JEDDAH — The new Salalah Airport in Oman, which commenced its operations last June 15, is an expansive infrastructure project that features state-of-the-art technology with the chief objective of improving air traffic movement, provide greater connectivity throughout the region and facilitate easier access to Salalah, especially to the Dhofar region. The opening coincided with the ‘Khareef' season in anticipation of the large influx of visitors who will arrive for the busiest tourist season in the region. The new airport showcases a modern architectural façade and an immense passenger terminal spread out over 65,000 square meters. Inside, visitors are provided with an efficient information systems center, luggage handling units, and service utilities including 24 check-in desks, 4 self-service check-in desks and 8 tubes to competently assist passengers in their ascent to and descent from the planes. The terminal also features a wide variety of retail shops, restaurants and other services for the travelers' convenience. Additionally, it offers a VIP lounge, as well as a car parking area capable of accommodating 1957 vehicles with slots for VIP and taxi parking. The opening of the new Salalah airport is just in time for the Khareef season, which has always drawn the largest number of visitors throughout the year. These events will positively affect the tourist numbers in the region; and help raising the travel and tourism's share in the country's GDP. The ministry has taken great effort to ensure that the terminal is fully equipped with the necessary facilities that will provide maximum comfort and convenience to the diverse range of travelers. These facilities and the superior service aim to further strengthen Oman's reputation as a premier tourist destination in the Gulf. In its first stage, the airport is designed to accommodate 2 million passengers annually. It will be enhanced to welcome as much as 6 million passengers in the near future. In anticipation of Khareef, Oman Air will operate 284 flights between Muscat and Salalah, an 11 percent increase in the number of flights compared to 2014. This will allow the transfer of 352,738 passengers between the two cities. Overall, the new Salalah airport will receive 28 international flights, which will also be doubled during the Khareef season, and 56 domestic flights in a week which sums up to 84 flights per week to the newly established airport. Salalah will also receive a number of international flights from Doha, Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi through Qatar Airways, Fly Dubai, Rotana Airlines, and Arabia Airlines. — SG
