Some 65,000 more people visited Oman's southern Dhofar region during this year’s Khareef Festival as compared to last year.
New statistics released by the ministries of economy and tourism put the total number of holidaymakers visiting Dhofar between June 21 and August 31, when the festival ended, at 351,554, an increase of 66,844 over last year.
The number of visitors from the GCC countries was 267,393, with Oman accounting for 167,745, the UAE 72,261, Saudi Arabia 20,382, Kuwait 2,935, Qatar 3,050 and from Bahrain 1,020.
Visitors from other Arab countries totalled 3,769 and from non-Arab nations 16,939. The count of tourists arriving by road was 320,501 and air 31,053.