Salalah Airport has welcomed the inaugural scheduled flight of the Italian airline Neos, arriving from Rome via Milan.
This marks the launch
of a direct, regular air route between the two destinations, with one flight
per week during the 2025-2026 winter tourism season, reported ONA.
This step reinforces
the Sultanate of Oman's position as a distinguished destination on the global
tourism map.
The new route is a
qualitative addition to the network of international destinations served by
Salalah Airport.
Oman Airports
confirmed that the launch of this direct route is part of joint national
efforts to enhance Oman's air connectivity with various global markets and
expand the international flight network.
This supports the
tourism and national economy sectors and contributes to attracting more
visitors to the Dhofar Governorate during the winter season, which sees
increasing demand from European tourists.
This direct route is
expected to boost the local economy and enhance the tourism sector in the
Dhofar Governorate, opening new horizons for tourism and investment cooperation
between the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Italy.
Haitham Mohammed Al
Ghassani, Director General of Tourism Promotion at the Ministry of Heritage and
Tourism, explained that this step is the result of joint cooperation between
the Ministry, Oman Airports, and a number of relevant authorities.
This collaboration, he
said, has culminated in strategic partnerships with international airlines such
as Switzerland's "Edelweiss" and Italy's "Neos."
He indicated that work
is underway to attract more airlines to strengthen the position of Dhofar
Governorate as an integrated tourist destination.
He added that the
opening of this direct route from Milan to Salalah reflects the extensive
efforts to increase the number of direct international flights to the
governorate.
This responds to the
growing demand from the European market, particularly the Italian market, to
visit Dhofar during the winter season, thanks to its moderate climate, stunning
nature, and unique cultural and heritage experiences.
He pointed out that
the Italian market witnessed a 48% growth in the number of tourists arriving in
the Sultanate of Oman during the first half of this year compared to the same
period last year, reflecting the increasing interest in this distinguished tourist
destination.
Neos Airline is one of
the Italian airlines belonging to the Alpitour Group.
Founded in 2002, it has since become one of the leading airlines for tourist destinations worldwide, operating flights to more than 60 destinations and 183 global airports from its four hubs in Milan, Verona, Rome and Bologna.