Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Salalah: Hotels in the Dhofar Governorate have witnessed a huge increase, of up to 75 per cent, in their occupancy levels this Khareef season.
Khareef season is considered the best summer tourism season in the entire region due to the largely pleasant weather in the Dhofar governorate. The area is among the most preferred destinations of tourism during this season because of its attractive natural and cultural elements.
Director General of Tourism in the Dhofar Governorate, Marhoon Bin Saeed Al Ameri, said that "35 hotel establishments with 4,179 rooms are ready to receive tourists during the Salalah tourism season."
"Keeping in mind the popularity of the Khareef season and the increasing occupancy level, these hotel establishments were renovated during the recent months. New facilities were added and some of them were repaired, refurbished and decorated to match the quality standards of tourism facilities and hotel services," he added.
He said that the hotel establishments were making huge efforts to promote the Khareef season though their websites and social media platforms. Some of these hotel establishments were run by big international brands of the industry, which allows for global promotional efforts.
He added that some of the hotel establishments were giving promotional offers to attract larger number of tourists. In addition to this, some of them were participating in international exhibitions to use them as opportunities for introduction of natural and cultural elements as well as their own facilities and services.
Al Ameri said that the efforts of the hotel establishments were complemented by the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism aimed at promotion of Khareef and other seasons at international forums, and through advertising across multiple media platforms.
Dhofar's director general of tourism said that the Ministry of Tourism was promoting the Khareef season of the governorate in international tourism exhibitions as one of the major tourist destinations throughout the year, especially in the Gulf tourist markets for family tourism. The ministry wants to open a representative office in Saudi Arabia, as well as in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to focus more on the Gulf tourism markets and increase promotional activities for tourism in the Sultanate.
Al Ameri said that Oman Air was also contributing to the promotional efforts for the Khareef season by providing attractive offers, in cooperation with the hotel facilities of the governorate. As a national carrier, Oman Air is doing this as part of its responsibility to promote the tourist destinations of the Sultanate.
Al Ameri also added that a number of Gulf airlines have started direct flights to the Dhofar. "This will help increase the number of tourists from the Gulf tourist markets, particularly as they make up 30 per cent of the total number of tourists that arrive here annually."
He said that the Ministry of Tourism focused on the Gulf tourism market in its promotional drive for the Khareef season whenever it participated in the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates and during its tours to some of the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Al Ameri also lauded the efforts of the Municipality of Dhofar in promoting the Khareef season both within and outside the Sultanate, through the Salalah Tourism Festival.
"It plays important role in attracting tourists to participate in various attractive recreational, entertainment, cultural and heritage activities. This helped towards the promotional efforts launched for tourists to make them enjoy the tourism and cultural elements of the governorate,” he said.
He also said that the Salalah Tourism Festival was one of the most important tourist festivals of the region, because it had a variety of activities, including those related to entertainment, arts, heritage, and exhibitions, which enriched the Khareef season.
Al Ameri said that the addition of nine new hotel establishments in the Dhofar Governorate this year would help boost its tourism sector. "It would also help meet the requirements of the accommodation, given the current situation wherein the tourism movement in the governorate seems to be increasing every year, beyond the expected projections of growth."
"These accommodation facilities would balance the demand and supply ratio and improve the quality of tourism services,” he added.
