MARKET REPORT: MIDDLE EAST
Notable openings in the UAE in 2020 and 2021 to date include:
• Jubail Mangrove Park off Yas Island and the 18,000-seat Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi
• The Jais Sky Drop at Jais Adventure Peak and Bear Grylls Explorers Camp in Ras Al Khaimah
• The XQuarry Off-road and Adventure Park in Sharjah and, • In Dubai the 1,800 sqm Theatre of Digital Art at Souq Madinat Jumeirah (replacing the previous 442-seat Madinat Theatre), Palm Fountain at The Pointe on Palm Jumeirah, the re- opening of Dubai Safari Park after a 2-year temporary closure, Top Golf next to Emirates Golf Club at Emirates Hills, Arena Games, a VR gaming centre at DIFC, the new Trident Towers expansion of Aquaventure Waterpark at Atlantis The Palm Dubai, the 240m high The View at Palm Jumeirah and Hatta Dome Park, a new glamping experience at Wadi Hub in Hatta.
What’s coming during the second half
of 2021 and beyond is just as impressive with the long-awaited Ain Dubai (Dubai Eye), Madame Tussauds at Bluewaters Island, Museum of the Future, Sky Walk at the Address Sky View Hotel and a host of new attractions at Dubai Parks and
Resorts, including a Legoland Hotel, all expected to open shortly in Dubai. In Abu Dhabi the new National Aquarium at Al Qana, and the 257-key Warner Bros’ themed family hotel and 156-key serviced apartments are also all expected to open in 2021. In addition, Snow Abu Dhabi at
Reem Mall, the Zayed National Museum and SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, all located in Abu Dhabi, are anticipated to open in 2022 with the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi possibly slated to open the following year in 2023. In any event, even if the Guggenheim
Abu Dhabi opens later than 2023, a gentler more gradual rate of progress on creating a cluster of iconic, world-class museums on Sa’adiyat Island in Abu Dhabi is much more in line with current market conditions. Work on other projects in Dubai, such
as Meydan One (with it’s much anticipated 1km long indoor ski slope), the 18,600 sqm Central Park botanical garden at Cityland Mall next to Global Village, Marsa Al Arab, a cluster of new hotels, marina and attractions and The Island (MGM, Bellagio and Aria hotels), both latter projects located near the Burj Al Arab, and the US$ 800 million new 60,000-seat Dubai Stadium is also believed to be continuing but with no recent updates available or opening dates yet announced.
What’s interesting to note is that
previously the UAE has tended to also announce a significant number of new projects each year. Its noteworthy, therefore, that there have been no new leisure projects of significance announced in the UAE for almost 3-years now. It’s not just about new attractions
though. Existing attractions continue to invest in their offer. The new expansion area at Aquaventure and the new rides and accommodation being added to Dubai Parks & Resorts have already been mentioned while Ferrari World, for example, which is celebrating its 11th anniversary this year, last year opened a 400m long zip wire attraction and a roof walk. In last year’s report a forecast was
made that the negative financial impact of the coronavirus crisis might well result in a number of high-profile attraction closures in the Middle East during the next 12 months or so. Fortunately, and to the best of our knowledge, this has not yet proved to be the case and, thankfully, the risk of that forecast coming true must now be gradually reducing. The UAE’s Family Entertainment
Centres have been some of the hardest hit with trading restrictions due to the Coronavirus pandemic but even here we see positive news, such as the announcement in May of this year that Majid Al Futtaim’s 34th Magic Planet has just opened at Wafi City in what’s billed as the world’s first hybrid cinema and FEC with F&B options. Another good barometer for the health
Bear Grylls Explorers Camp UAE
of the UAE’s attractions market is, of course, Global Village Dubai, which reported 7 million visitors during its 2018 / 2019 season, but still welcomed over 4.5 million visitors during the 190-day 2020 / 2021 season. The 25th season, which closed on 2 May 2021, hosted 78 cultures in 26 pavilions across the park, had over 300 food & beverage outlets, 3,500 retail outlets and over 5,000 commercial partners & exhibitors during the six-month season.
PARK WORLD Handbook & Buyer’s Guide 2021/22
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