Oman Air, the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, has announced that it is this year's Official Carrier and Main Sponsor of the Salalah Tourism Festival. The Festival, which takes place between June 21st and July 18th, is a cultural extravaganza which celebrates the unique heritage of Oman's most southerly Governorate.
Wayne Pearce, Chief Executive Officer, Oman Air, says:
"We are delighted to be playing a leading role in supporting the Salalah Tourism Festival, which draws people from all over the world to join in celebrating the rich history, culture and traditions of this beautiful area of Oman. Moreover, the Festival coincides with the Khareef (monsoon season) which, whilst the rest of the Gulf is basking in intense summer heat, brings cooling rains, lush greenery and bright flowers to the area."
Over 1.8 million visitors are expected at the Salalah Tourism Festival, which is held in the town also known as 'Arabia's Perfume Capital'. A host of attractions, including dolphin shows, an international circus, concerts and Omani folk shows will showcase the finest entertainment that Oman has to offer. Visitors will also have the opportunity to visit the Heritage Village, and a special Shopping Fair will run alongside the main Festival, offering a glimpse into Omani fashion, and displaying both traditional Omani and imported products.
As a special incentive, Oman Air Holidays has joined forces with a number of hotels in the area, in all price brackets, to offer a range of special promotions, including discounted rates, free iftar dinners and free extra nights' stay.
To assist the thousands of additional visitors to the area, Oman Air is also adding more flights to its current schedule of 82 flights per month from Muscat to Salalah. From June 13th-30th an extra 38 flights will be offered, and 148 extra flights per month will be operated from July to September.
Wayne Pearce adds:
"Oman Air is honoured to have supported the Salalah Tourism Festival since its inception, and this is a reflection of our commitment to celebrating Oman's diversity, showcasing Salalah as a unique and authentic destination and developing greater levels of in-bound tourism.
"I invite everyone to visit www.omanair.com and make the most of our latest, great-value promotional packages, to come to Oman and experience our renowned hospitality, and to learn about what this wonderful country has to offer."
The Salalah Tourism Festival demonstrates the Governorate's commitment to becoming both a tourism and industrial hub, and an ambitious programme of regeneration of the area is currently underway.
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About Oman Air
Oman Air is the flagship carrier of the Sultanate of Oman and an Official 4 Star Airline (Skytrax 2011). Founded in 1993, the airline has since witnessed massive growth and has played a major role in making Muscat an important traffic hub in the Middle East, supporting the commercial, industrial and tourism sectors.
The airline currently operates direct international flights from Muscat to Gulf destinations, such as Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam and Kuwait, as well as Cairo, Beirut and Amman within the wider Middle East region.
In addition, Oman Air flies to ten destinations in India (Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Delhi, Lucknow, Bangalore, Kozhikode and Jaipur), Chittagong in Bangladesh, Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore in Pakistan, Kathmandu in Nepal and Colombo in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, Oman Air flies to the Maldives, Bangkok in Thailand and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and operates services to Zanzibar and Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania.
Its European destinations are London, Milan, Munich, Frankfurt, Paris and Zurich.
Also, Oman Air will commence a new daily service between Muscat and the Iranian capital Tehran from 1st September 2012.
Codeshare partnerships with Malaysia Airlines extend Oman Air's network to include Hong Kong, Singapore, Kota Kinabalu, Langkawi and Penang. Oman Air also has a codeshare partnership with Emirates Airlines giving travellers better connectivity and an extended range of services between Dubai and Muscat.
Oman Air's fleet currently consists of four Airbus A330-200s, three Airbus A330-300s, 15 Boeing 737-700s/800s, two Embraer E175s and two ATR 42s. Two further Embraer E175s are on order, with an option of a further five.
Oman Air will be taking delivery of 6 new Boeing 737s as of 2014, as well as 6 Boeing 787s Dreamliners, which are scheduled for delivery starting in 2015.
Oman Air's outstanding aircraft interiors include its First Class Mini Suite, which provides each of the six First Class passengers with direct aisle access and converts to the longest lie-flat seat in the skies. The A330's 20 award-winning Business Class seats each provide direct aisle access, ample storage space and the latest technological amenities. Economy Class seats offer adjustable head and leg rests, together with surprising amounts of leg and elbow room. A state of the art in-flight entertainment system features individual seatback screens, audio and video on demand and live satellite TV. In addition, Oman Air has pioneered both mobile telephony and Internet connectivity on board its flights and this is available in all three classes.
Superb new First and Business Class lounges have been opened at Muscat International Airport, featuring elegant and tranquil relaxation areas, complimentary spa treatments and à la carte dining. A lounge-to-aircraft limousine service has also been launched for First Class passengers at Muscat.
Oman Air's commitment to quality, comfort and a seamless passenger experience has resulted in international acclaim, including: Best Business Class Seat in the World and Service Excellence, Middle East (World Airline Awards 2011); Best Luxury Airline, Middle East (Business Destinations Awards 2011); Technological Innovation of the Year (Aviation Business Awards 2010); as well recognition in the TravelPlus Amenity Bag Awards 2010 (three Gold, one Silver), the Cellars in the Sky Awards 2010 (Silver), the KLIA Awards 2011, the 2009 Vision Awards (one Silver, one Bronze) and the Travel Industry Club Awards 2010 (Silver), TTG Travel Award 2011 as Commended Airline of the Year, Best In-flight Connectivity & Communications award in The 2011 Passenger Choice Awards in Seattle USA, The Airline of the Year Award at France's Lauriers d'Or du Voyage d'Affaires, Top Resa 2011 in addition to the Best First Class Female Amenity Bag and the Best Business Class Unisex Amenity Bag at the TravelPlus Airline Amenity Bag Awards 2011. The most recent award won by Oman Air was The Best Business Class Airline, Middle East (Business Destinations Travel Awards 2012).
© Press Release 2012
