Winter festivals boost tourism and local economy across Oman

2026-01-26 - 15:02

Muscat – Oman’s winter festival season is gaining momentum across several governorates and wilayats, emerging as a growing contributor to the national economy. The events are drawing visitors from within the sultanate and overseas, boosting spending on accommodation, retail and services in line with tourism development and economic diversification goals. Beyond visitor inflows, the festivals are stimulating local markets through promotional activity and providing platforms for home-based businesses and small and medium enterprises. Temporary employment has also been created in event management, supervision and service provision, offering seasonal income opportunities for local communities. In North Sharqiyah, the first edition of the Dima Wa al Taien Winter Festival, held from December 25 for two weeks, recorded strong attendance. The programme showcased the wilayat’s natural and cultural assets, featuring hiking trails through wadis and mountains, paragliding displays, sports activities and community competitions. Traditional Omani arts, including Razha and Al Meydan, were staged in open natural settings, while artisans and home-based businesses reported increased commercial activity. The week-long Manah Winter events in Dakhliyah attracted about 15,000 visitors Dakhliyah hosted the Manah Winter events, which concluded on January 14 after a week-long programme that attracted about 15,000 visitors. Activities ranged from entertainment and heritage displays to sports and marketing events. Around 35 home-based businesses, artisans, entrepreneurs and student-run companies participated alongside government entities. Horse and camel shows, traditional arts and paragliding displays reinforced Manah’s heritage appeal and supported a family-oriented commercial environment. The third edition of the Masirah Winter Festival in South Sharqiyah was held from January 15 to 23 South Sharqiyah saw heightened community participation during the third edition of the Masirah Winter Festival, held from January 15 to 23. Organised to promote tourism and social activity on Masirah Island, the festival featured cultural, entertainment and sports events, with designated areas for home-based businesses and SMEs, supporting local entrepreneurs and highlighting the island’s tourism potential. The Dhahirah Tourism Festival in Ibri, which began on January 8, will run until February 6 In Dhahirah, the third Dhahirah Tourism Festival 2026 in Ibri began on January 8 and will run until February 6 under the theme ‘Something Different’. The programme includes heritage performances, poetry evenings, entertainment shows, a heritage village, consumer markets, and food and café zones. International acts, daily carnivals and folkloric performances have broadened its appeal while supporting SMEs. North Batinah’s Suhar Festival, which will conclude on January 31, is drawing huge crowd North Batinah’s Suhar Festival, running from December 22 to January 31, has attracted more than 270,000 visitors so far. The event blends cultural and entertainment activities with innovation-focused programmes, including artificial intelligence-based interactive experiences, daily carnival shows, an Omani heritage village, children’s theatre and concerts by Omani and international artists. Meanwhile, Muscat Nights Festival continues to draw large crowds, reinforcing its position as one of the sultanate’s flagship cultural events. More than 1.5mn visitors have attended so far across eight locations in the capital. Running until January 31, the festival offers a wide mix of entertainment, culture and the arts, with strong engagement on social media reflecting growing interest from audiences inside and outside Oman.