middle east regions
The UAE’s lesser- known territories are emerging from the shadow of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. James Litston takes a look at latest developments
Moving into the spotlight
O
Al Majaz Waterfront in the heart of Sharjah
Kayaking is a watersports option in Sharjah
f the seven sheikhdoms that together make up the United Arab Emirates, perhaps
just two – Dubai and Abu Dhabi – are familiar names. But while the two largest emirates steal the limelight with ever-grander developments, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah have been working hard to establish themselves as attractive destinations.
While Dubai and Abu Dhabi have gone for show-stopping skylines and modern developments that span the tallest and largest to the cultured and captivating, the other emirates have taken their own approach to attracting visitors. By focusing on the likes of heritage, wildlife and outdoor activities, they make an ideal complement to their more established siblings.
Sharjah As the third-largest emirate,
Sharjah’s appeal lies in history and authenticity. The Heart of Sharjah restoration project, which includes the demolition of some high-rise buildings, will recreate age-old architecture, markets and mosques by 2025.
In contrast, as part of its bid to welcome more than 10 million visitors by 2021, Sharjah is further
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developing its family product; its newest attraction being Pearl’s Kingdom, a water park with rides and a wave pool.
Also in the pipeline are several ecotourism projects such as Khor Kalba, set in a mangrove coastal reserve. As well as hiking, biking and kayaking, visitors can overnight here in all-new alba ingfisher odge’s luxury tents. Other recent openings include Al Badayer asis odge a desert resort among sweeping dunes and five-room ossil ock odge, a boutique hotel with a spa. Also on the way are properties from Anantara, Vida and DoubleTree. Budget airline Air Arabia now connects Sharjah to 150 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, North Africa and Asia. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism evelopment uthority, says ast year was a great year, during which we welcomed 1.7 million tourists from around the world. “So far, 2018 has been a remarkable year too we’re confident we’ll see high numbers of international arrivals by the end of the year.”
He said events such as the annual harjah ight estival would attract a broad audience and the Al Montazah water park, opened in February, would appeal to families.
winter 2018 wtm insights 39
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