The massive Sadiyat Island development, on the drawing table for nearly two decades, will create a true destination tourism attraction for Abu Dhabi. This project will include 29 hotels – many on the beachfront, and at least one a seven-star property – and the world’s largest Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art. A marina, golf courses and shopping malls will add to Sadiyat’s attraction as a winter getaway for Europeans in particular.

A number of smaller resort projects are also being developed on Abu Dhabi’s offshore islands. These include Reem Island, where developments similar in nature to Sadiyat are well underway, and several other Islands, including Najmat, Danat, Yas, Lu Lu and Buraimi. When completed, these islands will boast innovative mixed developments that will enable residents to work and enjoy all the amenities of life without ever leaving the island.

Next Up: Medical Tourism

Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi are working hard to improve the quality of health care for their own citizens and to encourage medical tourism. Thousands of critical care and long-term patients travel overseas from the Middle East each year to receive treatment in preeminent medical institutions around the world – at great cost and dislocation for those who accompany them.

By cooperating with the best U.S. medical institutions – such as Johns Hopkins and Mayo Clinic – the Emirates are converting their local hospitals and medical clinics into world-class facilities with the kind of specialist care has only been available heretofore in the U.S., UK and Canada. While it is still too early to predict the number of patients who may flock to the UAE for medical treatment, the UAE is offering a very attractive “package deal” that few others can match: superior medical facilities coupled with activities offered at hotels, malls, sports facilities, and cultural venues.

Not All the Emirates
Emulate Dubai

Dubai has been developing at a dizzying pace, setting the standard for the entire Middle East. But not all of the UAE’s emirates want to develop so frenetically, and by creating master plans more systematically and deliberately, they can avoid some of the pitfalls encountered by Dubai in its early days.

The emirate of Sharjah, for example, is gearing up for a significant influx of tourists. A number of new hotel projects are being

planned in order to meet demand for rooms, which has been growing at double-digit rates in recent years.

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority has emphasized the emirate’s cultural attributes. Sharjah has eight museums, a planetarium, a desert park, and a dedicated arts and heritage zone.

Sharjah also can host large exhibitions at Expocentre Sharjah, which soon will be enhanced by the construction of the adjacent 52-story Sharjah World Trade Center. When completed, Sharjah will be able to host conventions of 8,000 persons and will have 20,000 square meters of exhibit space.

Ra’s Al-Khaimah is taking advantage of its mountainous terrain to promote specialized tourism. The Jebel Jais Mountain Resort complex, for example, will include a 5-star hotel, luxury residential units, a ski slope and a climbing center. Also under construction in Ra’s Al-Khaimah is the Wow RAK theme park, a family-focused entertainment complex that will be able to handle 15,000 visitors per day.

Ra’s Al-Khaimah may soon become the destination for adventure travelers who are literally looking for an out-of-this-world experience. Space Ventures Ltd., has announced plans to build a commercial spaceport in Ra’s Al-Khaimah. The $265 million project will use a Russian-built sub-orbital vehicle to transport five people at a time to an altitude of nearly 328,000 feet.

Fujairah also has unique tourist appeal and is developing plans to cash in on it. Located on the UAE’s east coast, Fujairah offers beaches and pristine coral reefs on the more secluded Gulf of Oman, as well as mountains and valleys. The Fujairah Paradise project, under construction along the coast of the Gulf of Oman, will bring 1,000 luxury villas, a five-star hotel and a shopping mall.

The smaller emirates of Ajman and Umm Al Qaiwain are also developing new tourist projects. Umm Al Qaiwain is focusing on its marina – with associated residences and hotels – while Ajman is launching new coastal tourism developments along Emirates Road.

The heart of Ra’s Al-Khaimah.