Page 65 - Contributed Paper Session (CPS) - Volume 7

CPS2029 Amira Al-Salhi
Figure 4: Average temperature (°C), average humidity (%), and average rainfall
(mm) in GCC, 2007-2017
Temperature Humidity rainfall

60.0 55.4 55.1
50.0 43.4 45.2
40.0 36.1
30.0 31.3
20.7 22.7
20.0 9.3 9.1
10.0 5.3 2.9
0.0
Winter (March Spring (June quarter) Summer (September Fall (December
quarter) quarter) quarter)
Source: National statistical centres in GCC

Tourism numbers increase in the winter months, as Figure 5 shows, while
the June quarter has the lowest seasonal levels. The June quarter includes the
start of the summer weather, and as noted above included Ramadan in 2017.
That year, Ramadan was from May 24 to June 26.
Figure 5: Distribution of inbound tourists’ arrival to GCC by season, 2017

13,000

12,500

12,000

11,500

11,000
10,500

10,000

9,500

FALL
SUMMER
WINTER SPRING (JUNE ( SEPTEMBER ( DECEMBER

QUARTER)
MARCH
(
QUARTER) QUARTER) QUARTER)

Source: GCC‐Stat centre
However, while the overall GCC has a desert climate, some parts of the GCC
have a semi‐tropical climate. One example of this is Salalah in Oman, the
subject of the case study.
Case Study – Salalah, Sultanate of Oman
The climate of Salalah is quite different from the conditions in the rest of
GCC, due to a combination of the summer monsoon and the local topography.
The summer monsoon or Khareef extends from the end of July until the
beginning of September. During that time, the city of Salalah and the hills are
surrounded by white fog. Light rains drizzle to cool the air. During the Khareef
season, temperatures never rise above 27 degrees Celsius (Oman Tourism
website).

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