Staycation rush after Eid holiday declared in Oman

Oman Wednesday 06/June/2018 21:35 PM
By: Times News Service
Staycation rush after Eid holiday declared in Oman

Muscat: An early announcement about the Eid Al Fitr holiday has led to a ‘staycation’ rush in the Sultanate.
Public and private sector employees are set to enjoy a five-day Eid Al Fitr holiday from Thursday June 14 to June 18. Work will resume in both sectors on Tuesday, June 19.
Travel plans
The five-day Eid break may be the perfect time for a holiday, but expats and locals who are opting to spend their holidays in the Sultanate need to make their travel plans quickly. Holiday destinations as diverse as Salalah, Masirah, Ras Al Jinz and Khasab are expecting to see a surge in enquiries and reservations.
“We are geared up for the Eid holidays and are seeing a lot of enquiries beginning in the morning,” said Vijay Handa, cluster general manager for Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve. Atana Hotels Cluster General Manager Victor Visser said that they are also preparing for a memorable festive season.
“On the occasion of Eid Al Fitr, Atana Hotels are pleased to offer very special rates for friends and families from Oman and outside Oman to come and share the festivities and celebrate Eid together,” he said. Sara Khlifi, events manager at Atana Khasab and Atana Musandam, noted, “We have planned several activities for adults and children, including the Atana traditional souq with tasty Omani sweets and snacks, Henna, snorkelling, fishing and mountain safaris, Arabic music (Oud), children’s activities, daily raffle draws for the first three days of Eid, prizes include hotel stays, Dhow cruises, meals and many other surprises.”
Gourmet connoisseurs
“For our gourmet connoisseurs, we are launching our new Belgian waffle promotion, exploding with flavours for all tastes,” she added. Khlifi explained that they have imported some special cheese from Spain for guests. Syed Aftab, Cluster Assistant Director of Sales and Marketing at Masirah Island Resort, added, “A lot of expats and locals are coming to Masirah island to drive around the island. And on top of all, the stay at the resort is full of exciting activities, ranging from kite and windsurfing, beach volley ball, a swimming pool with jacuzzi, fishing, snorkelling, loggerhead turtle watching, and much more.”
Residents were thrilled by the early announcement and will be planning ahead of time to enjoy the break to the fullest. “The news just came in time, as my friend and I were dubious about the holidays and had things on hold.
We are just going to go ahead with our initial plan of going to Masirah Island to enjoy the beautiful beach and experience windsurfing for the first time,” American expat Ashley told the Times of Oman.
While some are going to explore the beauty of Oman, others will be taking advantage of flying to their home country. “It has been three years since I have celebrated Eid with my family and friends back home.
I am extremely delighted that I could be part of the celebration, because the holiday was announced early this year,” a Pakistani expat added.