The Impact of Physical Geographical Features on the Touristic Attractions in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, Oman

      Al Dakhiliyah Governorate in the Sultanate of Oman is characterized by a number of physical features including its geographical location, the astronomical site, the climate (its elements and phenomena), the various land features, the natural plants and the wild animals which are all geographical factors determining the aspects of tourism development in the governorate. Hence, the importance of the research is to identify these features and their impact on and their role in tourism development in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate. The natural features are the main attracting factor for tourism and the influential factor in the economic planning and the comprehensive and sustainable development.
           The aim of this research is to highlight the importance of Al Dakhiliyah Governorate as a touristic area and to clarify the relation between the natural features and tourism development. The research adopts an analytical approach to probe the reality of tourism, its components and characteristics. It also follows the deductive approach to achieve the desired results for achieving tourism development. The research reveals several results among which is that Al Dakhiliyah Governorate has many natural features which make it a multi-patterned tourist destination in the Sultanate of Oman. The necessity of taking advantage of the natural components has been recommended for the development of touristic services in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate and upgrading them to suit the tourists' preferences, tendencies and their income levels.