92,861 visitors came to Salalah during Eid holidays on Aug 9-12. Yes. I remind you the population of Salalah is around 190,000 ONLY (and a good chunk of them live in the mountains behind the town). The metropolitan area is probably only about 140,000. So you can imagine what a crowd of 92,861 would mean to our town. INVASION. (photo below shows four lanes of traffic on a narrow two-lane mountain road - chaos)
This is the statement from the Oman News Agency:
This is the statement from the Oman News Agency:
Salalah: The number of visitors to the Governorate of Dhofar during Eid Al Fitr holidays from August 9 to 12 this year stood at 92,861.
These figures were issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Royal Oman Police (ROP), which has been monitoring the Khareef Salalah visitors.
The Omanis constituted the bulk of visitors to the governorate with 55,965 visitors. The UAE visitors came second with 24,959. Visitors from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia totalled 4,199. Indian visitors came fourth with 3,978.
In terms of the country of residence, the statistics pointed out that 64.5 per cent of the visitors are residents in the Sultanate and 27.7 per cent of the visitors are residents in the UAE. The official statistics added that 94.2 per cent of the total visitors arrived in the Governorate of Dhofar via the road route.
The number of visitors to the governorate on the first day of Eid Al Fitr stood at 13,262, whereas it touched 26,014 on the second day and 23,392 on the third day. The fourth day of Eid Al Fitr witnessed the largest number of visitors to Dhofar as it reached 30,193.
It is worth mentioning that the total number of visitors to the Governorate of Dhofar in 2013 since the beginning of Khareef season from June 21, 2013 to August 12, 2013 stood at 184,910 compared to 134,437 during the same period last year, an increase of 37.5 per cent.
These figures were issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Royal Oman Police (ROP), which has been monitoring the Khareef Salalah visitors.
The Omanis constituted the bulk of visitors to the governorate with 55,965 visitors. The UAE visitors came second with 24,959. Visitors from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia totalled 4,199. Indian visitors came fourth with 3,978.
In terms of the country of residence, the statistics pointed out that 64.5 per cent of the visitors are residents in the Sultanate and 27.7 per cent of the visitors are residents in the UAE. The official statistics added that 94.2 per cent of the total visitors arrived in the Governorate of Dhofar via the road route.
The number of visitors to the governorate on the first day of Eid Al Fitr stood at 13,262, whereas it touched 26,014 on the second day and 23,392 on the third day. The fourth day of Eid Al Fitr witnessed the largest number of visitors to Dhofar as it reached 30,193.
It is worth mentioning that the total number of visitors to the Governorate of Dhofar in 2013 since the beginning of Khareef season from June 21, 2013 to August 12, 2013 stood at 184,910 compared to 134,437 during the same period last year, an increase of 37.5 per cent.
(Mughsayl Blowholes west of Salalah - insane)
Dhofari Gucci is hiding in her kitchen making bread until the visitors go home. I dare not venture out of my home.
Salam alaikoum Nadia, I'm late to wish you Eid Mubarak but I do believe those crowded days weren't easy. Both pics are truly impressive as
ReplyDeletethe weather conditions. Dhofar must be a sought-after destination!
Hello Nadia:
ReplyDeleteJust one silly question from the north of Spain:
Do you have any sunny day during monzoon season or is it just rain and rain and rain all the time?. I have to recognize that this phenomenon it's really amazing to me.
Thanks!!
P.D: Sorry for my english.