focus on the local environment and culture. Economic development is planned to support industries such as agriculture and oil and gas, while further diversifying the economy. One way in which the economy can be diversified and jobs created is
through targeted development and investment in tourism. Local festivals such as Al Dhafra Camel Festival, Mirfa Water Sports Festival, Liwa Date Festival and Liwa International Festival Tal Mureb help generate interest and travel to the Western Region. Tere is an opportunity to further expand these festivals and develop plans for a wider variety of events and activities that would encourage travel and increase spending in the region. A new Al Gharbia portal was launched in February this year (www.
algharbia.ae) by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region. Te portal helps to communicate upcoming Western Region activities and events to residents and visitors. Te branding and language used on this site is consistent with the Brand of Abu Dhabi’s ‘travelers welcome’ motto. Moving forward, there will be significant opportunity to develop a range of hotel accommodation - Qasr Al Sarab and the Desert Island Resort are already present in the region, serving the luxury travel market. An integral part of Plan Al Gharbia 2030 is the consolidation of the city of Madinat Zayed, the administrative capital of the Western Region and the
provision of support and resources for start-up companies looking to set up an office in the city. Delma Island will also better cater for tourists and businesses, with the provision of regular water taxis to-and-from the mainland, as well as a more consolidated commercial area. Sila’a will cater will be aiming to provide tourists with better facilities ahead of the border crossing to Saudi Arabia, while Ruwais will focus on supporting the expansion of the region’s industrial sector along with Ghayathi that will support industry in addition to strengthening its agricultural activities. Such developments are being supported by the city of Abu Dhabi. For example, the main fruit and vegetable market has installed refrigerators for individuals traveling from farms in the Western Region, to store their fruit and vegetables overnight in order to be able to start early the next morning along with city-based sellers who have imported produce. Te support and investment of both private and public organizations will further strengthen the region’s economic development and efforts to diversify offerings to businessmen and women, tourists and residents. Attention is being directed towards modernizing settlements throughout the region, to provide for an expected growth in overall population and to expand upon current activities region-wide l
APRIL 2012 I CITYSCAPE I 47
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56