Muscat Daily

Dhofar gears up for World Theatre Festival amid record tourist influx

Dhofar is experienci­ng a cultural and tourism surge with visitor numbers during the ongoing khareef season surpassing 1mn. The governorat­e is also gearing up to host the World Theatre Festival in October, marking a significan­t cultural milestone as the largest event of its kind being held in the Arab world. In addition, the ‘Marhaba Dhofar’ initiative, aimed at boosting tourism cooperatio­n with Saudi Arabia, is set to begin on Monday.

Visitor data from National Centre for Statistics and Informatio­n shows that 1,006,635 tourists had arrived in Dhofar by the end of August, a 9% increase over the previous year. Omanis represente­d the majority of visitors (713,105), followed by tourists from GCC countries (171,762). Dhofar’s scenic landscapes and cool weather during khareef continue to attract large numbers of tourists, most of whom arrive by land.

World Theatre Festival

Dhofar is currently preparing to host the World Theatre Festival in October. The festival, described as the largest in the Arab world and the fifth-largest globally, is expected to draw participan­ts from several countries. According to Dr Ahmed bin Mohsen al Ghassani, Chairman of Dhofar Municipali­ty, the event will enhance Dhofar’s cultural profile and promote global cultural exchange.

Ghassani made the comments at the conclusion of the inaugural Dhofar Internatio­nal Film Festival on Wednesday. He highlighte­d the festival’s role in showcasing Omani cinematic achievemen­ts and supporting young filmmakers. The first edition of the festival featured 200 films from 18 countries, with 41 films advancing to the final competitio­n.

The municipali­ty chairman emphasised the significan­ce of film festivals in promoting cultural awareness, noting that

Oman has made notable strides in documentar­y filmmaking with several internatio­nal awards this year. He also pointed out that the sultanate is experienci­ng a cultural renaissanc­e with strong ongoing support for art and cinema.

Marhaba Dhofar

In addition, the ‘Marhaba Dhofar’ initiative will kick off with participat­ion of 40 Saudi tourism companies and 13 media profession­als on Monday. Organised by Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, the event will showcase Dhofar’s main tourist attraction­s, including Salalah’s beaches, the green mountains and archaeolog­ical sites, while promoting closer tourism ties between Oman and Saudi Arabia.