34 Feature ENTERTAINMENT


An entertaining propositon


The Middle East’s ambitions to become a global entertainment destination are firmly on track


With everything from mega theme parks to amazing animal attractions and sprawling waterparks, the Middle East is well on its way to becoming the go-to destination for leisure and entertainment as a diversification strategy begins to bear fruit. A key part of the plan to meet ambitious arrivals targets, with Dubai alone looking to cross the 20-million-visitor mark by 2020, is to broaden the tourism offering and deliver an entertainment portfolio to rival the global greats.


TIME TO PLAY


Dubai and Abu Dhabi have long been a holiday- maker’s dream, with pristine beaches, glamor- ous resorts and impressive attractions. A slew of established entertainment venues, such as Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island, as well as Aquaven- ture and Wild Wadi waterparks in Dubai, have also long been a major draw. Keen to stay ahead of the curve, other


attractions across the country are also keen to step up efforts to expand in anticipation of visitors’ appetite for thrills. For example,


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Sharjah’s first family leisure and entertainment destination, Al Montazah Waterpark, is now nearing completion of phase two of its devel- opment to offer visitors more rides and world- class facilities. Meanwhile, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi recently unveiled Turbo Track, a new rollercoaster that bursts through the venue’s red roof at 102 kilometres per hour, before riders experience zero gravity plummeting vertically back down. It’s the third ride to be launched at the theme park within a 12-month period, following the opening of Flying Aces and Benno’s Great Race last year. “At Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, we’re passion-


ate about creating thrilling and inspiring experiences,” remarks Jesse Vargas, General Manager, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.


THE RIPPLE EFFECT The opening of Dubai Parks and Resorts (DPR) last year cemented the UAE’s entertainment ambitions, having unveiled four hotly-antic- ipated attractions — Legoland Dubai and Legoland Water Park, Bollywood Parks Dubai, Motiongate Dubai and Riverland Dubai, a dining


and retail destination that includes Polynesian- themed resort, Lapita — the first theme park hotel in the region. The country’s theme parks and many enter-


tainment attractions represent big business, poised to attract more than 18 million visits by 2021, according to the PwC report ‘UAE’s Transformation Into a World-Class Leisure & Entertainment Destination’. To fully leverage increased passenger traf-


fic to the country and convert stopovers into longer stay leisure guests, the UAE’s tourism industry must take a holistic and collabora- tive approach. PwC partner Philip Shepherd stresses: “The key to a consistently successful destination is enabling visitors to enjoy multi- ple attractions. “Offering multi-park tickets, all-inclu-


sive packages as well as coordinated visitor management from booking through inbound and local transportation, hotels and attrac- tions will be crucial.” Hotels located in the “inner circle” of


a theme park development can expect to achieve occupancy levels between two and 10


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percentage points higher than properties in the outer circle and city. In 2015, Singapore’s Resort World Sentosa achieved 92 percent average occupancy, compared to 85 percent in the city. In Abu Dhabi, Farah Experiences, which


operates Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld, is already working closely with hoteliers to develop tactical packages that include entry to its attractions. The company has also appointed Rotana


as its ‘Preferred Hotel Partner’, as part of a landmark collaboration agreement signed at the end of last year. “Rotana and Farah Experiences are actively


promoting each other’s brands by offering an attractive package of discounts, savings and privileges that create unrivalled value for their respective guests,” explains Rotana Chief Operating Officer, Guy Hutchinson. As part of the partnership, guests staying


at Rotana hotels in the UAE enjoy exclusive discounts on entry tickets and other unique benefits when visiting Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld, while park guests can also look forward to complimentary upgrades on


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1 & 2 Lapita Hotel 3 Flying Aces, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi 4 & 6 Yas Waterworld 5 Turbo Track, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi


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