Domestic travel rebounds in Oman

Muscat: Domestic tourism is back with the national carrier, Oman Air announcing 82 flights a week between Muscat and Salalah, up from just 18 in July.

SalamAir has also introduced thrice-weekly flights from Sohar to Salalah, to keep up with increased demand.

Travel agents say while many are keen to go overseas, the constantly changing rules and quarantine measures many need to follow has made them prioritise local holiday spots.

With the Khareef season currently underway in Dhofar, Salalah has emerged as one of the top destinations in Oman.

“Salalah remains an extremely popular domestic destination and our commitment at Oman Air is to provide travel flexibility for our valued guests with the convenience of extra flights when needed,” said Adil Al Zadjali, Oman Air country manager.

“Khareef season—and all the visual splendour it offers—transforms Muscat to Salalah into one of our busiest routes.”

“By progressively introducing 23 additional weekly flights in each direction, visitors to the region have been able to book their seats with full confidence,” he said. “As domestic travel rebounds, our aim now is to develop a revised flight schedule that lets us maintain exceptional year-round frequencies to Salalah.”

Area General Manager, Omran, Vijay Handa, said occupancy rates in the hotels have drastically improved – especially Sharqiyah and Salalah in the last few weeks. “We hope this will only grow,” he said.

Travel agents said visitors are booking holidays to destinations such as Salalah, Khasab, and Masirah Island, leading to a large jump in domestic travel, as the pandemic continues to render international travel uncertain.

To create more capacity on Salalah route, Oman Air has also pressed its Boeing 787 Dreamliners into service on this route. Reflecting this increase in visitors, hotels in the Dhofar have also been permitted to operate at 75 per cent capacity, up from the 50 per cent rule which has been in place since the start of the pandemic.

While many do prefer travelling by air to the Dhofar to enjoy the Khareef, there are others who choose to go by road. As a result, the route linking Muscat and Salalah, particularly the stretch after Haima can see increased traffic during this time of the year.

To prevent accidents on the route, the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority (CDAA) has issued an advisory for motorists to follow, both before they depart, and while they are on the road.

“Prior to starting your journey, ensure the safety of the vehicle, and observe the safety rules, including the vehicle’s determined capacity,” said the authority, asking people to make sure their vehicles are properly maintained, before embarking on such a long journey: the trip from Muscat to Salalah is more than 1,000km long, and will require nearly 10 hours of continuous driving on the roads.

“Identify the locations of rest houses and vehicle service stations along, the journey,” added the advisory. “Identify the locations and phone numbers of the emergency services and CDAA points on the journey.”
Those making the journey by road are also requested to learn the basic operation of a fire extinguisher, as well as how to administer first aid in case of an emergency. While on the road, motorists are advised to stop their vehicle if the engine overheats, and avoid distractions while driving.
Smoking inside the vehicle, and following proper safety procedures at filling stations is also strongly advised. In case those heading to Salalah do witness an accident on the road, they will need to stop their vehicle away from the scene of the collision, and use their hazard indicators to warn others.

“Ensure the safety of the accident scene,” said the CDAA. “In case of fire in the vehicle, try to extinguish it using your fire extinguisher. Try to save any injured person and get them away from danger, if possible.”

The emergency services can be reached on 9999 or 24 343 666.

Visits to Khasab, in the northern Musandam Governorate, and Masirah Island off the coast of Oman have also increased, say people in the tourism sector in Oman, primarily because people want a break from everyday life, with many unable to leave the country since the start of the pandemic in February 2020.

“Normally, summer is the time when many go on leave, but people have been more or less confined to their homes for about 18 months now, following a rather monotonous routine of going to the office and returning home,” said a hotel owner in the country.

“The pandemic regulations have also taken their toll on them.”

“Naturally, everybody wants a bit of a break now and then, but with overseas travel a hassle right now, we have seen good booking numbers for Musandam, Ras Al Jinz, Masirah, the Dayminiyat Islands, and other locations popular with tourists,” he added.