www.bahraintribune.com By Mehmood Rafique: Oman Air will launch a direct flight from Bahrain to Salalah from June 2 ahead of the Khareef Festival 2005.
“The flight will provide direct connections to visitors from Bahrain, who will not have to wait at Muscat airport for connections to Salalah,†the airline has announced.
Oman Air officials, who attended the launch of the festival, said Oman had become one of the preferred tourist destinations in the Gulf. Present were the Omani Ambassador, Salim bin Ali Ba Yacoub Al Mushaikhi, tour operators, travel agents, media and airline representatives. The festival starts next month runs until August.
Officials of Oman’s Tourism Affairs Ministry, who gave the presentation at the launch-cum-roadshow of the festival, said that last year 122,529 visitors attended the event, up 31,219 from 2003. About 60,000 visitors from Oman also attended the activities.
“The roadshow is part of the year-old ministry’s efforts to develop in-bound tourism and its strong commitment to building a GCC-wide tourism proposition,†Naif Ahmed Ganboob, head of activities, festival department at the ministry said. “The GCC countries are rich in heritage, providing a wealth of material for festivals. Khareef is the monsoon winds that sweep across the southern governorate of Dhofar from June to September. Moisture-laden breezes cool the blazing summer temperatures to a pleasant 25 degrees Celsius, turning the arid landscape into a lush green oasis.
“The roadshow, part of a 10-day pan-Gulf promotional drive to highlight the festival, celebrates the cultural heritage of Oman. It also hosts a variety of family events including sports, art, music and shopping. The roadshow is also promoting the wider attractions and superb facilities of Dhofar, famed for its archeological sites and ancient frankincense trade.â€Â
The Omani delegation was led by Ghazi Ahmed Qatan, tourism promotion officer from the ministry, and included representatives from Dhofar municipality and Khareef festival committee, Oman Air, Oman Air Holidays and Crowne Plaza Resort Salalah and Hilton Hotel Salalah Resort.
Nicki Page, executive director of Fusion Marketing Management, the Dubai-based market representative company for the ministry which organised the event, said: “The festival is a huge attraction for Arab families. The weather in Salalah is milder in the summer so everyone can enjoy activities to the maximum. We have set a rather demanding agenda for our roadshow guests with a series of presentations and a high degree of participation is required during our interactive workshops. The roadshows are a key tactic within the ministry’s development strategy which lays down goals and timeframe for Oman’s tourism growth,†she said. |