SALALAH: The special media coverage of the Khareef Dhofar (monsoon) Season 2026 began on Wednesday, as part of an integrated media plan implemented by the Ministry of Information. The plan aims to highlight Dhofar Governorate as a major tourist destination and introduce its natural, environmental, cultural and heritage assets that attract visitors from both inside and outside the Sultanate of Oman.
The coverage will continue until August 31, utilising a diverse media system that encompasses various outlets and platforms affiliated with the Ministry. This will be achieved through the production and broadcasting of a package of television and radio programmes, press reports, news follow-ups, and digital and visual content, alongside live field coverage and interactive content that keeps pace with the season's activities and enhances the presence of the media message locally and externally.
Dr Mohammed bin Said al Shashai, Director-General of the Directorate-General of Information in Dhofar Governorate, said that this year's media plan for the Khareef Dhofar season is based on providing diverse media content across various platforms and media outlets. This content reflects the tourism, natural, cultural, and developmental assets abounding in the governorate and keeps pace with the growing tourism activity, alongside producing innovative digital content for social media platforms targeting different audience segments and keeping pace with developments in the media landscape.
He explained that Oman TV will present the programme Al Nas Wal Khareef (People and the Khareef) through a mobile studio travelling across a number of tourist and natural sites in the governorate to broadcast the season's details live to viewers. This will feature the participation of several presenters and media professionals from the Sultanate of Oman, the GCC countries, and a number of Arab countries, reflecting the growing status of the Khareef Dhofar season at the local, Gulf, and Arab levels, and contributing to enriching media content through the exchange of expertise and the presentation of diverse media perspectives.
Layali Al Khareef (Khareef Nights) will be broadcast live from the Ouda Al Madi (Return of the Past) activities site, covering the various heritage, cultural, artistic, and entertainment activities accompanying the season. It will be broadcast daily on the Oman General Channel.
On the radio front, Al Shashai confirmed the readiness of the Radio of the Sultanate of Oman to present the programme Atheer Al Khareef (Aether of Khareef) daily from the Ouda Al Madi site in the Al Saada area of the Wilayat of Salalah, while the Youth Radio will broadcast the programme "Al Shabab Wal Khareef" (Youth and the Khareef) from the Ittin Mountain studio. This is part of a media vision that seeks to keep pace with the Khareef Dhofar season by linking the tourist event with human culture, the characteristics of the place, and the cultural and civilisational wealth of the Sultanate of Oman.
Al Shashai stressed that Oman Newspaper has been continuing its coverage of the Khareef Dhofar season since the season’s astronomical start on June 21, by publishing reports and press investigations across its print and electronic editions and its accounts on social media platforms, in addition to highlighting the economic activity, youth initiatives, and the role of small and medium enterprises in supporting the tourism sector, reflecting the season's richness and the diversity of its activities.
Within the framework of the comprehensive media coverage of the Khareef Dhofar season, Oman News Agency (ONA) keeps pace with the season's events through its multimedia news system, by publishing news, specialised press reports, photographs, and video clips across its digital platforms, social media accounts, and smart applications, alongside producing television reports, news, and live links broadcast within the bulletins of the agency's News Center, contributing to conveying the season's details and accompanying events to audiences inside and outside the Sultanate of Oman.
On another front, the Commercial Department of the Directorate-General of Information in Dhofar Governorate signed several contracts, sponsorship agreements, and advertising partnerships with several national private sector establishments, alongside a number of youth enterprises registered with the SMEs Development Authority Riyada, contributing to enhancing partnership with various entities supporting the season's media coverage programmes.
Dr Amal bint Mohammed al Noufali, Director-General of Electronic Media, said that the Directorate has prepared an integrated electronic media plan to keep pace with the Khareef Dhofar Season 2026, based on producing qualitative and renewed content across the Ministry's electronic platforms, thereby contributing to highlighting the governorate's tourism, cultural, and environmental assets, enhancing the season's digital presence, and reaching various audience segments inside and outside the Sultanate of Oman by utilising the latest tools and technologies in the field of electronic media.
She added that the electronic initiatives accompanying the season include several projects implemented by the Directorate-General of Electronic Media, among which is the production of the programme "Gawha Ghair" (Its Atmosphere is Different) via the Ayn mobile app, which presents Dhofar Governorate from a different perspective as an attractive destination for adventure tourism, exploration trips, and unique experiences.
She pointed out that the Ayn has prepared an electronic competition in conjunction with the Khareef season, which daily presents video clips generated using AI technologies to showcase elements of cultural heritage, tourist sites, or customs and traditions in Dhofar Governorate, including interactive questions in an innovative visual format, aiming to promote digital culture and expand public knowledge.
The Media Portal has dedicated an electronic window for the Khareef Dhofar season, providing visitors from inside and outside the Sultanate of Oman with information in eight languages: Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and German.
Furthermore, the Children's Interface on the Ayn platform will participate in the Khareef Dhofar season through a dedicated corner at the Modern Waterfront site in Ittin Plain during the upcoming month of August. This aims to introduce visitors to a safe and inspiring media space for children, offering a diverse package of audiobooks in the field of children's and youth literature, alongside entertainment, cultural, and educational content that combines values, national identity, and knowledge. — ONA
GRAPH POINTS
1. Al Nas Wal Khareef (People and the Khareef) will be presented live through a mobile studio travelling across Dhofar
2. Layali Al Khareef (Khareef Nights) will be broadcast from the Ouda Al Madi through the Oman General Channel
3. The Youth Radio will broadcast the programme "Al Shabab Wal Khareef" (Youth and the Khareef) from the Ittin Mountain studio
4. Gawha Ghair (Its Atmosphere is Different) on Ayn presents Dhofar an attractive destination for adventure tourism
5. The Media Portal has dedicated a window for the Khareef Dhofar season, providing visitors with content in eight languages
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