Frankincense film could give Dhofar lasting tourism value

SALALAH: Documentary film-making can give Dhofar’s frankincense heritage a lasting international presence by connecting its landscapes with the history, people and science behind one of Oman’s oldest global trading stories, a senior Ministry of Information official has said.
Speaking exclusively to Observer ahead of the unveiling of a preview of RT’s documentary Land of Frankincense, Dr Mohammed bin Said al Shaashai, Director-General of the Directorate-General of Information in Dhofar Governorate, said documentary storytelling can leave an impression long after a conventional promotional campaign has ended.
“A documentary film is different from advertising. An advertisement promotes something for a specific period, but producing a film of this quality and professionalism undoubtedly provides another form of tourism promotion,” he said.
Al Shaashai said the film introduces international audiences to sites associated with Oman’s millennia-old frankincense trade while placing them within the broader story of the Sultanate’s historical links with other civilisations.
He said viewers who discover these places through a documentary may be encouraged to experience them in person, particularly those with an interest in history, archaeology and cultural heritage.

The Land of Frankincense was inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List in 2000. Its four components — Wadi Dawkah, Shisr/Wubar, Khor Rori and Al Baleed — illustrate different stages of the production and distribution of frankincense.
Unesco describes the trade as one of the most important commercial activities of the ancient and medieval worlds, with Dhofar’s ports, caravan routes and frankincense-growing areas providing evidence of an extensive trading network.
But the documentary looks beyond archaeology, bringing Dhofar’s wider natural landscape — including its green mountains, wadis and Wadi Darbat — into the story.
“The story becomes more meaningful to the viewer when the landscape is connected to a narrative, and at the centre of that narrative is the Omani people,” Al Shaashai said.
Directed by Karim Naguib, the documentary was filmed in Wadi Darbat, Taqah and Wadi Dawkah and explores frankincense from historical, cultural and scientific perspectives. It also features Omani practitioners and Russian researchers examining the resource and continuing scientific interest in its properties and potential applications.

Al Shaashai said the scientific dimension adds another layer to the film, taking frankincense beyond its historical and cultural associations and linking it to contemporary research and potential commercial value.
The documentary comes as investment in the visitor experience around Dhofar’s frankincense heritage gathers pace.
Work on the Wadi Dawkah Visitor Centre had reached about 30 per cent by August, with completion expected in July 2027. The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism says the project aims to enhance the visitor experience, encourage longer stays and create tourism and economic opportunities while supporting conservation of the frankincense landscape.
In March, the ministry also signed an agreement to develop and operate Samharam Archaeological Park at Khor Rori. Plans include cultural and heritage facilities, hospitality, environmental experiences, traditional crafts and activities involving the local community.
Visitor numbers highlight the continuing appeal of these sites. The Land of Frankincense received 155,795 visitors in 2024, according to statistics from the Directorate-General of Heritage and Tourism in Dhofar.

The RT documentary also comes amid expanding tourism and cultural links between Oman and Russia. Russian visitors to Oman increased from 44,618 in 2024 to 86,273 in 2025, according to the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism. Oman was also the official partner at the Moscow International Travel and Tourism Exhibition in March 2026, as the ministry strengthened its focus on the Russian market.
Cultural ties have also deepened. In September 2025, the National Museum of Oman and Russia’s State Hermitage Museum signed an agreement to establish the Hermitage-Sultanate of Oman Centre in Dhofar as a permanent platform for joint cultural and educational initiatives.
For Al Shaashai, however, the lasting value of Land of Frankincense lies in transforming historical information into a story that audiences can see, understand and connect with.
By bringing together archaeological heritage, Dhofar’s landscapes, scientific research and the human story behind frankincense, he said, documentary film-making can deepen international awareness of Oman’s history and encourage audiences to visit the places where that history unfolded.