Jabal Akhdar  – Dakhliyah Governorate is gearing up to launch the Jabal Akhdar Festival 2026 on July 15, with officials expecting the six-week event to provide a major boost to tourism, local businesses and economic activity during the summer season.

Running until the end of August, the festival will showcase the unique natural beauty, mild climate and cultural heritage of Jabal Akhdar, one of Oman’s most popular summer destinations.

Authorities say the festival forms part of efforts to strengthen the governorate’s tourism sector and attract visitors and investors to the mountain destination, which has witnessed steady growth in hospitality and tourism-related investments in recent years.

Sheikh Mahmood bin Rashid Al Saadi, Wali of Nizwa and Acting Governor of Dakhliyah, described the festival as a key development initiative that supports economic diversification and promotes the governorate’s natural and cultural assets.

“The festival contributes to stimulating tourism and commercial activity while creating opportunities for small and medium enterprises, artisan families, and farmers,” he said.

According to Al Saadi, the governorate views the event as an important platform to showcase investment and tourism opportunities in Jabal Akhdar, while supporting the goals of Oman Vision 2040 and the governorate’s strategy to enhance competitiveness and improve quality of life.

The festival programme will feature a wide range of cultural, heritage, tourism, sports and entertainment activities, in addition to exhibitions promoting local products and businesses. Special programmes will also be organised for children, youth and families.

Preparations are currently under way in coordination with government and private-sector partners to ensure the readiness of venues, public facilities and supporting services.

The previous edition of the festival attracted strong visitor turnout and featured 65 SMEs, artisan families and farms. Organisers said it generated more than 100 direct and indirect employment opportunities, underlining its growing role as an economic and tourism driver for the governorate.