Muscat: As the nine-day Eid Al Adha holiday came to an end, citizens and residents rejoined their duties on Sunday.
A large rush was witnessed at the Muscat International Airport on Saturday after people returned from a long break from the neighbouring and home countries.
Since Eid Al-Adha is associated with sacrifices, many wilayats of the Sultanate of Oman witnessed active commercial engagements marked by a festive mood that is manifested in cultural, social and sports events.
In many governorates, villagers organised open souqs (markets) and tents that attracted a large number of shoppers eager to collect their Eid supplies.
As most of the Eid products are provided by owners of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and artisans, they had good business this time. The exhibits included ready-made wear, perfumes and household supplies. Self-employed families also showcased products from the Omani cuisine and local crafts.
For those who couldn’t fly out, staycations were also a popular choice. However, many opted to travel to popular tourist destinations like the UAE, Turkiye, Malaysia, Georgia or the Indian subcontinent. Many expats are ruining the missed chances of buying tickets early. Since school vacations coincided with Eid Al Adha holiday this time, the rush was unprecedented this year.
The price to most of the destinations to India sky-rocketed and went beyond the reach of the common man. Even the price of a one-way ticket was more than double the fare of a return ticket in normal times.
So they had no other alternative but to visit the cooler destinations up the mountains of Jabal Akhdar and Jabal Shams and neighbouring areas of Al Hamra.
Wadi Dayqah dam, Wadi Al Arbaeen and Wadi Shab along with Sur, also saw a good number of visitors from Oman and neighbouring UAE.
“It was a nice break to enjoy with family. It is a blessed occasion and we caught up with our family members in our farm in Al Rustaq,” said an Omani Mohammed Al Mahqousi .
As the holidays ended, it is time to return to work, says Amitabh kumar, a senior executive in a private sector firm, who spent a couple of nights at Jabal Akhdar.
“We enjoyed the cool weather. It was quite crowded as a lot of people had gone to enjoy the pleasant weather in Jabal Akhdar,” he said.
For those going for day-out, Muscat Municipality had a stern warning for them.
In a statement, the Muscat Municipality said: “In order to preserve the environment and public health, the municipality prohibits barbecue in gardens, parks and beaches, including green spaces, and advises to use the sites designated for them. Grilling in public places causes harmful effects that includes, damaging public facilities, burning green areas, disturbing visitors and residents and spreading fumes and unpleasant odours.”
It said those breaking the order will have to pay an administrative fine of OMR100.
