SALALAH, Nov 20 - Salalah is abuzz with tourists these days. Amid fun of being in Salalah and enjoying the true nature of Dhofar, the tourists got a surprise of National Day celebrations, which added value to their journey to a Middle Eastern destination.
Most of them had a chance to be part of the festivity and experience the joyous mood everywhere as something or the other is happening in the city and suburban areas. More than the celebration they were happy and amazed to know that a country’s leader can be so popular among his people.
German couple Praun Garhard and Elspeth came to Oman on a ten-day visit along with a group of 25 people. After exploring Muscat and its adjoining areas they visited Salalah and were amazed to see development everywhere including on the mountains.
“We didn’t know that we are coming in Oman’s National Day week. We got special treatment everywhere from the hotels we stayed to the shops and restaurants we visited in Salalah. Everyone was in a happy mood while celebrating the National Day. We could witness the citizens’ sense of pride for the nation and the national symbols, while the expatriates living in the country were equally grateful to the nation and the country’s leader,” said Elspeth.
Her husband Garhard was happy to see the conservation of heritage and culture. “There are places which are just nature. People here are also very warm and hospitable. Their sense of belongingness to the country is great and something to be learnt,” he said and added that his experience in the desert was very good and would like to come again just to do desert camping under the stars.
Erika from Switzerland was happy to see all round development in the country as this was her second visit to Oman. She visited first time some 30 years ago. “Oman then and now makes huge difference in terms of development and quality of life. They are working hard, they are doing well and I wish the future generations keep it like this in coming years. The Sultan’s popularity and people’s happiness index is very high. They are content people and every one of them is grateful to the country’s leader for offering them decent quality of life and world class infrastructure.”
Most of the visitors are winter tourists from Germany, Slovakia, Czechoslovakia, Italy and Poland. Some of them are individual tourists, who choose to visit Oman in regular flights and love to explore the country on their own without any guided tour. All of them recounted their experience in Salalah as “unique and one of the most memorable” due to National Day coinciding with their visit.
“I came along with a group from Germany in a charter flight. We got special treat on the occasion of Oman’s National Day. This would not be an exaggeration if I say that everyone was either having his/ her dress done in Omani flag style with the Sultan’s picture or cars made up in National Day fashion,” said Ricarda from Germany.
Ricarda found reason for this love in all round development of the country in a very short span of time. “We had opportunity to go through newspapers and video clippings portraying Oman’s development journey. Unbelievable, I would say, about the standard of development and sense of security and safety among the residents and visitors,” she said.
She took part in the day’s events at her place of stay in Crowne Plaza Salalah Resort where Natioanl Day festivity was held under the auspices of Mohammed bin Sultan bin Hamoud al Busaidy, Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar.
Tourists also had opportunity to witness Omani folk dance as Salalah Rotana Resort organised special folk dance event for the visiting tourists on Monday. Salim bin Aufit al Shanfari, Chairman of Dhofar Municipality, took part in the event as Chief Guest.
The event marked the presence of children with special needs and there were programmes specially designed for them.
Marco from Italy admitted to have enjoyed the festive mood. “Everyone, I would say, was happy and expressing loyalty to the country in his/ her own way. Even the hotel employees were joyous. I have never seen such a positive association so lovely and unconditional,” he said.
Kaushalendra Singh
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