Salalah Free Zone in the Sultanate of Oman has been ranked 17th out of 130 free zones in the Middle East surveyed in an authoritative study, Middle East Free Zones of the Future 2012/2013, by fDi Magazine, a division of the Financial Times.

The study placed Salalah Free Zone among the top 10 free zones in two specific categories. The free zone ranked ninth for both Best Incentives and Best Facilities. 

Salalah Free Zone chief executive, Awadh Salim Al Shanfari commented: “We are gratified by this evaluation, given that Salalah Free Zone was only established in 2006. We aim to improve our performance in future rankings to rate among the leading free zones in the world.”

Salalah Free Zone chief commercial officer, Ali Tabouk said: “The continuing investment in Salalah Free Zone as well as linkages with the Port of Salalah and Oman Air with the new sea-air cargo corridor announced recently will further promote Salalah Free Zone’s growing appeal to global multinationals.”

$3.3-billion FDI attracted

To date, Salalah Free Zone has signed eight tenants, and 18 agreements for leases with nine signed in 2011. In addition, more than 50 companies have expressed interest in setting up in the zone. In only five years, Salalah Free Zone has attracted $3.3 billion of foreign direct investment, and expects this number to increase to $5-billion by 2015.

The fDi rankings support World Economic Forum (WEF)’s assessment of Oman as one of the most attractive environments for international investors, ranking 12th in the world for its government and efficiency.