Tourism & Culture
From The Report: Sharjah 2017
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Sharjah is a key regional destination for family and cultural tourism, attracting visitors particularly from the Gulf, Europe and Asia, and the industry is a substantial contributor to the local economy. Restaurants and hotels contributed Dh2.78bn ($756.7m) to the economy in 2015, up from Dh2.49bn ($677.8m) the previous year, reaching 3.2% of the emirate’s GDP. Sharjah is working to further expand the sector through a wide range of development projects, including efforts to develop niches such as resort, heritage, nature and adventure tourism in both Sharjah city and its environs, as well as the eastern parts of the emirate and Sir Bu Nuair Island.

This chapter contains interviews with Marwan Al Sarkal, CEO, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq); and Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Heritage and hospitality: The emirate is widening its offer through developing niche segments such as heritage, nature and adventure tourism
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Sharjah is a key regional destination for family and cultural tourism, attracting visitors from the Gulf, Europe and Asia in particular, and the industry is also a substantial contributor to the emirate’s economy, accounting for around 8.5% of GDP in 2014, according to the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA). The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (known as Shurooq) put the figure at 10.9% for 2012. The restaurants and hotels segment’s GDP was worth Dh2.78bn…

Interview

Getting ahead: Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), on developing opportunities
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Interview: Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal What are the most significant projects under way in terms of long-term sustainable development? MARWAN BIN JASSIM AL SARKAL: Shurooq is taking the lead on developing hospitality and tourism infrastructure in the emirate. In 2017 Shurooq will open Al Bait Hotel, a Dh100m ($27.2m) hospitality project located in the Heart of Sharjah and home to 54 high-end rooms, a traditional Arabic tea and coffee house, heritage museum, library, business centre and other facilities.…

Interview

Tapping new sources: Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), on potential source markets
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Interview: Khalid Jasim Al Midfa How do visitor numbers to the emirate for 2016 compare to those of 2015? KHALID JASIM AL MIDFA: SCTDA’s participation in exhibitions, and its organisation of international roadshows and regional campaigns resulted in hotel revenues remaining stable, as hotel numbers remained intact with an insignificant 1% decrease between 2016 and 2015. We were affected by the slow growth of Russia’s outbound tourism in 2015, as they were a key source market. However, in 2016…

Analysis

Main attractions: A number of heritage and ecotourism projects are under way
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A key element of tourism development efforts in Sharjah is the growth of both heritage and ecotourism, which together form the strategic focus of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) in 2017. To this end, the authorities are investing in a wide range of heritage, archaeological and nature and ecotourism projects across the emirate. Urban Heritage Prominent among local efforts to develop heritage tourism is the Heart of Sharjah initiative, a five-phase heritage project…