Salalah – Ministry of Heritage and Tourism has laid out a plan to transform Dhofar into a sustainable tourist destination, with the goal of attracting over 3mn visitors annually by 2040. This announcement was made during the launch of the Marhaba Dhofar initiative last week, which aims to draw more tourists to the governorate throughout the year.
Khalid al Abri, Director General of Heritage and Tourism in Dhofar, said the ministry’s vision is to attract 3.2mn tourists by 2040. The Marhaba Dhofar event is primarily aimed at tourists from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, strengthening Dhofar’s reputation as a year-round destination. “We are also targeting key markets like Saudi Arabia, India, China and others,” Abri noted. Additionally, the ministry is focusing on promoting adventure tourism and business conferences in the governorate.
Abri highlighted Dhofar’s natural beauty and rich cultural heritage as major draws for both domestic and international visitors, and pointed out that new infrastructure projects are in the pipeline to enhance the governorate’s appeal and support its growing tourism industry.
Addressing the increase in visitors during the khareef season, Abri assured that there has been no shortage of accommodation. The governorate currently has 63 tourist facilities with 6,000 rooms. In 2025, four new projects will add another 1,000 rooms, further boosting capacity.
At the announcement, Abri also spoke of the Sekaa platform, a free booking service developed in collaboration with Dhofar Municipality. The platform allows tourists to book accommodation directly, ensuring quality standards and eliminating the need for intermediaries. It simplifies the registration and licensing process for property owners, especially after khareef.
This year, khareef saw a 9% increase in visitors with around 1.06mn tourists arriving in Dhofar between June and the end of August. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information, Omani visitors alone numbered 713,105, marking an 8.7% increase from last year. Visitors from GCC countries reached 171,762, while other nationalities accounted for 121,767 tourists.
With its commitment to sustainable tourism and infrastructure development, Dhofar is on track to becoming a major destination in the region, catering to both adventure seekers and those looking to experience its natural and cultural riches.
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