DHOFAR CALLING

SALALAH: Dhofar Governorate has lined up an exciting and diverse spread of activities and events as part of this year's Khareef Dhofar season, which began on June 21 and will continue for a record 90 days until September 20.

This year, exceptional events and global happenings will converge with the cool weather and stunning nature to create a unique tourism experience.

An overview of the khareef extravaganza awaiting tourists was shared during a press conference organised via the interactive digital platform (Ayn) of the Ministry of Information on Saturday.

HH Sayyid Marwan bin Turki al Said, Governor of Dhofar, stated that Dhofar Governorate ushered in the unique Khareef Dhofar season on June 21 in keeping with longstanding practice every year. The governorate, he noted, is the ideal tourism destination in light of its wonderful weather, stunning natural landscapes, exceptional events and diverse environments, including marine, coastal and mountainous, in addition to its rich cultural and historical heritage.

The Khareef Dhofar season is ideal for families and individual tourists alike, as was evident from the wide visitors responses witnessed last year. Nearly one million visitors travelled to Dhofar during the 2023 holiday, he said, stressing the importance of enhancing the role of tourism in driving economic growth and contributing to empowering Omani entrepreneurs. An ambitious plan has been put in place to enhance and develop many tourist sites, such as developing natural panoramas, improving waterfronts and enhancing water springs, all while taking into account environmental sustainability.

HH Sayyid Marwan said this year’s festival is notable because it spans a total of 90 days, giving visitors a longer opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the governorate and its various activities and events.

Dr Ahmed bin Mohsin al Ghassani, Chairman of Dhofar Municipality, presented the most important events of the Khareef Dhofar season 2024, which will be distributed in several existing and new sites; to provide an opportunity for citizens, residents and visitors to experience new exciting and thrilling experiences. Events will be themed around five main pillars: environment and public health, youth, children, culture and arts.

Commenting on the popular appeal of last year’s festival, he said that events sites attracted between 400,000 and 800,000 visitors each. More than 150 events were staged last year, distributed across arts, sports, culture, heritage and entertainment. This time around, as many as 180 events will be held around Dhofar, he said.

Importantly, young Omani entrepreneurs and SMEs have been invited to make the most of the opportunity to participate in this year’s festival, said Dr Al Ghassani. Last year, around 1,733 individuals and SMEs, in addition to 334 companies, took part in various khareef activities.

With the allocation of more sites this year, young entrepreneurs and SMEs can choose from a list of 500 different opportunities and activities to benefit from economically and commercially during the holiday – an initiative that will create temporary income earning opportunities for thousands of young people, he said.