Salalah: The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion has announced that preparations are complete to welcome the Dhofar Khareef season 2025, one of the governorate's most significant economic and tourism events. This is accomplished through a series of inspection campaigns and awareness initiatives that build on existing efforts to provide a healthy and safe working environment while encouraging local and foreign investment.
Mohammed Khalifa Al Badrani, Dhofar's Director General of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, stated that the Khareef season offers a great chance to boost commercial and economic activity in Dhofar. This requires increased monitoring of business premises to guarantee compliance with legal and professional standards, as well as educating shop owners on good business practices that encourage market activity while protecting consumer rights. He stressed the need of supervising key amenities in commercial spaces, such as electronic payment systems, to enable service delivery to targeted enterprises.
In a comment to the Oman News Agency (ONA), he stated that the Directorate has been conducting thorough inspection efforts for many months, including markets, commercial complexes, restaurants, hotels, and retail outlets, to ensure compliance with health regulations and commercial business regulations.
He went on to say that the Directorate, in collaboration with the appropriate authorities, is planning workshops and awareness sessions for merchants and business owners to encourage a culture of compliance and innovation in service delivery, in line with visitor expectations during the Khareef season.
Al Badrani remarked that Dhofar Governorate's commercial sector has expanded rapidly, with 718 commercial registrations logged by the end of Q1 2025, indicating the sector's vitality and rising investment interest in the governorate. He emphasized that construction and contracting operations ranked first among the most licensed commercial activities, with a total of 2,100 licenses granted by the end of Q1 2025, up from 1,274 licenses in 2024, demonstrating progress in Dhofar's construction and infrastructure industries.
Regarding new investments in the governorate, he noted that the total of new investors in Q1 2025 hit 1,217, with 88 commercial registrations granted, indicating investor confidence in Dhofar's economic climate. He attributed the Directorate's efforts to facilitate procedures and offer essential support to investors while localizing commercial projects that increase trade and industrial activity in Dhofar's wilayats. Efforts are also being made to incorporate industrial cities, free zones, and the best use of Salalah Port in order to increase business activity.
Al Badrani noted that 9,527 commercial licenses were issued in Q1 2025, down from 13,800 in 2024, citing the reduction to the reorganization of certain commercial activities and the implementation of new procedures to ensure greater service quality and operational sustainability. In the industrial sector, 1,155 industrial licenses were granted in Q1 2025, down from 1,742 in the same time in 2024.
He confirmed that this year's Khareef season preparations are based on an integrated action plan in collaboration with Dhofar Municipality, the Royal Oman Police, the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Consumer Protection Authority. This joint effort seeks to create a safe investment and business environment, boosting the governorate's attractiveness as an investment and tourist destination.
Al Badrani noted that Dhofar Governorate is ramping up preparations for the Khareef season, which attracts significant volumes of local and foreign visitors and tourists. A thorough strategy guarantees that numerous service and regulatory sectors are ready, with field crews already performing fuel station checks to confirm supply accessibility and equipment safety. Markets are also being monitored to verify that they comply with health and environmental regulations and that necessary products are offered at fair pricing. Awareness campaigns aimed at retailers and customers encourage safe buying habits and discourage unfavorable behaviors, while hotlines operate around the clock to collect feedback and inquiries, guaranteeing quick responses and increasing visitor trust in services.
He further stated that the Directorate's goal is to provide consumers and visitors with a pleasant and safe shopping experience by enhancing sales facilities and strategically allocating commercial operations based on anticipated demand. All business operators are encouraged to follow legal obligations and approved standards. At the same time, ongoing efforts are being made to educate investors on how to leverage the economic opportunities offered by the Khareef season, which directly boosts commercial and industrial activity, improves the governorate's business environment, contributes to local economic growth, and elevates services for both residents and visitors.
