Muscat – The four-day National Day holiday proved to be a significant boon for local tourism, with major tourist hotspots across the country experiencing a surge in visitors.

Dakhliyah governorate particularly emerged as a popular destination, attracting a large number of tourists to its varied landmarks such as the historic Nizwa Fort, the Oman Across the Ages Museum in the wilayat of Manah, the picturesque Misfat al Arbien, Bahla Fort, and the captivating Hoota caves.

The Oman Across the Ages Museum notably received more than 23,700 visitors during the holiday.

Muzna bint Sulaiman al Hosaniyah, the museum’s media administrator, spoke about the museum’s preparedness for the influx of visitors, including extended visiting hours and increased staffing. Efforts were made to enhance the visitors’ experience at the museum’s exhibition hall and other facilities.

The museum is planning to streamline ticket booking through new electronic services, Muzna informed.

North Sharqiyah also witnessed an influx of tourists, with visitors enjoying the popular sand dunes and Wadi Bani Khalid. The region’s desert areas, particularly in the wilayat of Bidiya, hosted a variety of activities such as Arabian horse race, camel Ardah race, and sand activities viz. group camping, sand biking, paragliding, sand skiing, and sports car races, alongside camel riding, and balloon riding experiences.

Wadi Bani Khalid attracted 12,774 visitors to its famed water ponds.

In addition to these destinations, pleasant winter temperatures in Muscat brought the city’s parks and beaches to life with families and children enjoying the outdoors.

The city’s parks were buzzing with activity, while the beaches saw people enjoying the evening breeze.

The holiday not only provided a much-needed break for residents but also significantly boosted Oman’s local tourism industry.