issues on Omanis employment in the hotel sector.The religious issues have serious impacts on Omanis employment in the hotel sector. Some employees are concerned about the source of income because of the idea that since the hotel business entails serving alcohol their source of income would be questionable religion wise. For females, the designated job uniform and the interaction with males are major concerns. It is concluded that, the characteristics and the very nature of the hotel sector are in direct conflict with the religious beliefs which shape the Omani life and society.