Oman air continues to play an important role in boosting domestic tourism through its continued efforts promoting and sponsoring various forums and events held throughout Oman. A roadshow led by Oman Air in conjunction with Ministry of Tourism and Salalah Municipality pulls into Dubai, Qatar and Kuwait starting this week to promote the Sultanate’s annual Salalah Tourism Festival to AGCC major travel operators. The initiative is part of the national carrier of Oman’s efforts to develop greater levels of in-bound tourism and signals its strong commitment to building a solid AGCC-wide tourism proposition, also its pledge regarding creating national tourism awareness, by holding workshops and intensifying announcements on the event in various media means in the AGCC states, furthermore screening promotional materials about the Governate of Dhofar on board the carrier’s flights.
Mohammed Bin Mubarak Al Shikaly Senior Manager Marketing in Oman Air stated that the national carrier of Oman plays a pivotal role in promoting Dhofar Governate in general and Salalah Tourism Festival in particular. This year, Oman Air is the Official Carrier, and a Diamond Sponsor for the festival and as in the past, has always contributed in sponsoring this event since inception. As the summer season approaches, hundreds of thousands of AGCC nationals are preparing to head to the green hills and valleys of Salalah in the south of Oman, the only area of the AGCC where people can escape the desert heat in the summer and experience rain. Along with the Festival, the roadshow will also promote the wider attractions and superb facilities of Dhofar, which is famed for its many archeological sites and ancient Frankincense trade.
He added that the roadshow being held from 5 – 12 June is part of a Pan-Gulf promotional drive to highlight Salalah Tourism Festival in the Southern Governorate of Dhofar where monsoon winds sweep across from June to September. Moisture-laden breezes cool the blazing summer temperatures to a pleasant 25C and turn the arid landscape into a lush, green oasis. Our roadshow in the Gulf aim to promote summer packages in the country and demonstrate that it has a lot to offer even during summer seasons. We want to dispel those rumors and invite travel agents to come and learn what one can do in Oman in summer. We are encouraging people to do a twin-centre so they can go to see Salalah Tourism Festival that takes place from mid-July to the end of August but also come to Muscat for a few days. Oman Air holidays have special summer packages where hotel rates are reduced up to 50-60 per cent during summer.
Al Shikaly, Senior Manager Marketing in Oman Air said that Oman Air Holidays has received tremendous response to its exciting packages for the Khareef Festival 2007, by welcoming more and more visitors to the wonderful city of Salalah from its entire network and beyond. Year by year the number of visitors who get enchanted by the magical phenomenon of this fascinating city of Salalah is rapidly increasing. To meet this booming demand, Oman Air planed to increase its Salalah flights from 219 during May and June to 325 flights in the months of July and August, an increase of 107 flights, whereby Oman Air will provide 50700 seats compared to 33408, an increase of 17292 seats.
Corporate Communications and Media in Oman Air said that the Omani Government is urging visitors to explore some of the other treasures Oman has to offer. Salalah Tourism Festival, which has become an awaited and renowned annual event, reflects the efforts of various sectors and in the heart the aviation sector. However, the general trend is to make Oman an attractive hub of tourism and business all year round. They added it is very important to ensure that the development of the country in this very important tourism sector is a natural evolution due to successive actions and initiatives undertaken by the government, in cooperation with all various sectors. This is measured as an important element distinguishing Oman, and ensuring that all new projects witnessed in all areas are part of the ever-growing comprehensive vision with interdependent basics that cannot be dispensed. We at Oman Air witness them becoming progressively Oman’s extraordinary ambassadors around the world.
