Managing a World Heritage property is challenging due to the complexity of managing a living heritage place as well as the lack of legal means in the enforcement of management plans and actions.

On this basis, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism of Oman has developed and enforced a revised legal framework to ensure the application and implementation of the management plan of Bahla Fort and its sustainable use. Joint efforts by the Ministry and other government entities have led to Ministerial Decision No. 81/2019 in 13/5/2019, which officially adopts the Regulations of the Bahla Fort Site Management and provides legal base for achieving heritage management objectives.

The new Decision has been adopted in consultation with all actors concerned and it regulates the establishment of cross-ministerial and inter-governmental governance arrangements.