MUSCAT: The entire country has embarked on Eid al Adha celebrations, taking advantage of the week-long holidays that officially began on Sunday. The first day of Eid will be marked in Oman today.
While most citizens are celebrating holidays in their villages with close relatives, domestic tourists are exploring places with cooler temperatures, such as Ras al Hadd and Al Ashkharah.
With temperatures soaring in most parts of the country, places such as Jabel Akdhar, Jabel Shams, and Salalah in the Dhofar Governorate are currently preferred places for domestic tourism for relatively cooler climates.
According to local sources, maximum temperatures in Salalah are currently above 30°C and above, the official Khareef season will begin on June 21 and continue until September 20. The number of visitors who experienced the 2023 Khareef in the Dhofar Governorate, including Salalah, was 962,000 in 2023, compared to 813,000 in the 2022 season.
The local authorities in various governorates are hosting events and entertainment activities for people of all ages in places such as Nizwa for families and friends to spend time together.
All traditional markets in the Sultanate of Oman are bustling with thousands of shoppers who shop for Eid groceries, livestock (Habta market), and other last minute purchases.
Nizwa souq, Bahla, Ibra, and Sur traditional markets have been doing brisk business, with reports that the price of livestock exceeding over RO 250 at times due to high demand.
The local municipalities, in coordination with Royal Oman Police (ROP), have arranged special facilities for parking, restrooms and restaurants at the venues for special events.
This year's holiday season also coincides with vacations for some expatriate communities with Indian schools in the country closed for vacations and most of them back home for vacation.
While most GCC countries have similar temperatures, foreign trips organised can be mainly to the countries that offer e-visas or visas on arrival, though ticket prices can be on the higher side at the moment for any last-minute travel.
Asian destinations can be explored, as some countries are amidst monsoon rains around this time of the year. Oman citizens can travel to 44 countries without a visa, 47 countries with a visa on arrival, seven countries with ETA, and 100 countries without a visa. GCC residents in the Sultanate can travel to Georgia and stay without a visa for 90 days in any 180 days.
To enter Sri Lanka, all visitors must obtain a visa either upon arrival or beforehand. For tourism purposes, visitors must obtain Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to be eligible for a visa on arrival, except those exempt from the requirement.
Countries to be explored in Europe to beat the summer heat of the GCC are Turkey (no visa for Omanis), Italy, and Greece (Schengen visa).
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