Middle East residents head to Salalah to beat the heat

With temperatures in Dubai hovering above 40 degrees celcius and an Eid al Adha break stretching over most of the week across the Gulf, Oman’s Salalah is witnessing arguably its busiest period ever.

Visitors to Salalah in Oman’s Dhofar region have surged by 28% this season, according to the Dhofar Chamber of Commerce.

Accommodation in the city is also reportedly almost up to capacity; a report by the times of Oman quotes experts to say occupancy at apartments and villas in Salalah has reached 98%.

The capital city of Oman’s Dhofar governorate, Salalah transforms into a lush green landscape of plains and valleys, during the annual ‘Khareef’ (Arabic for autumn) season. Temperatures routinely dip below 23 degrees celcius in the coastal city, often punctuated by rainfall.

Because of the longer Eid break, visitor numbers to Dhofar will peak this August, reversing a decline in the number of tourists to the city over the last few years, according to the report. More than 658,406 visitors have travelled to Salalah since July this year.