Salalah – Dhofar is set to see an uptick in visitors and revenue in the 2024 khareef season, with expectations of increased tourism and economic activity. This follows a successful 2023 season, which saw a significant rise in tourist numbers and spending.

Dhofar Municipality, in cooperation with both public and private entities, is focused on setting up new tourist sites, improving waterfront areas, and implementing several road projects. These initiatives aim to enhance the governorate’s appeal and infrastructure.

Dr Ahmed bin Mohsen al Ghassani, Chairman of Dhofar Municipality, said, “Dhofar Khareef 2023 achieved great success in stimulating tourism and commercial activity, with the number of visitors reaching about 1mn, up 18.4% compared to 2022. The volume of spending exceeded RO100mn.”

Ghassani expects the 2024 season to see a further increase of ten to 15% visitors, with spending projected to surpass RO115mn.

New tourist attractions are being developed in the governorate, including Return of the Past, Atten Square, Up Town and Razath Boulevard. These sites will be operated in phases, with some open for at least six months each year and others becoming year-round attractions.

The government has invested significantly in Dhofar’s development, particularly in improving traffic flow and implementing road projects worth over RO30mn this year. Additional projects include rainwater drainage and development of tourist and waterfront sites.

Ghassani also informed about ambitious plans to implement numerous infrastructure projects across the governorate. These projects will be announced soon and focus on enhancing the road network, improving rainwater drainage, and supporting youth development initiatives.

The last two years have seen the introduction of successful activities and events post-khareef, such as the sarb and winter season events, which have expanded the geographic scope of visitors to Dhofar.

According to Ghassani, during summer, most tourists come from Oman and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, while the sarb season attracts tourists from Arab countries like Egypt, Libya and Algeria, as well as Asian countries including China. The winter season sees visitors from European and Eastern European countries.

He stressed the fact that commercial, economic and tourism activities in Dhofar are thriving, driven by various strategies. “These efforts aim to stimulate growth in these sectors, provide opportunities for small and medium enterprises, and support Omani youth and innovators. The governorate continues to enhance investment in both tourism and its natural resources, contributing to its overall development and prosperity.”