Oman: Salalah Receives First Iraqi Airways Flight

Following a traditional water salute, Salalah Airport received on Saturday the first Iraqi Airways flight, where guests were welcomed with bouquets and Omani sweets.

This is the second Iraqi carrier after Fly Baghdad recently commenced direct flights from Baghdad International Airport to Salalah, Oman, adding to its growing regional network.

The service is expected to see strong demand during Salalah’s Khareef season while also supporting wider tourism and business links.

The number of visitors to the Khareef Dhofar (monsoon) season from June 21 to August 15 reached 827,115, a 2.1% increase compared to the same period in 2024, when the number stood at 810,085.

The preliminary statistics showed that the number of Omani visitors grew by 71.5 percent, reaching 591,577.

Visitors from other GCC countries totaled 143,431, while visitors from other nationalities numbered 92,107.

A total of 639,962 visitors arrived in Dhofar Governorate via land ports by August 15, 2025.

Meanwhile, 187,153 visitors arrived by air, comprising a 15.5% increase.

Arrival traffic saw an increase in the number of flights from 795 in 2024 to 925 in 2025 (between June 21 and August 3), a 16 percent growth.

The number of arriving passengers rose by 3 percent to 158,301, compared to 153,378 passengers last year.