Prepared

by: Ahmed Al-Hajri Suleiman Al-Hajri Abdullah Al-Masrouri

Externsteine

Within the mutual cooperation between the Department of Tourism at Sultan Qaboos University and the Teutoburger Wald / Eggegebirge, we had the chance to get an internship in Germany for six weeks. This report is one of the internship result. Within the field trips in the Nature Park, we visited an attraction called: "Externsteine", which is a rock formation formed nearly 130 million years ago by folding and erosion. Based on its beauty and history, this region is one of the most important tourist destinations in the Nature Park, frequenting visited by tourists from all over the world. It was important to establish modern facilities to accommodate the tourist demand. There is a tourist information center, which contains a digital map of the site which includes all the tracks that can be used by tourists, and it contains brochures and posters with important information about the site and its history. Also, there is a gallery displaying other information about the site in a modern way, varying from audio, written to visual, as well as there is a way to provide information to children. An electronic touch-screen models allow tourists to choose presented material. Also there is a showroom with documentary movies about the site and its history, and how the "Externsteine" are formed. In addition, there are old exhibits related to the "Externsteine" in the tourist information center. Tourist information is available in English and German.

The "Externsteine" information center is a modern example for good tourism in any country, and it is possible to create similar projects in Oman. For example we have similar features of attractions in the Sultanate. The "Externsteine" concept could be transferred to attractions in Oman.