Integrated efforts brought nearly one million tourists to Dhofar this year

Muscat: Integrated promotional strategy with all stakeholders helped the Dhofar Governorate attracted nearly a million tourists this khareef season.

In cooperation with Dhofar Municipality, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism managed to record a 16 per cent increase in tourism from the previous year.

Azzan bin Qasim al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Tourism, said the ministry managed to meet the needs of all types of visitors by ensuring the readiness of licensed hotel establishments, in addition to promotional strategies such as paid advertisements through social media and, partnerships with airlines and hotel establishments to design attractive promotional packages.

The month of August received the maximum number of visitors (57 per cent) and most tourists arrived by land ports (77 per cent) while 23 per cent arrived through Salalah International Airport.

The governorate will start soon receiving a number of charter flights from some international markets with the start of winter tourism.

The newly revamped Al Mughsail Beach, Wadi Darbat, Ittin Gardens, and Ain Jarziz also added to the tourism experience.

One of the factors for the success of the Khareef season was the availability of all information about tourist sites and events on Absher mobile, a digital guide for all seasons of Dhofar Governorate that allows identifying tourist events and sites and booking tickets for recreational and tourism activities.

Around 400 charter flights will make trips to Dhofar during this winter season.