Muscat: Jabal Akhdar situated in the Dakhiliyah Governorate has been attracting tourists all around the year due to its moderate temperatures in Summer, which can drop down to single digits during the winter.
The destination has been becoming popular, but it has connectivity issues because currently the mountain heights can be accessed only in four-wheel vehicles from a certain point.
As part of the long-term plans of the government, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recently floated tenders from specialized companies for site selection studies, master plans, design, and supervision for the proposed development of Jabal Akhdar, Masirah, and Sohar Airports.
The last date for receiving tender documents is January 30 while the last date for submitting bids is February 27.
The pre-qualification technical bid will open on Feb 27.
To date, several companies have expressed their interest in the project.
Meanwhile, Jabal Akhdar saw an influx of 161,974 visitors in the first nine months of 2023, of which nearly 12, 000 visitors from Saudi Arabia and 53,344 from outside the region.
It may be noted that to improve road connectivity and make the region more accessible, the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology (MTCIT) is working on an alternative road to Jabel al Akhdar from South al Batinah.
The road project is important as it will easily link prominent tourist sites with the rest of the country.
"It has so much potential. Presently, there is only one road to reach Jabal Akhdar which is hard to navigate for smaller cars. So, the ministry is looking into one or two alternatives where even smaller cars could travel with ease,' an official told the Observer.
The number of licensed hotel establishments (3 to 5) stars in the Wilayat of Jabal Akhdar is 20, including 9 hotels and resorts, one hotel apartment, two heritage lodges, and eight guest houses, offering 726 rooms of various sizes.
The number of guests using various tourist facilities in the first nine months of 2023 was above 45,000.
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