31 December 2007
MUSCAT -- The Sultanate is the favoured destination for tens of thousands of visitors from Europe and the Western countries as leading hotels and popular desert camps have reported chock-a-block bookings during the New Year week. The occupancy levels at the prime properties are full on the eve of the New Year as well as the following days. The trend indicates a significant rise in the flow of tourists to Oman, especially during the peak season coinciding with the New Year.
With major endorsements from leading travel advisories around the world, including the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), which has prominently highlighted Oman among the 2008 choice holiday destinations, the Sultanate's scenic getaways on the pristine coast, the awesome desert and the rugged mountains will host visitors from far and wide eagerly looking forward to greet the New Year with cheer and optimism. The Chedi Hotel reported 100 per cent occupancy during the New Year season. "We are fully booked for the entire week," Liza Latif, Sales Manager, said.
"Our guests are mainly Europeans, constituting almost 90 per cent of the clientele," she said, adding that most of them had come on their own. "We have arranged a gala buffet dinner amid live music and dance in the outdoor for the New Year, exclusively reserved for in-house guests," Liza said. "We are unable to accommodate more people for the New Year celebrations due to the full occupancy levels at the hotel," she added. "Most of the bookings during the New Year are from outside Oman," Liza said, adding that the peak season room tariff was in line with the published rates. The high profile 5 star beach front hotel has 154 rooms, including 36 suites.
Al Sawadi Beach Resort also reported full occupancy during the festive period. "We have several tourist groups from Italy, Germany and Russia, besides domestic tourists and the occupancy levels are full for over two weeks from the New Year," Chandrakant Khedkar, F & B Manager, said. The New Year surprises at Al Sawadi include a Russian dance troupe, a Romanian band, a Philippine band and a belly dancer from Brazil. The New Year eve dinner and dance is priced at RO 20 per head, Khedkar said. The popular hotel has 100 rooms, besides 11 camping tents, all of which are fully booked, Khedkar added.
Abdullah al Harthy, Managing Director of Empty Quarter Tours, said the 1000 Nights Camp in Rimal al Sharqiyah (Wahaiba Sands) was fully booked for two weeks before the New Year as well as two weeks after the New Year. "We are fully booked as this is the peak tourism season in the Sultanate," Al Harthy said. The Nahar Tourism Oasis listed in the Lonely Planet Guide Book is very popular among European tourists, Al Harthy pointed out. "The 1000 Nights Camp can accommodate up to 50 guests and our policy is to strictly adhere to conservation norms so as to protect the desert environment," Al Harthy said.
"We offer exclusive camping facilities for guests who can enjoy authentic Arab hospitality at its best," he added. More tourists are visiting Oman as evidenced during the last few years and there is an increasing trend of visitors from the GCC countries too, especially expatriates, Al Harthy said. The New Year surprise for guests at 1000 Nights Camp will be a presentation of authentic Bedouin culture. The highlights include performance by an oud player, folklore music and dance and Rababa performance, which is a traditional instrument resembling violin.
Guests will also witness a demonstration of brewing fresh Arabic coffee, including roasting and grinding of coffee beans.
All these are part of the authentic desert culture presented to guests, Al Harthy said. The Golden Tulip Resort in Khasab reported a strong turnout during the New Year. "Queries are still continuing and we are near full. The resort was fully booked, but had a group cancellation, which led to few vacant rooms.
Normally, we are unable to entertain all genuine queries as a lot of visitors prefer to start the New Year in the scenic Musandam peninsula," a spokesperson of the hotel said. "We have our main sales office in Dubai from where a lot of tourists arrive in Musandam," he added. The resort has 60 rooms, including three suites.
MUSCAT -- The Sultanate is the favoured destination for tens of thousands of visitors from Europe and the Western countries as leading hotels and popular desert camps have reported chock-a-block bookings during the New Year week. The occupancy levels at the prime properties are full on the eve of the New Year as well as the following days. The trend indicates a significant rise in the flow of tourists to Oman, especially during the peak season coinciding with the New Year.
With major endorsements from leading travel advisories around the world, including the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), which has prominently highlighted Oman among the 2008 choice holiday destinations, the Sultanate's scenic getaways on the pristine coast, the awesome desert and the rugged mountains will host visitors from far and wide eagerly looking forward to greet the New Year with cheer and optimism. The Chedi Hotel reported 100 per cent occupancy during the New Year season. "We are fully booked for the entire week," Liza Latif, Sales Manager, said.
"Our guests are mainly Europeans, constituting almost 90 per cent of the clientele," she said, adding that most of them had come on their own. "We have arranged a gala buffet dinner amid live music and dance in the outdoor for the New Year, exclusively reserved for in-house guests," Liza said. "We are unable to accommodate more people for the New Year celebrations due to the full occupancy levels at the hotel," she added. "Most of the bookings during the New Year are from outside Oman," Liza said, adding that the peak season room tariff was in line with the published rates. The high profile 5 star beach front hotel has 154 rooms, including 36 suites.
Al Sawadi Beach Resort also reported full occupancy during the festive period. "We have several tourist groups from Italy, Germany and Russia, besides domestic tourists and the occupancy levels are full for over two weeks from the New Year," Chandrakant Khedkar, F & B Manager, said. The New Year surprises at Al Sawadi include a Russian dance troupe, a Romanian band, a Philippine band and a belly dancer from Brazil. The New Year eve dinner and dance is priced at RO 20 per head, Khedkar said. The popular hotel has 100 rooms, besides 11 camping tents, all of which are fully booked, Khedkar added.
Abdullah al Harthy, Managing Director of Empty Quarter Tours, said the 1000 Nights Camp in Rimal al Sharqiyah (Wahaiba Sands) was fully booked for two weeks before the New Year as well as two weeks after the New Year. "We are fully booked as this is the peak tourism season in the Sultanate," Al Harthy said. The Nahar Tourism Oasis listed in the Lonely Planet Guide Book is very popular among European tourists, Al Harthy pointed out. "The 1000 Nights Camp can accommodate up to 50 guests and our policy is to strictly adhere to conservation norms so as to protect the desert environment," Al Harthy said.
"We offer exclusive camping facilities for guests who can enjoy authentic Arab hospitality at its best," he added. More tourists are visiting Oman as evidenced during the last few years and there is an increasing trend of visitors from the GCC countries too, especially expatriates, Al Harthy said. The New Year surprise for guests at 1000 Nights Camp will be a presentation of authentic Bedouin culture. The highlights include performance by an oud player, folklore music and dance and Rababa performance, which is a traditional instrument resembling violin.
Guests will also witness a demonstration of brewing fresh Arabic coffee, including roasting and grinding of coffee beans.
All these are part of the authentic desert culture presented to guests, Al Harthy said. The Golden Tulip Resort in Khasab reported a strong turnout during the New Year. "Queries are still continuing and we are near full. The resort was fully booked, but had a group cancellation, which led to few vacant rooms.
Normally, we are unable to entertain all genuine queries as a lot of visitors prefer to start the New Year in the scenic Musandam peninsula," a spokesperson of the hotel said. "We have our main sales office in Dubai from where a lot of tourists arrive in Musandam," he added. The resort has 60 rooms, including three suites.
By Ebby Chacko George
© Oman Daily Observer 2007
