Salalah – In a bustling start to the winter tourism season, Salalah Port has received four cruise ships that brought in a total of 11,193 passengers. The arrival of these tourists is a testament to the governorate’s growing appeal as a cruise destination.

On November 11, the port welcomed the cruise ship Silver Spirit, carrying 779 passengers. Arriving from Jeddah Islamic Port, the ship was en route to Port Sultan Qaboos in Muscat.

A day earlier on November 10, Salalah Port greeted a vessel carrying 2,885 people, including 1,932 tourists. The ship arrived from the Egyptian port of Safaga on the way to Colombo. Passengers had an opportunity to explore Dhofar’s renowned archaeological sites, beaches and traditional markets in Salalah.

November 9 saw the arrival of two cruise ships at Salalah Port, bringing 5,189 passengers. Over half of these passengers, numbering 2,514, disembarked to enjoy the sights of Salalah. Their cruise started in Egypt and will end in Mauritius.

Earlier in the month, on November 6, the cruise ship Zuiderdam docked at the port with 2,340 passengers, over 1,500 of whom stepped ashore to explore Salalah. Originating from the Egyptian port of Safaga and sailing to Victoria, Seychelles, the tourists were treated to tours of Dhofar’s famous archaeological sites.

Oman, with its strategic location overlooking the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Sea of Oman, has become a popular stop for many cruise ships.

According to the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism data, 99 cruise ships visited the sultanate in the 2021-2022 season.