The Rose Harvesting Festival is being organised by the Niyabat of Al Jabal Al Akhdar for April 2020. This is one of the seasons that attract a large number of tourists who flock to the area known as the Green Mountain.
Announcing about the Festival, Khalifa bin Saleh Al Busaidi, Deputy Governor of Nizwa said that these green mountains have exceptional tourist components due to their moderate weather. The
temperature here dips to below zero degree Celsius during winter. This creates an environment suitable for various types of agricultural activities and increasing their harvesting. He said that roses were one of the most liked plantation activity in Al Jabal Al Akhdar that yield financial returns. During this weather, tourists flock to the area and get firsthand experience of watching how rose water is manufactured with traditional and modern methods.
He added that the Neyabat of Al Jabal Al Akhdar, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, as well as the tourism sector, is planning to organise the rose-picking festival in April next year. In the festival, many concerned organisations and establishments from both the private and public sectors are expected to take part to highlight the rose as one of the major agricultural products for which Al Jabal Al Akhdar boasts and attracts tourists.
The festival aims to activate the winter season and organize many activities, so that more and more tourists spend their nights in the green mountains and enjoy its weather. Khalil bin Saif Al Tobi, Director of Tourism in the Governorate of A’Dakhiliyah said that the Rose Harvesting Season would attract tourists from within the country and abroad. According to statistics, the number of visitors to Al Jabal Al Akhdar is increasing year after year. The rose harvesting season is expected to rejuvenate the tourism activity. Many farmers are interested in roses, which is an indication that it has huge financial returns.
More than 150 tourists from countries like Germany, France and Spain come to Al Jabal Al Akhdar every day and walk through the roses farms, as well as the rose water factory. During the first three months of 2019, as many as 29,865 tourists from various nationalities visited Al Jabal Al Akhdar. During 2018, the total number of tourists who visited the mountain stood at more than 226,000 visitors.
Courtesy of ONA
