Muscat: There will be a focus on education, fun and entertainment for the youth during the 29-day Muscat Festival, to be held simultaneously at two venues from January 26.
“Tour of Oman cycling race during the Muscat Festival is once again expected to be a big draw,” said Said Bin Sabah Al Rasheedi, head of Information section at the Muscat Municipality at a media briefing today . He added that 128 of the world’s greatest cyclists will return to take on the challenges of Oman’s dramatic landscape over six days from February 14, covering a total distance of 875 km.
“The powerful combination of our Muscat festival with the Tour of Oman has also created an ideal platform to showcase our rich traditions and historical identity,” he added. Al Rasheedi revealed that the Tour of Oman played a major role in over 1.2 million visitors from 180 countries coming to Oman during the Muscat Festival.
“We expect the numbers to increase this year.” However, no special concession has been given as far entry visa to Oman is concerned. “There is no special provision made for visitors to come to Oman so those who don’t fall in visa on arrival category must make prior arrangements through tour operators or hotels,” Lt. Saeed Bin Suleiman Al Asmi, Head of Security Committee and Royal Oman Police (ROP) representative, said in reply to a question.
He also explained that expatriates holding valid resident visa from a GCC member state will be eligible to get visa on arrival at any of the airports or border posts. Al Rasheedi further said that the Festival would be held at the Qurum Nature Park and Naseem Park at a nominal entrance fee of 200 baizas for adults and 100 for children.
“There will be a number of key highlights including The Oman Heritage and Cultural Village; The International Festival for Arts & Creativity; The Oman Food Festival; The Muscat Fashion Week; Traditional Boat Racing; Omani plays and concerts, carnival displays, amusement parks and a family village at Naseem Park,” he added.
Sultan Hamdoon Al Harthi, Head of Muscat Municipality, in a statement released during the media briefing said: “The strategic importance of the Muscat Festival and Tour of Oman to promote Oman at the international arena is significant, especially in the light of Muscat being named the 2012 Capital of Arab Tourism as well as being voted the second best city in the world to visit by Lonely Planet, behind the Olympic Games host city of London.
