The Oman Sailing Festival gets underway in Salalah this week with professional instructors from Oman Sail offering free sessions to free Try Sailing, Try Windsurfing and Try Kitesurfing. Kicking off on 8 November at the Beach Front, Dahariz Beach, the festival runs until 12 November with a showcase of local SMEs and local craftspeople also on offer every day.

Musab Al Hadi, Oman Sailing Festival Project Manager, said, “The ancient trading port city of Salalah has a long history on the water. As one of the most important ancient cities in the region, its prosperity was dependant on the sailing skills of generations of mariners and traders. The Oman Sailing Festival aims to reintroduce competitive sailing to this area and inspire a new generation of sailor to head out onto the water and learn the basics. We have free Try Sailing, Try Windsurfing and Try Kitesurfing sessions on offer during the festival and look forward to welcoming the community to discover a new hobby.

“We are also carrying an important environmental message with us at every stop during the Oman Sailing Festival. Each of us has a responsibility to care for the local environment and preserve the beaches and seas so that they can be enjoyed for years to come and have a positive impact on the native plant and marine life our beautiful country is blessed with,” he added.

The Oman Sailing Festival returns on 24-26 November at the Barceló Mussanah Resort offering Try Sailing, Try Windsurfing, Try Kitesurfing, a showcase of local SMEs and a beach clean-up. The event coincides with the RS Venture Connect World Championships, Oman’s first exclusively-para sailing event, and will also feature the chance to learn how to sail using the versatile RS Venture boat designed for people with disabilities.

The festival will be supported by Office of the Minister of State and Governor of Dhofar Directorate General of Heritage and Tourism in Dhofar, Beach Front, Oman Air, National Mineral Water Company (Tanuf), Environment society of Oman (ESO), and National University Science and Technology (International Maritime College).