Dhofar gears up to welcome tourists in spring

Muscat:  A number of events and activities will be organised during the days ahead to welcome the spring and winter seasons in Dhofar Governorate.

According to officials, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, in cooperation with all partners and government and private agencies concerned in Dhofar, will organise a number of quality events and programmes during the coming days to welcome the spring season, during which the governorate becomes a bustling tourist destination.

Tour of Salalah (cycling), Iron Man and Rub’ Al Khali ‘Empty Quarter’ figure high on the agenda of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism towards the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023.

The Ministry is preparing to ring in ‘Sarb’ season, as it is locally called, or the spring season that follows the monsoon, locally known as ‘Khareef’. ‘Sarb’ season begins in the last week of September and continues till the last week of December.

Khalid Abdullah Al Abri, Director General of Heritage and Tourism in Dhofar Governorate, told ONA that, acting in cooperation with Dhofar Municipality and Oman Cycling Association, the ministry will organise the Tour of Salalah and mountain hiking in mid-September.

This is in addition to the ‘Iron Man’ event from 22 to 24 September 2022, an international event in which more than 750 sportsmen from 78 countries will participate. The event includes swimming over a distance of 1.9 kilometres, a 90-km bike riding and a 21-km sprinting, Al Abri added.

He said that the ministry, as part of the significance it attaches to ‘conference tourism’, will organise a photography event in cooperation with specialised firms over the coming weeks. Next year, the Land of Frankincense Museum will have a new look after the execution of a restoration tender, he said.

In the winter season, the ministry will launch the second edition of the Rub’ Al Khali Festival towards the end of January 2023. Before that, the Frankincense Season activities will be organised in October 2022.

Al Abri explained that the new tourism projects will be carried out early next year, including ‘Itlalat-Hamrir’ ‘Ain Jarzeez’, ‘Iteen Gardens’ camping sites and Al Mughsail Beach facilities. The projects will be implemented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, in cooperation with Dhofar Municipality and Omran Group.

Al Abri underscored the significance of the role of the tourism resorts’ sector, noting that the number of hotel establishments in Dhofar Governorate stands at 41, including four newly opened resorts.