HH Sayyid Bilarab Al Said Spotlights Youth-Built Oman Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka

A WINNING PROJECT OF THE BILARAB BIN HAITHAM AWARD FOR ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS OMAN'S RENEWED RENAISSANCE

MUSCAT, Oman, Sept. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sultanate of Oman placed global attention on youth-led architecture as His Highness Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham Al Said, Honorary President of the "Programme of Promising Omani Startups" (POPS), visited the Sultanate of Oman Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Japan. Assigned by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, HH Sayyid Bilarab centered his program on the pavilion's design origins and on the young Omani team that delivered the project after winning the Bilarab Bin Haitham Award for Architectural Design. The visit positioned the pavilion as a flagship example of how the award converts promising concepts into built public works that represent Oman internationally.

During the tour, HH Sayyid Bilarab met curators and members of the award-winning team and reviewed the core experiences that carry the pavilion's theme, Earth, Water, and Humanity. He began at the Water Corridor, which links interior galleries to an outdoor plaza and references Oman's aflaj irrigation systems through shade, airflow, and reflective surfaces that create thermal comfort. He continued to the Land and Water Hall, where an immersive film traces biodiversity from the Arabian Sea to the Hajar Mountains.

Sayyid Said bin Sultan Al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture and Commissioner-General of Oman's participation, stated that the pavilion showcases achievements of Oman's renewed renaissance that prioritize openness, cultural exchange, and youth creativity. He noted that commissioning the pavilion through the Bilarab Bin Haitham Award signals national confidence in young architects to deliver at an international standard and to tell Oman's story through contemporary design.

HH Sayyid Bilarab also signed the Expo VIP guest book, exchanged commemorative gifts with Japanese counterparts, and visited the Japan Pavilion, where he was received by Director Noriyuki Kuroda and briefed on zones titled the Land, the Farm, and the Factory. The Omani National Day celebration at Expo formed the backdrop to the visit and included the national anthems of both countries and a performance by the Royal Cavalry Band.

The Bilarab Bin Haitham Award for Architectural Design is a national program that elevates young Omani architects and designers by commissioning real projects that serve communities at home and represent Oman abroad. The pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka stands as a built demonstration of this model and of Oman's commitment to youth-led creativity. The Sultanate of Oman Pavilion has welcomed more than one million visitors to date, an indicator of strong international interest in the country's culture, innovation, and approach to sustainable design.

Photo: https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2782248/Sultanate_of_Oman_1.jpg?p=medium600
Photo: https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/2782249/Sultanate_of_Oman_2.jpg?p=medium600

 

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

HH Sayyid Bilarab Al Said Spotlights Youth-Built Oman Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka

HH Sayyid Bilarab Al Said Spotlights Youth-Built Oman Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka

SANYA, China, Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Orange Lion Sports (formerly Alibaba Sports), a global sports event operator, is redefining how major athletic competitions and tourism converge through the coordinated integration of digital platforms and consumer services. The recent 2025 Hainan (Sanya) Marathon, supported by the company, showcased an "event-as-journey" experience that delivered a professionally operated, high-quality racing platform while supporting measurable economic growth for the host city. The marathon saw hotel occupancy in Sanya soar to 92%, with a notable 35% surge in spending at local businesses along the race route, establishing a promising blueprint for the scalable "racecation" model.

"We are committed to creating lasting value for athletes and sports enthusiasts," said Yang Yong, General Manager of Events and Commercialization at event partner Orange Lion Sports. "We activated resources across the Alibaba ecosystem, including Taobao, Fliggy, Alibaba Health, Ant Chain, and Amap, to extend engagement beyond race day. This approach attracted runners from across Hainan, other parts of China, and overseas, while encouraging additional event-related spending."

The provincial tourism and sports department has introduced funding incentives for 2026 sports events to attract national and international competitions. Orange Lion Sports has demonstrated how large-scale events can generate sustained economic activity and benefit local businesses by digitally integrating dining, lodging, transportation, entertainment, and shopping. In partnership with Taobao, the company launched a "Winter Warm-up Festival" that distributed tailored promotional vouchers and offers ahead of the event, designed to connect race participation with consumer engagement by introducing regional culinary specialties such as fermented vinegar hot pot and traditional Li-Miao cuisine to runners across China.

The economic benefits were sustained beyond the race period. According to Fliggy data, hotel bookings in Sanya began rising steadily from late October 2025, when event promotions launched, and remained strong throughout the marathon period. The momentum extended beyond the race, coinciding with the New Year holiday travel period. Data from the Sanya tourism bureau shows that during the 2026 New Year holiday, the city welcomed 650,800 visitor arrivals, with tourism revenue of 1.299 billion yuan (approx. US$186 million) generated, illustrating the role of the "racecation" model in supporting tourism demand.

In the future, Orange Lion Sports will harness AI technology to enhance sports events and promote fitness for all, in line with their assertion at CES in 2017: AI is the future of sports development.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Harnessing the Power of Sports: Orange Lion Sports Leads the Way in Driving the Emerging Trend of "Racecation"