Domestic tourist spots abuzz

@kabeeryousef -

Tourist spots in the Sultanate are abuzz especially during weekends with picnickers taking advantage of pleasant weather and decline in Covid-19 cases. International tourists are also arriving in large numbers to Oman following the ease in travel restrictions. The boom is also bringing smiles to food vendors, taxi drivers, car rental companies, adventure tour operators and restaurants after the pandemic shut many businesses.

"Yes, there have been many visitors to the Wadi Hoqain during the weekends and we are happy that things are getting better post pandemic," Saeed al Namani, owner of the food wagon on the way to the Wadi Hoqain, said.

Oman’s domestic tourism is rebounding as people are visiting various local destinations to bask in the sunlight of Jabal Shams, take a dip in the blue turquoise water of Sharqiyah or drive to enjoy the spring season in Dhofar.

"Many expatriate families have been longing for such weekends that we used to have during pre-Corona period and we are happy that those days are back again," Lijihas Hussain, a businessman in Muscat, said

"Market is getting better. Business has improved in the past few days especially for car rental companies," said a representative of a leading travel agency and AVIS car rental services.

The local taxi operators, Marhaba and O taxi said that they are on the path to recovery as more countries open up and international tourists start arriving in Oman.

"The number of visitors is on the rise and the majority of them are foreigners," Mohammed al Hinai, an orange taxi driver said.

"Domestic tourism will be the first sector that makes a major leap in the post-Covid era," Renee Johnson, a travel and tourism expert, told the Observer. "This substantial demand for domestic tourism is due to uncertainty in international travel rules and people's initial reluctance to foreign travel.”

Muscat's major tourist hub, Muttrah Souq, too is seeing the first signs of revival as foreigners started arriving at one of the oldest souqs in the country.

We are happy to welcome the first groups of foreigners along with domestic tourists from across the country. Hope we can make good the losses that we incurred over the past nearly 2 years," a vendor at the Muttrah Souq hoped.