Khareef season begins in Dhofar

Salalah: Authorities in Dhofar on Tuesday said this year's Khareef season(Monsoon) has officially begun today, June 21.

As per the official calendar, Khareef starts in Dhofar on June 21 and continues till the end of August.

Oman's weather office on Tuesday said that rain clouds have descended on the mountains of Dhofar and soon it will splash on the plains to usher in Khareef, drawing tourists from the region and beyond. Light drizzle and mist make Dhofar a green summer getaway.

“The climate is quiet and pleasant here in July. With good weather conditions, the month of July is a good time to go to that area in Oman”, weather25.com says in its website.

With the removal of all Covid-19 restrictions and regulations allowing for more spontaneous travel opportunities, there are expectations of a significant increase in the number of tourists from inside and outside the Sultanate of Oman.

The popularity of the summer destination is reflected in the addition of different airlines operating flights during the season due to the increase in the number of travellers every year.

At the same time, the Governorate of Dhofar is gearing up with preparations in full swing to receive visitors and make the season successful.

The municipality’s efforts are visible in landscaping works, flooring pavements and beautification of roads, in addition to, daily services projects in the public cleanliness field, preparing tourists sites in the Dhofar Governorate and equipping them with services and utilities to serve the visitors.

Shaikh Jamal bin Abdullah al Hinai, Director-General of the Directorate General of Commerce , Industry and Investment Promotion in the Governorate of Dhofar, said that the Directorate held an expanded meeting with a number of government agencies and private sector institutions concerned in the governorate.

“The meeting reviewed the ministry’s efforts and coordinate matters related to the provision of goods and food services, enhancing commercial bank services, and raising the efficiency of gas station services”, he said.

Last week, a meeting was held at the office of the Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar to review the readiness of the departments concerned in Dhofar Governorate for the 2022 Khareef season.

The meeting reviewed all preparations of the departments concerned for serving the visitors during the tourism season.

It discussed enhancement of municipal services in all fields, including preparation of the information boards for the internal roads and the roads leading to the Governorate of Dhofar via the Wilayat of Thamrait and the coastal road through the Wilayat of Shaleem and Al Halaniyat Islands.

Khareef is not the only thing Salalah is known for. It is even more famous for its ancient frankincense trade, with the Unesco including several ancient settlements in Dhofar in its World Heritage List, appropriately naming it the “Land of Frankincense”!