Sharjah24 – AFP: Perched on an Oman mountain top, the village of Misfat al-Abriyeen has changed its fortunes by transforming mud-brick homes into boutique hotels, drawing tourists to a region famed for hiking trails.

The village of 800 residents, situated on the dramatic escarpments of Oman's "Grand Canyon", opened its narrow streets six years ago to foreigners and locals seeking adventure in the deserts and green corners of the Gulf sultanate.

The owners had abandoned the centuries-old homes, fearing they could collapse, and moved to the opposite side of the village where they built new accommodation. 

The beige-walled homes, made of mud brick with palm-frond roofs, were turned into simple but elegant inns furnished with traditional wood and textiles.

Five years after the idea was dreamt up, the family's first boutique hotel was up and running, inspiring neighbours and villagers elsewhere in Oman to follow their lead.

- Mountains and genies -
Misfat al-Abriyeen had the right elements for success.

At an altitude of more than 1,000 metres (3,300 feet), the tiny village which is home to the Abri tribe is a charming collection of traditional houses situated along dozens of small alleys overlooking lands bursting with banana plants and citrus and palm trees.

It is part of a region known as the Grand Canyon of Oman where tourists can hike the rocky mountains and valleys, and explore the old ways of local people.

But the region is also famed for its centuries-old stories of genies -- or spirits in human form -- that are still widely told in similar villages across the country, despite half a century of modernisation.

5,500 tourists from Germany, France, the Gulf and beyond stayed at his boutique establishments in 2019, with an annual occupancy rate of 90 percent, compared to just 800 during the first year of business in 2015.

The rates at the centuries-old former homes vary between $90 and $180 per night, depending on the room and the season. 

- Economic lifeline -
The country of five million people has been trying to diversify its oil-reliant economy since crude prices sank seven years ago.

Tourism has long been a second source of revenue that capitalises on the nation's rich heritage, scenic coastline and stunning terrain. 

Energising the industry is seen as a potential saviour after coronavirus restrictions forced Oman to close its doors for months, badly hitting the economy. 

Some 3.5 million tourists visited Oman in 2019, but the sultanate plans to attract 11 million by 2040.