Muscat Festival

The festival has been running since 1998 and growing in popularity every year. In 2006 over two million visitors attended the various event. This year Muscat Municipality, the Festival’s organizer, expects attendances to top three million.
Muscat Festival is a unique showcase for Oman’s distinctive Arabian cultural heritage. In 2006 Muscat was designated UNESCO Arab Cultural Capital.
Muscat is the capital of the Sultanate of Oman. Its unique blend of ancient and modern is attractive to both tourists and business travelers. Built facing the sea and flanked by rugged mountains, Muscat has been a prominent maritime centre linking Asia, Africa and Europe since the 2nd century CE. It is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and offers a wealth of attractions to visitors.
Splendid beaches, ancient forts and castles. Museums, gardens and galleries and international events like Muscat Festival, a Cinema Festival and International Book Fair.
Three major venues are involved in this years Muscat Festival. Qurum Natural Park, the Festival Ground in Azaiba and Shatti Al Bahjain, in the wilayat of Seeb.
Heritage events include the Omani HeritageVillage and International Theatre featuring shows from a variety of countries. This year the Forum of People’s Cultures includes Egypt, Tanzania, Turkey, Kuwait, India, Algeria, China, Syria, Yemen, Tunisia, Malaysia andSaudi Arabia.

Oman

Oman is a country of enormous diversity and natural beauty, which, while it has much to attract the discerning traveller, had until recent years been largely overlooked by international tourists. The government was anxious not to promote the Sultanate to tourists until it was ready to accommodate them. Now, with an enviable infrastructure securely in place, a wide range of international hotels and a wealth of things to see and do, Oman is ready to offer its traditional hospitality to visitors from around the world. By the end of 2004, the number of hotels and hotel apartments in the country stood at 146 and 9,8 respectively. Work on developing further facilities has been constantly ongoing.Indicative of the importance the government affords this sector was the issue of Royal Decree No. 61/2004, establishing a Ministry of Tourism and appointing a woman as its minister.


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khareef Festival

Khareef Salalah Festival takes place in the months of July and August. As the temperature soars in the North of Oman and the rest of the Gulf states, the Khareef (monsoon) season sweeps over the Southern part of Oman dropping temperature to and below 23°C. Salalah in Dhofar gears up to take over the role as the Oman top tourist destination. The monsoon rains nourish the region of Dhofar and fog hangs over the land, resulting in some of the most stunning natural scenery. The festival rolls into town with plenty of family fun in the form of cultural, traditional and modern artistic shows. This combination of idyllic weather, the green land and man-made celebrations make visitors experience something truly unique.