Muscat: People across Oman are excitedly planning for their Eid holidays next week, Some had finalised their plans even before the holidays were announced.
People in both the public and private sector will enjoy a long weekend, from Friday, 8 July, to Tuesday, 12 July, with work resuming on Wednesday, 13 July.
The Ministry of Labour pointed out that employers may agree on terms to engage them on the said holiday—if deemed necessary due to the nature of their work—provided they are compensated for the same.
“I have already booked tickets to Salalah for my family,” said Madhav, an Indian expatriate in Sohar. “We know that Salalah is packed during this time of the year, because of the Khareef season, so we booked early. I had already spoken to my company regarding the need to take a couple of more days off so that my travel plans are not disrupted, depending on the nature of the holidays, but fortunately, it looks like everything will fit in just perfectly.”
Salalah and the Dhofar regions are always popular during this time of the year, owing to the Khareef season, which is characterised by refreshing rains, cool mists and constant breeze, while the rest of the Middle East is sweltering under temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius and above. Khareef runs from about July to September, and marks the peak of the tourist season in Oman’s south.
As a result of this very pleasant change in weather, the normally green landscape turns greener, a very pleasant sight for visitors to the region.
“Going to Salalah during the Eid holidays is an annual tradition for us,” said Ahmed, an Omani from Muscat. “The entire extended family along with our relatives goes to Salalah and rents flats in a building, while we stay there for a few days. It is a very pleasant change from Muscat, and we are looking forward to it this year as well.”
Travel agents in Oman have also introduced offers to a number of local and foreign locations. With its expanse of sandy beaches and crystal clear waters, Musannah and Ras Al Jinz are also finding demand among people looking for a short break from the city.
“The kids will really enjoy playing along the beach and swimming in the water, while we get to decompress after what has been quite a hectic time at work,” said Hussain, an Omani national. “We also intend to observe the turtle season at Ras Al Jinz. It looks like a good time for all of us.”
Among the foreign destinations touted are relatively obscure ones such as Kazakhstan, Nepal and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as more popular spots including France, Spain, Singapore and Turkey. “What people are looking for at this time of the year are short breaks – many choose to extend their Eid holidays for the entire week by taking two or three days of extra leave, so that they can go and explore a new country,” said a tour agent in Oman.
“There is a lot of demand for places that are a short flight away from Oman, such as Turkey and Georgia.”
