Omran and Zahara welcome triumphant expedition back from the Empty Quarter

Wael Al Lawati, CEO of Omran, said:

"After a month of desert travelling, we are extremely pleased to see the team return safely from their expedition. For those who have been following the expedition via their website, it has been a privilege to share in the team's touching and thoughtful reflections, and a great insight into one of the world's most inspiring and majestic natural areas."

"We should celebrate not only the team's successful return from this challenging journey, but also their unwavering dedication to communicating their experiences to others. We hope that their efforts will inspire others around the world to visit Oman and see for themselves the unique opportunities we have to offer travellers." he added.

Gautam Broota, General Manager, Zahara Tours, said:

"This challenging expedition in the desert is both fascinating and inspiring. We're glad to have partnered Mark and John's journey through the deserts and would like to congratulate them on their triumphant and safe return.

As a tourism management agency, we believe that we have the responsibility towards international travellers and the local community to be a platform to relay stories of varied experiences such as those that this team have had in the past one month. These are stories of the unique history and mystery that lie hidden in the wildernesses of this country and we specifically applaud the efforts of the team to connect us to these experiences everyday."

Mark Evans and John Smith, the two expedition members, set off on 1 January 2009 and travelled a total of 4500 km. During the journey, they slept in the desert in traditional Bedouin tents, and recorded their impressions of the landscapes and peoples they encountered on their website via satellite link (http://www.omandesertexpeditions.com). These journal entries were accompanied by original photography by Smith, an expert professional wilderness photographer.

The expedition marked 60 years since the famous explorer Wilfred Thesiger made his second crossing of the Empty Quarter, setting off from Salalah in Oman and immortalised in his book Arabian Sands.

Omran co-sponsored the Empty Quarter Journey, in association with Zahara Tours, in recognition of the expedition's unique undertaking to turn the global spotlight on one of Oman's most important natural assets in an environmentally sustainable manner. Oman's unique wilderness landscapes will be a major contributing factor to the development of the country's tourism industry, in which organisations such as Omran and Zahara play a key role - Omran as the largest tourism developer in the country and Zahara, as the leader in tourism management in Oman. Oman's landscapes are already becoming increasingly popular, with the National Geographic magazine recently recognising Oman as a World Class Adventure Destination in their December 2008 - January 2009 edition.

The Empty Quarter (Rub Al Khali) is one of the most breathtaking natural areas in the world: a vast desert which comprises a large portion of Oman's interior, as well as parts of Yemen, the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.