Dhofar prepared to receive more tourists this season

Muscat: Visitors have begun pouring into the Governorate of Dhofar to enjoy this year’s Khareef season, according to senior officials from the Ministry of Tourism.
Speaking about the latest developments in Oman’s southernmost governorate, Marhoon bin Saeed Al Ameri, Director General for Tourism in Dhofar, confirmed that the ministry and all the stakeholders would be coordinating efforts to provide tourists detailed information, affordable tourism packages, and quality services to meet their needs.

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Tourism figures are expected to be even better than last year, when a total of 644,931 tourists spent OMR66 million during a cumulative 4,350,000 nights spent in Dhofar during the 2017 Khareef season. Additionally, visitors who travelled by cars consumed 205 million litres of fuel for approximately 92,000 vehicles and withdrew OMR523,077,000 from ATMs in Oman during their stay.
To make things even better this Khareef, Al Ameri said that the Ministry of Tourism has launched a number of temporary and permanent information centres along the land route to Salalah and at the Salalah Airport, providing tourism information and guidance to visitors regarding hotels, hotel apartments, restaurants, markets, places of interest and fuel stations. A 24/7 tourism communication centre will also be operating throughout the Khareef season. Additionally, 22 mobile toilet facilities have been installed with support from the Dhofar Municipality.
More hotels will greet visitors, with a total of 32 hotel establishments in the governorate and 3,499 rooms ready to cater to their needs. To keep pace with the surge in visitors over the past few years, an additional 1,851 rooms will be added by December 2018, when new establishments open their doors. These include the five-star Shaza Tourism Resort, the four-star Hilton Resort, the three-star Demar Eco Resort, Al Dhiyafa Hotel Suites, the 125-room Ela Resort, and Al Sa’adah City Malls 160 luxury apartments. Additionally, there is also the Salalah Rotana Resort.
As part of the ministry’s tourism awareness drive, Al Ameri stated that there will be campaigns to spread messages and instructions about preventive measures during heavy rains and fog, traffic rules, and the importance of preserving the natural environment. These messages will also be accompanied by warnings about swimming during Khareef. A number of measures, including electronic bulletins and display boards, will be used in high footfall locations to ensure all visitors are in the know.
Among the many attractions set to thrill visitors during their time down south, Hawana Salalah’s recently opened Hawana Aquapark is bound to be a favourite.
All hotel establishments and tourism facilities are ready to receive visitors to Dhofar. Quality control teams led by the Directorate General of Tourism in Dhofar have conducted regular inspections to ensure hotel receptions, kitchens, and rooms are also ready for the influx of visitors expected this year.
Al Ameri detailed the coordinated efforts of the ministry and multiple stakeholders to host a summer camp for scouts, village exhibitions, affordable tourism packages and mobile facilities catering to travellers.