The Oman WhatsApp Campaign Calendar, October 2026 to December 2027
Oman's year has its own rhythm: National Day in November, Muscat Nights in January, Ramadan and two Eids, then the Khareef summer in Dhofar. Here is what to send, when, and in which template category.
Short answer: the five moments that matter most for Omani businesses are National Day (20 November by royal decree; in 2026 the public holiday falls on 25–26 November), Muscat Nights in January, Ramadan 2027 (expected to begin around 8 February, subject to moon sighting), the two Eids (Eid al-Fitr around 9–10 March and Eid al-Adha around 16–17 May 2027, both subject to moon sighting), and the Khareef season in Dhofar, which ran 21 June to 21 September in 2026. Book Khareef and Eid campaigns four to six weeks ahead, send updates as utility and offers as marketing, keep promotional messages between 8 AM and 9 PM, and in Ramadan aim for late morning and the hours after iftar.
How Oman's calendar differs from its neighbours
- The weekend is Friday and Saturday. Thursday evening is the start of the weekend for most families, and a good time for leisure offers.
- National Day moved. Royal Decree 15/2025 set National Day as 20 and 21 November, replacing the old 18 November date. In 2026 the Ministry of Labour has set the holiday on Wednesday and Thursday, 25–26 November.
- Holidays are announced early. Since 2026 the government publishes the year's national and religious holiday dates at the start of the Gregorian year. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are the exception and are still confirmed by moon sighting.
- Summer is a southern season. While the north is at its hottest, the Khareef monsoon turns Dhofar green. In 2026 it drew 881,424 visitors between 21 June and 15 August, 6.6% more than a year earlier, with July the busiest month at 451,355 visitors.
- Oman is a mixed market. At the end of 2025, 56.7% of residents were Omani and 43.3% expatriates. Many campaigns need Arabic and English versions, and some Muscat retailers add Hindi, Urdu or Malayalam.
The calendar, month by month
Dates marked "expected" depend on moon sighting or on announcements not yet made. Our estimates for 2027 Islamic dates move each 2026 date about 11 days earlier, because the Hijri year is shorter; treat them as planning dates only.
| When | Moment | What to send | Template category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late Oct 2026 | Run-up to National Day and the cooler months | Ask customers for marketing consent; submit National Day templates now | Marketing (opt-in request in a service conversation) |
| 20 Nov 2026; holiday 25–26 Nov | National Day | Greetings, red-white-green collections, holiday opening hours | Marketing for offers; utility for changed opening hours to booked customers |
| 27 Nov 2026 | Black or White Friday | One well-targeted offer to engaged customers, not three reminders | Marketing |
| Dec 2026 | Year end, winter visitors, weddings | Gift ideas, hotel and restaurant bookings, delivery cut-off dates | Marketing; utility for order and booking updates |
| Early Jan 2027 (expected) | Al Isra'a wal Mi'raj and Accession Day holidays | Opening-hours notices to customers with bookings | Utility |
| Jan 2027 (if it follows 2026) | Muscat Nights winter festival (1–31 Jan in 2026) | Event-week menus, family offers near Qurum and Al Amerat parks, ticketed events | Marketing |
| Late Jan 2027 | Pre-Ramadan shopping | Dates, home goods, abayas and kandoras; Ramadan menus; booking reminders for clinics before reduced hours | Marketing; utility for reminders |
| Around 8 Feb – 9 Mar 2027 (expected) | Ramadan | Iftar and suhoor menus, Ramadan hours, charity and gifting, late-night delivery | Marketing; utility for orders and changed hours |
| Around 9–10 Mar 2027 (expected) | Eid al-Fitr | Eid greetings, last delivery dates, Eid outfits and sweets, travel | Marketing; utility for delivery deadlines to customers with orders |
| Apr 2027 | After Eid; spring | Win-back messages to Ramadan buyers; reviews; Khareef early-booking teaser | Marketing |
| Around 15–18 May 2027 (expected) | Arafah and Eid al-Adha | Eid greetings, sacrifice and catering orders, family travel, Khareef pre-sales | Marketing; utility for order slots |
| Early Jun 2027 (expected) | Islamic New Year (18 June in 2026) | Holiday notices; final push for Khareef bookings | Utility for notices; marketing for packages |
| Around 21 Jun – 21 Sep 2027 (if it follows 2026) | Khareef season in Dhofar | Room, car-rental and tour confirmations, airport pick-ups, weather and road updates, event schedules | Utility for confirmations; service replies for enquiries; marketing for packages |
| Mid Aug 2027 (expected) | Mawlid (27 Aug in 2026) | Holiday hours | Utility |
| Late Aug – early Sep 2027 | Back to school (6 Sep in 2026) | Uniforms, stationery, laptops, school transport and clinic check-ups | Marketing; utility for orders |
| 20–21 Nov 2027 (holiday dates to be announced) | National Day | As in 2026, with a year of consent records behind you | Marketing; utility |
| 26 Nov 2027 | Black or White Friday | One targeted offer | Marketing |
| Dec 2027 | Year end | Delivery cut-offs, bookings, thanks to loyal customers | Marketing; utility |
National Day: 20 November, holiday 25–26 November 2026
National Day is about pride rather than discounts, and the best-performing messages usually say so. Send a short greeting to opted-in customers, and keep the offer modest and clearly linked to the occasion. Restaurants, florists, bakeries and fashion stores do well; so do car-detailing and gifting businesses. Send your holiday opening hours as a separate utility message only to customers with an active booking or order.
كل عام وعُمان بخير 🇴🇲 بمناسبة العيد الوطني، تشكيلة جديدة من العطور العُمانية في محلنا وعلى موقعنا، وخصم خاص لين نهاية الأسبوع. للطلب ردّ علينا هنا. لإيقاف العروض أرسل STOP.
Happy National Day, Oman 🇴🇲 A new collection of Omani perfumes is now in store and online, with a special discount until the end of the week. Reply here to order. Send STOP to opt out of offers.
Because the observed holiday is 25–26 November in 2026, schedule the greeting for the morning of 20 November and the reminder for 24 November, the day before the long weekend begins.
Ramadan 2027: expected to begin around 8 February
How the working day changes
In Ramadan 2026 Oman's Ministry of Labour cut private-sector hours for Muslim employees to six a day and 30 a week; government units worked 9 AM to 2 PM. The 2027 rules will be announced nearer the time, but expect the same pattern: shorter office days, quiet afternoons, and a busy evening after iftar.
When to send
| Window | Suits | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Late morning, about 11 AM – 2 PM | Grocery and gifting offers, clinic reminders, B2B messages | Long messages; people are at work on short hours |
| Mid-afternoon to sunset | Utility only: order and delivery updates | Marketing in the hour before iftar, when families are preparing to break the fast |
| After iftar until 9 PM | Restaurant and suhoor menus, Eid shopping, events | Sending after 9 PM: it falls outside the TRA's promotional hours, which we treat as best practice for WhatsApp |
Late-night shopping is real in Ramadan, but customers who want to buy at 11 PM can message you, and your replies inside that conversation are service messages. In QuickWA, set the sending window in Settings and scheduled broadcasts wait for it to reopen. Keep the inbox staffed in the evening, and let the AI assistant answer simple questions in Arabic or English when the team is at iftar.
رمضان كريم 🌙 قائمة الإفطار والسحور عندنا جاهزة، والتوصيل متوفر لين الساعة 12 بالليل في مسقط. شوف القائمة واطلب من هنا. لإيقاف العروض أرسل STOP.
Ramadan Kareem 🌙 Our iftar and suhoor menu is ready, with delivery in Muscat until midnight. See the menu and order here. Send STOP to opt out of offers.
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha 2027
Gulf astronomical forecasts point to Eid al-Fitr on 9 or 10 March 2027 and Eid al-Adha around 16–17 May, with Arafah the day before. Oman announces Eid holidays after the moon sighting, often only a day or two ahead, so prepare two versions of every Eid message and send the one that matches the announcement.
Delivery deadlines are the most useful Eid message you can send. A utility template to customers with open orders ("your order will arrive before Eid") prevents dozens of anxious enquiries.
عساكم من عواده 🌙 آخر موعد لطلبات العيد داخل مسقط يوم {{1}}، وللمحافظات يوم {{2}}. اطلب الحين وخلّ هدية العيد توصل في وقتها.
Eid Mubarak 🌙 The last day for Eid orders in Muscat is {{1}}, and for other governorates {{2}}. Order now and your Eid gift will arrive on time.
This one is marketing, because it encourages a new purchase. A message telling an existing customer when their order will arrive would be utility.
Khareef: Oman's summer season in Dhofar
In 2026 the season ran from 21 June to 21 September, with 125 events across Salalah, Taqah, Mirbat and Sadah. Oman Air expected about 330,000 seats to Salalah and SalamAir about 190,844. The Ministry even moved the start of the school year back a week, to 6 September, to support tourism during the season. For hotels, apartments, car-rental firms, tour operators and restaurants in Dhofar this is the year's main event, and WhatsApp is where visitors from Muscat, the UAE and Saudi Arabia ask their questions.
A Khareef plan
- April–May: early-booking offer to past Khareef guests who opted in. Marketing.
- From booking: confirmation with dates, address and a map link. Utility.
- Three days before arrival: pick-up details from Salalah airport, weather and fog advice for the mountain road. Utility.
- During the stay: fast replies to questions about Ittin, Mughsail or Wadi Darbat. Service messages, free for the first 1,000 a month per number.
- After checkout: thanks and a review request. Utility if tied to the stay; marketing if it includes an offer for next year.
هلا فيك! موسم الخريف قرّب، والغرف العائلية في صلالة بدأت تنحجز. نقدر نحجز لك قبل لا تخلص، ونرتب الاستقبال من المطار. ردّ بالتواريخ ونرسل لك الأسعار. لإيقاف العروض أرسل STOP.
Hello! Khareef is coming and family rooms in Salalah are filling up. We can hold one for you and arrange your airport pick-up. Reply with your dates and we will send prices. Send STOP to opt out of offers.
Remember that in Oman a utility message costs $0.0247, close to the $0.0341 marketing rate, so a season of confirmations and pick-up messages adds up. Our Oman pricing guide works through a Salalah operator's Khareef month.
Muscat Nights and back to school
Muscat Nights 2026 ran from 1 to 31 January, organised by Muscat Municipality, with venues including Qurum Natural Park, Al Amerat Public Park, the Royal Opera House, Seeb Beach and Wadi Al Khoudh. Restaurants and family entertainment near those sites can plan offers for event weekends, but wait for the 2027 dates before scheduling.
The 2026/27 school year started on 6 September 2026 for 876,117 students in 1,298 schools. A back-to-school message to parents who opted in, sent two weeks before term, works for stationery, uniforms, electronics, opticians and clinics.
العودة للمدارس قرّبت ✏️ جهّز أولادك بالقرطاسية والشنط والزي المدرسي من محلنا، والتوصيل مجاني داخل مسقط للطلبات فوق 20 ريال. لإيقاف العروض أرسل STOP.
Back to school is almost here ✏️ Get stationery, bags and uniforms from our store, with free delivery in Muscat on orders over OMR 20. Send STOP to opt out of offers.
Three rules for every campaign
- Consent first. Oman's amended data-protection law requires explicit consent before any marketing. Our Oman marketing rules guide explains how to collect and record it.
- Submit templates early. Meta's review can take up to 24 hours, and Arabic and English are separate templates. Submit National Day, Ramadan and Eid templates at least a week ahead.
- Segment. Send seasonal offers to people who bought or replied recently. Messages to cold lists bring blocks and reports, which lower your quality rating just when you need it most.
QuickWA supports Arabic and English templates, segments, drip journeys and A/B tests, with a sending window you set. More on our Oman page.
Sources
- National Day date (20 and 21 November): Royal Decree 15/2025 on decree.om; 2026 holiday dates and the advance-announcement policy: Gulf News (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Ramadan and Eid 2027 forecasts: Gulf News, updated 16 Oct 2026 (UAE-focused astronomical estimates; Oman confirms by moon sighting) (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Ramadan 2026 working hours in Oman: Gulf News, 10 Feb 2026 (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Khareef 2026: season dates and 125 events; 881,424 visitors to 15 August; airline seats (Oman Observer, checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Muscat Nights 2026: Oman Observer; school year 2026/27: Times of Oman and Oman Observer (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Population at end-2025 (56.7% Omani, 43.3% expatriate, NCSI data): Gulf Labour Markets and Migration programme (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Friday–Saturday weekend: Gulf News (checked 23 Oct 2026)
- Meta Oman rates and template review times: pricing and template review (checked 23 Oct 2026)
Frequently asked questions
When is Oman National Day in 2026? +
National Day is 20 November under Royal Decree 15/2025. In 2026 the Ministry of Labour has set the public holiday on Wednesday and Thursday, 25–26 November.
When does Ramadan 2027 start in Oman? +
Astronomical forecasts expect Ramadan 2027 to begin around 8 February. Oman confirms the date by moon sighting, so treat it as an estimate.
When is the Khareef season? +
In 2026 the Khareef season in Dhofar ran from 21 June to 21 September. The 2027 dates will be announced by the authorities; plan around the same window.
What time should I send WhatsApp marketing in Oman during Ramadan? +
Late morning and the hours after iftar work best. Keep marketing within 8 AM–9 PM, matching the TRA's promotional-message hours, and avoid the hour before iftar.
Should Eid delivery reminders be utility or marketing? +
A message about an order the customer has already placed is utility. A message encouraging new orders before an Eid deadline is marketing, even if it mentions delivery.
Can QuickWA hold scheduled broadcasts outside my sending hours? +
Yes. You set a sending window in Settings, and a scheduled broadcast that falls outside it waits until the window reopens.