KOM opens Soft Landing Zone

The Soft Landing Zone programme has been set up by CUE in partnership with Britain's Trade and Investment body in order to establish a network of hot desk offices around the globe. The offices, located on key science and technology parks, are open to Soft Landing Zone member companies who are either considering or are at the early stages of undertaking international business.

As well as desk space in a dedicated office - complete with IT services, telephone and post forwarding - businesses signing up to the Soft Landing Zone programme can also take advantage of a number of support services. Each company is allocated a dedicated business support officer to advise or call in expertise on all legal, financial, cultural and practical issues of doing business in a particular country.

Several growing businesses are already taking advantage of the Soft Landing Zone service located in nine countries in Europe and Asia. Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce & Industry will inaugurate the newest Soft Landing Zone based at KOM on Monday 31 March.

"KOM's Omantel-sponsored Soft Landing Zone will help small and medium-sized international businesses explore new markets in Oman and the Gulf region. Indeed, KOM's Soft Landing Zone has the potential to facilitate international collaborations across the globe - it's fantastic that we can offer hot desk facilities as well as business support services to international companies interested in doing business in this area of the world. The new office facility is a real feather in our cap," says Mohammed Al Maskari, Director General, KOM.

"KOM's Soft Landing Zone is an extremely cost-efficient way for SMEs to establish an overseas sales presence and takes away much of the practical difficulties of being able to operate, both physically and virtually, overseas. We look forward to British companies working in the creative industries to utilize these new offices. We're delighted that KOM and Omantel have taken the initiative to set up the first Soft Landing Zone in the Middle East," remarks David Wortley, Director Serious Games Institute, Coventry University.

The key locations for the Soft Landing Zone programme include Malaysia, India, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Poland, Romania, Sweden and Oman. The programme also offers a reciprocal service for PEIE tenant companies to access Soft Landing Zone offices in all eight countries.

Tim Luft, UK Soft Landing Zone Director, comments, "We are aiming to attract SMEs to Oman, particularly those involved in research and development, the creative industries and high growth technology, who may be interested in joint research and development projects, outsourcing, setting up a second office or undertaking a joint venture to use the Soft Landing Zone office on KOM."