{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-572d6a42.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-f4d0de30.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='Luxury monsoon resort helps Arab visitors escape the heat' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d5b6d8eafeecae1fdb1c' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d5b6d8eafeecae1fdb1c' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nLuxury monsoon resort helps Arab visitors escape the heat\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eLEADIN:              A new luxury resort in Oman is drawing tourists from across the Middle East who are keen to escape the region's scorching summer heat.              Al-Baleed Resort is a poolside paradise in Oman's southern city of...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eLEADIN:\u003cbr/\u003e              A new luxury resort in Oman is drawing tourists from across the Middle East who are keen to escape the region's scorching summer heat.\u003cbr/\u003e              Al-Baleed Resort is a poolside paradise in Oman's southern city of Salalah where temperatures are a mild 26 degrees Celsius during the three month monsoon season.\u003cbr/\u003e              STORYLINE:\u003cbr/\u003e              The desert blooms on the far eastern edge of the Arabian peninsula. \u003cbr/\u003e              For three-months over summer, the landscape becomes a sea of green as the monsoon rains sweep though.\u003cbr/\u003e              This natural phenomenon has long drawn seasonal migrations to the coast – but in the 21st century it is drawing tourists from the Arabian Gulf fleeing the scorching summer heat. \u003cbr/\u003e              This season, visitors have the chance to stay in a new luxury seaside resort. \u003cbr/\u003e              Between a beach and a freshwater lagoon, the Al-Baleed Resort boasts a collection of private villas and hotel rooms. \u003cbr/\u003e              The main building is designed like a traditional Omani fort and boats private pools, tropical gardens and water features. \u003cbr/\u003e              It is owned by Anantara, a Thai chain of five-star hotels, and is the first of its kind in the local area. \u003cbr/\u003e              The resort opened last November (2016) to mainly European guests seeking sun – but when the monsoon hit the demographics changed. \u003cbr/\u003e              More demand for private pools, where conservative Muslim women can shed their veils and robes to swim freely, led Anantara to redesign some suites to fit the demand.\u003cbr/\u003e              Resort general manager James Hewitson says 95 percent of the guests during the monsoon are Arab. \u003cbr/\u003e              \"When you travel around the mountains in the khareef (monsoon in Arabic) it's raining, it's a bit misty, it's a bit muddy, so generally when you go to the mountains and you have your experience when you come back you want to be pampered and I think our resort really enables people to go and burn their energy in the mountains with the excursions and everything but then come back and be very relaxed here in the resort and the luxury facilities that we're offering.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              Temperatures in southern Oman drop to an average of 26 degrees Celsius, attracting tourists from northern Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain every summer, according to tourism officials. \u003cbr/\u003e              Nearly 700,000 Arab tourists visit the region during the foggy summer monsoon when temperatures elsewhere on the Arabian peninsula can reach above 50 degrees Celsius. \u003cbr/\u003e              It's a popular place to visit because the extra rain forms rivers for boating and leisure activities. \u003cbr/\u003e              The resort wants to take advantage of the monsoon tourist season by catering to large, conservative families eager to visit the unique weather of southern Oman but desiring luxury.\u003cbr/\u003e              Resort visitor Muna al-Ajmi, an Omani chemical engineer working in Dubai, says the setting is unique. \u003cbr/\u003e              \"Having a city with such a weather in a country where mostly the weather is hot, this itself makes it magical and we wanted to experience it. I'm an Omani but I live in Dubai and I think last time I cam to Salalah was about 15 years ago and I think I wanted to experience it again myself and the family together. I'm glad we did it and it's wonderful but most of all the this resort made it even more perfect.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              German businessman Thomas Wegmann lives in Dubai and has brought his children to enjoy the resort's beach side infinity pool.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"Compared to Dubai this is just fantastic because you can be outdoors all the time, enjoy nature. It doesn't matter if its raining, you can even stay on the beach without wondering that you'll get sunburned or it just gets too hot – it's just fantastic and very unique for the Middle East.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              Hewitson says Anantara was attracted to Salalah by an Omani initiative to develop the luxury tourism market in the region. \u003cbr/\u003e              The government spent 780 million US dollars in 2015 to open a new airport and expand the road networks. \u003cbr/\u003e              It also granted the seafront land adjacent to a UNESCO World Heritage site to the Al-Baleed Resort.\u003cbr/\u003e              Hewitson says it's the unique weather which is one of the biggest drawcards. \u003cbr/\u003e              \"So we'll have you know 26-28 degrees with great grey skies and mist and rain whereas the rest of the Middle East is in 50 degree heat sweltering away. So I liken it to when you're in Europe and you see snow for the first time, for the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) market seeing rain, they see very little rain so its so exciting to come and see greenery and rain and they can drive here from most of the GCC countries as well.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              There are also luxury spa facilities, designed to reflect an Arabian villa. \u003cbr/\u003e              A one night stay in the resort starts from 370 US dollars a night for a Deluxe Garden View room to 4,650 US dollars for a three bedroom Royal Beach Villa for up to nine adults.\u003cbr/\u003e            \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e              Ain Googab, Oman - 25 July 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              1. Drone shots revealing waterfall on mountain plateau ++MUTE++\u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              Ain Kor, Oman - 29 July 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              2. Drone tracking shot of a waterfall ++MUTE++\u003cbr/\u003e              3. Drone tracking overhead of waterfall ++MUTE++\u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              Shaat, Oman - 6 August 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              4. Various of heavy monsoon fog washing over mountain ridge\u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              Al-Mughsayl, Oman - 6 August 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              5. Wide of mountainous southern coast of the Dhofar region\u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              Salalah, Oman - 10 August 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              6. Wide of palm trees at the Al-Baleed Resort\u003cbr/\u003e              7. Wide of beachfront villas\u003cbr/\u003e              8. Various of Al-Baleed Resort and facilities\u003cbr/\u003e              9. Wide of Al-Baleed Resort general manager James Hewitson\u003cbr/\u003e              10. SOUNDBITE (English) James Hewitson, Al-Baleed Resort general manager:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"When you travel around the mountains in the khareef (monsoon in Arabic) it's raining, it's a bit misty, it's a bit muddy, so generally when you go to the mountains and you have your experience there, when you come back you want to be pampered and I think our resort really enables people to go and burn their energy in the mountains with the excursions and everything but then come back and be relaxed here in the resort and the luxury facilities that we're offering.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              Wadi Dirbat, Oman - 31 July 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              11. Various of a tourists enjoying a seasonal monsoon river in a verdant mountain valley one hour east of the Al-Baleed Resort\u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              Salalah, Oman - 10 August 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              12. Mid of resort sign\u003cbr/\u003e              13. Various of entrance to the resort and front lobby\u003cbr/\u003e              14. Various of resort facilities\u003cbr/\u003e              15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Muna al-Ajmi, Visitor and Omani chemical engineer working in Dubai:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"Having a city with such a weather in a country where mostly the weather is hot, this itself makes it magical and we wanted to experience it. I'm an Omani but I live in Dubai and I think last time I cam to Salalah was about 15 years ago and I think I wanted to experience it again myself and the family together. I'm glad we did it and it's wonderful but most of all the this resort made it even more perfect.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              16. Various of  visitor Thomas Wegmann, swimming with his two children in the resort's beachside infinity pool.\u003cbr/\u003e              17. SOUNDBITE: (English) Thomas Wegmann, Visitor and German businessman living in Dubai: \u003cbr/\u003e              \"Compared to Dubai this is just fantastic because you can be outdoors all the time, enjoy nature. It doesn't matter if its raining, you can even stay on the beach without wondering that you'll get sunburned or it just gets too hot – it's just fantastic and very unique for the Middle East.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              18. Close of Hewitson\u003cbr/\u003e              19. Close of pocket square\u003cbr/\u003e              20. SOUNDBITE: (English) James Hewitson, general manager of the Al-Baleed Resort in Salalah: \u003cbr/\u003e              \"So we'll have you know 26-28 degrees with great grey skies and mist and rain whereas the rest of the Middle East is in 50 degree heat sweltering away. So I liken it to when you're in Europe and you see snow for the first time, for the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) market seeing rain, they see very little rain so its so exciting to come and see greenery and rain and they can drive here from most of the GCC countries as well.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              21. Various of the spa facilities\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eCurator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan class=\"star-rating\" aria-label=\"3.5 out of 5 stars\" role=\"img\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid 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