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Salalah tourism thrives despite war across the border

Competition for tourist dollars has increased in the Omani oasis, where regional tensions seem far away.

A herd of camels pauses at al-Mughsail Beach, west of Salalah. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
A herd of camels pauses at al-Mughsail Beach, west of Salalah. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
By 
Megan O'Toole and 
Wojtek Arciszewski
23 Nov 2017
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Salalah, Oman – Tourists crowd atop a rocky outcrop overlooking the aqua seascape of Taqah, smiling as their Omani guide snaps a photo.

Down the coastal road towards Salalah, visitors pause by a row of tropical fruit stands to snack on fresh bananas and sip coconut water.

In this desert paradise, regional tensions seem to drift away. War is raging across the border in neighbouring Yemen, and Oman’s fellow Gulf Cooperation Council members are locked in an unprecedented diplomatic crisis – but on a recent afternoon, visitors to Salalah were simply enjoying the sunshine and stunning scenery.

“Oman is one of the safest places in the world,” said German tourist Thomas Fink. “I wasn’t worried at all about coming here.”

Local tour operator Yousaf al-Mahrooqi, who organises diving, fishing and camping trips, noted that visitor numbers have been steadily growing as word has spread about Oman as a safe haven in a troubled region.

In the early 1990s, “when I used to take one diver to Mirbat a week, I was like, ‘Yes!’ … [Since then], the place got to be known as a diving destination,” he told Al Jazeera.

Today, competition for tourist dollars has increased as more visitors flock to Oman. The country, which drew 1.9 million visitors in 2015, is in the midst of an ambitious strategy to add another 800,000 annually by 2020.

“I can see it in the market,” Mahrooqi said. “I can how the cruise ships are coming now … Every diving centre, each day they are taking up to 20 people.”

Follow Megan O’Toole on Twitter: @megan_otoole

The Omani town of Mirbat has become known as a diving destination. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
The Omani town of Mirbat has become known as a diving destination. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
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Spectacular scenery, including lush mountain passes, are among the unique aspects of Oman that the tourism ministry has been promoting. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
Spectacular scenery, including lush mountain passes, are among the unique aspects of Oman that the tourism ministry has been promoting. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
Tourists walk along the ruins of the old city of Sumhuram, east of Salalah. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
Tourists walk along the ruins of the old city of Sumhuram, east of Salalah. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
Despite turmoil in the surrounding region, tourism in Oman has witnessed steady growth, according to state officials and local guides. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
Despite turmoil in the surrounding region, tourism in Oman has witnessed steady growth, according to state officials and local guides. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
Al-Balid, an open-air archaeological park, is among UNESCO's World Heritage sites. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
Al-Balid, an open-air archaeological park, is among UNESCO's World Heritage sites. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
The valley of Wadi Darbat is one of the key tourist draws in the Dhofar region. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
The valley of Wadi Darbat is one of the key tourist draws in the Dhofar region. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
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Fishing boats rest along the seascape in the town of Taqah. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
Fishing boats rest along the seascape in the town of Taqah. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
This rocky lookout point in Taqah is a popular stop for tour groups. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
This rocky lookout point in Taqah is a popular stop for tour groups. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
Frankincense abounds at local markets, and visitors can also tour the Museum of the Land of Frankincense in Salalah. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
Frankincense abounds at local markets, and visitors can also tour the Museum of the Land of Frankincense in Salalah. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
Tourism - along with manufacturing, logistics, fisheries and mining - is one of the key sectors in Oman's economic diversification strategy. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
Tourism - along with manufacturing, logistics, fisheries and mining - is one of the key sectors in Oman's economic diversification strategy. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
By 2020, Oman aims to attract 2.7 million visitors annually, up from 1.9 million in 2015. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]
By 2020, Oman aims to attract 2.7 million visitors annually, up from 1.9 million in 2015. [Wojtek Arciszewski/Al Jazeera]

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