Oman’s Supreme Committee for Town Planning is inviting companies to submit bids by 10 October for the construction contract to build an interchange at Salalah International airport.

Salalah airport is currently being expanded and upgraded. A joint venture of local Galfar Engineering & Contracting and India’s Larsen & Toubro won the contract to build a new passenger terminal at the airport in November 2010 (MEED 11:11:10).

The passenger terminal will be 55,000 square metres.

In July, Oman’s Transport & Communications Ministry awarded two contracts at Salalah and Muscat airports. The first contract was awarded to the UK’s Ultra Electronics and covers all electronic infrastructure, including installing information technology and security systems at both airports.

The second deal was awarded to Netherlands-based Vanderlande Industries and covers baggage handling facilities at the airports.

As part of a government effort to increase the tourism industry, Oman is spending about $2.5bn on the development of six airports. The two biggest projects are the expansions of Muscat and Salalah International airports. The other four projects at Ras al-Hadd, Adam, Duqm and Sohar are smaller airports aimed at moving tourists around the sultanate more easily.