As many as 31,335 tourists visited the Governorate of Dhofar since the start of the monsoon season from June 21 till July 4, according to statistics compiled by the National Centre for Statistics in collaboration with the Tourism Ministry, the Royal Oman Police and the survey on the Khareef Season Visitors 2012. The increase in number of visitors to Dhofar during the past period of the monsoon season stands at 10.6 per cent over last year’s figure of 28,331 visitors.

Among the visitors, Omanis constituted 46.9 per cent, while visitors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) formed 13.4 per cent and tourists from other GCC countries 20.4 per cent. Salalah Airport has been witnessing a growing tourism activity since the beginning of the Khareef season in terms of the number of domestic and international flights. Oman Air, the national carrier, has increased the number of domestic flights between Salalah and Muscat to almost 60 flights a week, including two 1341929279291884700 flights a week from Dubai to meet the growth in the tourism activity during season.

Saudi Arabian Airlines also operates three flights weekly to Salalah. Air Arabia launched on June 28 its first direct flight between Sharjah and Salalah by operating two flights a week. Domestic and international flights in 2011 airlifted 9 per cent of Khareef season visitors. Many visitors still prefer to come to Salalah by land despite the long distance. The visitors coming by land (307,181) represent 90 per cent of the total number of visitors (339,579).

The Khareef Visitors Survey 2011 showed that 99 per cent of visitors to Dhofar come from GCC states, including Omanis and residents in member states. The Khareef season cover parts of the eastern areas in the Governorate of Dhofar as the monsoon reaches the wilayats of Taqah, 30 km north of Salalah, and Mirbat, 74 km from Salalah, coastal areas overlooking the Arabian Sea.

The Governorate of Dhofar has rich tourist potentials, such 1341929260021880300 as white sand beaches, soft sand, mountains, wadis, plains, deserts, springs, natural fountains, caves, rich agricultural areas that produce semi-tropical products like coconut, banana, papaya, sugar cane, in addition to its creeks and sanctuaries. Al Mughsail beach also attracts many tourists who visit Al Marneef Cave, natural fountains, Al Hafa area, known for sea road, traditional markets, frankincense and halwa shops.

The governorate has many other tourist attractions, such as plains, high mountains especially in Iteen Plain near the Municipality’s Recreational Center as well as Ain Garziz. It is also known for many historic sites, such as Al Baleed Archaeological Park in Salalah, which is listed on the World Heritage List. The park includes the Frankincense Land Museum.