The holiday time is here with a long weekend, and domestic tourism will see an instant boost with hotels awaiting guests while others hit the nature trail.
For Khalid al Rasbi, this is the best time for hiking, "I can be out there at least for two days. I pack the tent and the whole gear for camping. My favourite place is Al Jabal al Akhdhar. If not hiking, it is fishing, and the best places to fish are Masirah Island, Fins, Tiwi, Duqm and other parts of Al Wusta."
Meanwhile, winter tourists have begun to arrive in Oman. This week Nizwa Fort had tourists from Argentina who were in for a treat with the traditional dances of the Sultanate of Oman. And there are tourists in Al Jabal Akhdhar enjoying the geological wonder of the country. The tour operators are busy with tourists wanting to explore the desert and indulge in adventure tourism.
Currently, however, everyone has been putting together plans for the weekend which starts on Wednesday.
"It was the domestic tourism that kept the sector going during the pandemic period," Mundher al Shaikhani, senior manager, Oman Air Holidays, said.
The season also sees cruise tourism, but a new trend in tourism in the country is the stopover for tourists - packages giving Oman Air holiday-ticketed passengers the flexibility to discover some of the most desirable tourist spots in and around Muscat, Nizwa, Al Jabal Akhdhar and Musannah. Options are also available for a fully bespoke 8-hour Muscat city tour stopover.
There are all-year packages, and the latest is Best of Oman, where one can experience 70 per cent of the Sultanate of Oman's attractions from Khasab to Salalah and from Sur to desert.
"With Oman Stopover. One gets a taste of the Sultanate of Oman as a destination while waiting for your connecting flight," he said.
"Oman discovery stopovers combine convenience, diversity and affordability for anyone who wants to experience more on their next trip," said Al Shaikhani.
"We make sure everything is in line with the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism's vision. Each package is designed to offer visitors a distinct taste of some of our leading tourist spots, whether on a quick overnight escape or immersive week-long excursions."
@lakshmioman
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