Sunday 19 / January / 2025
Salalah: The number of visitors to the Land of Frankincense sites in Al Baleed and Samharam Archaeological Parks, Wadi Dawkah Nature Reserve, and Wabar Archaeological Site in Dhofar Governorate reached 155,795, while the number of visitors to Taqah and Mirbat Forts reached 9,313 during 2024.
Statistics issued by the General Directorate of Heritage and Tourism in Dhofar Governorate showed that Al Baleed Archaeological Park and the Frankincense Land Museum received 64,819 visitors last year, while the number of visitors to Samharam Archaeological Park reached 27,582, while the Wabar Archaeological Site (Niyabat Al Shisr) in the Wilayat of Thumrait received 13,394 visitors.
The statistics indicated that the number of visitors to Taqah Fort in the same year amounted to 5,327, while the number of visitors to Mirbat Fort reached 3,986.
The sites are undergoing improvements by the companies with which the ministry recently signed contracts to manage and operate the historical landmarks, indicating that the total number of visitors to these archaeological and historical sites combined amounted to 165,108 from inside and outside the Sultanate of Oman, with a growth rate of 16 percent compared to the previous year 2023.
The Directorate General of Heritage and Tourism in Dhofar Governorate confirmed that the growth in the number of visitors came as a result of the efforts of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism in implementing strategic plans aimed at activating tourism events and activities, and enhancing the quality of tourism experiences in the governorate, as the number of visitors to the frankincense season events in its third edition exceeded 50,000 visitors during the period from November 27 to December 6, 2024.
In the same context, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism is working to conclude new usufruct contracts for hotel and tourism projects in Dhofar Governorate in 2025, in line with the significant growth in the sector, to provide multiple investment opportunities in the field of hospitality and tourism in the governorate.
As part of the efforts to develop the hospitality sector in Dhofar Governorate, the Ministry signed in 2024 usufruct contracts to establish 8 hotel projects of different classifications, which will be built on tourist lands owned by the Ministry.
It is expected that they will contribute to supporting the infrastructure of the tourism sector in the governorate, and providing advanced tourism facilities that meet the needs of local and international visitors.
It is noteworthy that Al Baleed, Samharam, Wabar and Wadi Dawkah are registered sites on the list of the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) under the name of the Land of Frankincense Sites.
