KHASAB, Oman

The Musandam International Diving Festival kicked off Monday for the first time, bringing together professional and amateur divers from across the world to explore Oman’s northern waters and highlight the region’s eco-tourism potential.

The four-day program offers a wide range of activities, including an underwater photography contest capturing Musandam’s vibrant marine life, a kayak race across Khor Qadah, and endurance challenges such as free-diving and swimming competitions.

In addition to the competitions, daily dialogue sessions feature elite divers, including world record holder Ahmed Gabr, recognized for the world’s deepest scuba dive, and three-time Guinness World Record holder para-athlete diver Faisal Jawad.

Environmental efforts are also central to the festival. Divers plant corals, join the region’s largest reef cleaning campaign, and attend workshops on deep diving medicine and new digital tools for tourism.

Exploratory dives to Musandam’s deepest sea point highlight the area’s potential as a global hub for adventure tourism.

Mubarak Al Rahbi, general director of the governor’s office, said the event was designed to showcase Musandam’s waters and boost tourism.

“Musandam is the best place in the Middle East for diving. We organized this event to encourage tourism and establish Musandam as the top diving spot,” he added.

Organizers said the event, supported by government and private institutions, reflects Oman’s strategy to link tourism with environmental protection, reinforcing Musandam’s reputation as a unique diving destination.