A waterpark about to open in Oman is just the start for the Middle Eastern nation after its government announced plans for a further three such parks as it steps up efforts to boost the tourism sector with billions in future investment.

Revealed by tourism minister Ahmad Al Meherezi, the newly-announced waterparks are in addition to the already planned Slalah, which will be completed by 2017, and Majarat Oman, which will include the country’s first world-class waterpark.

Designed by the Australia-based Sanderson Group, the OMR40m (US$103.6m, €94.3m, £72.8m) Majarat Oman features a waterpark in addition to entertainment facilities, retail facilities, restaurants, a cinema, conference facilities and a selection of rides.

The move is aimed at inspiring domestic tourism, with the majority of the Omani population currently choosing to visit the nearby United Arab Emirates, with official statistics showing more than a million people visited the UAE from Oman in 2015 alone – more than a fifth of the population.

With faltering oil prices affecting the country’s economy, Al Meherzi said that investments in the coming years into tourism will be substantial, with more than OMR1bn (US$2.6bn, €2.3bn, £1.8bn) being pumped into the sector. According to Oman News Agency, by 2020 the country hopes to have more than 20,000 rooms in 3 to 5 star hotels, while in the next quarter of a century it’s aiming to have 50,000 rooms available.

Oman’s National Strategy for Tourism 2040, includes a 6 per cent rise in tourism contributions and a near doubling of visitor numbers to five million annually.