Covering an area of 4.2 million square metres, the botanic garden is expected to become a major tourist destination, as well as a centre for conser-vation and research. It will have as its centrepiece an enclosed, climate-controlled space, which will replicate the environmental conditions throughout the sultanate.

The garden will be housed in a structure made out of glass or an alternative synthetic material, which will be 140 metres long, 120 metres wide and 40 metres high. It will display more than 1,200 plants indigenous to Oman. Other facilities will include visitor and study centres, an oasis village hotel, exhibition areas and a souk. Completion of the project is scheduled for mid-2009.

The Diwan of the Royal Court, with Muscat Municipality, is handling the project and has invited contractors to express their interest in bidding for construction work by 9 April. The masterplan consultant is the UK's Atkins, and the design consultant is Alatec of Spain. The quantity surveyor is the UK's Currie & Brown.

www.meed.com/tourism