Abu Dhabi - the largest of the seven emirates making up the United Arab Emirates and home to the capital city - is to create a unique multi-experience tourism destination, a culmination of the rich natural heritage and eco-tourism vision of the UAE's late President His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The Desert Islands destination - which lies off the emirate's western coastline - will consist of eight islands and an onshore gate - providing a multitude of experiences encompassing a nature reserve, a cultural destination and a showcase for world-class environmental, conservation and ecological tourism, including the Arabian National Park.
"This project embodies Abu Dhabi's ambitions to develop its islands and other natural resources in line with the guidance and vision of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to progress the tourism sector in the UAE capital," said His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
"Such projects will contribute to the generation of career and training opportunities for UAE nationals. This will be a world class tourism destination with local, regional and international appeal and one which will be developed in line with the environmental and heritage legacy laid down by the late UAE President His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan."
Designed as a sanctuary of nature and authenticity unique within the Arabian Gulf, the Desert Islands will significantly raise Abu Dhabi's international tourism standing creating a singular destination with experiences rivalling those of the Caribbean and the Maldives.
The Desert Islands comprise the former Royal nature reserve of Sir Bani Yas Island - Dalma Island - and the Discovery Islands - six nearby offshore outcrops - all of which will be linked by a ferry and hydrofoil service, water taxis, private 'resort' boat service and regional and sea planes.
"Masterplanning of the Desert Islands has been subject to intense sustainability governance including landscape, water, coastal, energy and cultural heritage management as well as land and marine ecology," explained His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and of Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), which manages and develops ADTA's tourism assets.
"The overall sustainability strategy is being developed jointly by TDIC and Masdar, the Abu Dhabi Government's new advanced energy and sustainability initiative."
The strategy will be holistic and cover power, water, infrastructure, waste management and recycling to energy building standards, and tourism-related elements. It will utilise solar and wind solutions throughout.
"We are delighted to work with TDIC on an important tourism project of this scale: our joint efforts reflect the spirit and importance of collaboration between companies in Abu Dhabi, which is very beneficial to the development projects taking place in the UAE capital," said Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO, of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company "Masdar".
"Masdar's contribution will be ongoing, systematically exploiting synergies and applying the very latest technologies in the project, which is in line with Masdar's strategy for developing the energy sector in Abu Dhabi."
The Desert Islands experience will begin with the 'Marsa Jabel Dhanna' gate, which will include a 150-room beachfront hotel, in Jabel Dhanna, 250 kilometres from Abu Dhabi, which will be the destination's arrivals, departure and logistics hub. The 'Marsa Jabel Dhanna' will feature a two-kilometre jetty jutting out into the clear Arabian Gulf waters, a pier with a waterfront with shops, cafs and restaurants, where visitors can relax while waiting for their ferry to the Desert Islands, and a 20-berth private boat marina.
The 87 square kilometre Sir Bani Yas Island, which lies eight kilometres off the mainland, is the heart of the destination. Sir Bani Yas is approximately the same size as the South Atlantic Ocean's Ascension Island or Guernsey in the Channel Islands.
"Sir Bani Yas is the most demonstrable asset attesting to the late Sheikh Zayed's credentials as an environmental pioneer. It is the Arabian Gulf's largest nature reserve following Sheikh Zayed's intensive programme of vegetation and his commitment to turning the island into a sanctuary for endangered species. He himself planted the first tree on the island, which now has over 18,000 date palms and some 3.5 million trees and shrubs, including sea-view olive groves reminiscent of the Mediterranean," explained Sheikh Sultan.
Dolphins and huge sea turtles inhabit the waters around Sir Bani Yas, which is home to a profusion of wildlife raised in a free-range environment and bred in safety. Herds include the Arabian Oryx, antelope, black buck, wild sheep, the scampering Arabian sand gazelle and a wild goat which was previously the region's most endangered species. There are also species from other countries including ostrich, giraffes and emu.
Sir Bani Yas is also home to 68 species of birdlife. Along the island's shore are sandbanks, inlets and mangrove-fringed inter-tidal lagoons frequented by flamingos, sea gulls and cormorants. There are also two freshwater 'bird lakes' where wild fowl gather. Other birdlife which can be spotted on the island include pintails, shovelers, blackwinged stilts, teals, crab plovers, avocets and grey herons.
The island's topography is equally diverse - from beaches to a central core of hills, while touring the island visitors can spot partridge, peacocks, hedgehog, foxes and hares.
"Sir Bani Yas will provide direct access to a world of natural wonders, cultural artifacts, exciting adventures, serene escapes and new lifestyles," explained Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General ADTA and Managing Director, TDIC. "It is an island which captivates, educates and contributes to research related to agriculture and horticulture."
Sir Bani Yas will be home to a beachfront resort complete with spas, walking trails and canoe rides, the Arabian National Park, a bird sanctuary, safari park, a village centre complete with the Bani Yas Marina, alternative energy production centre, orchard zone and a golf course residential community.
"First and foremost Sir Bani Yas is a wildlife reserve and bird sanctuary, showcasing nature through activities such as adventure safaris, bird watching and offshore snorkelling," explained Al Muhairi. "It offers recreation and resort experiences where visitors are fully immersed within the island's natural surroundings."
Sir Bani Yas Bay will be the arrivals and departure point for Sir Bani Yas Island and will be close to a new airport and cruise ship terminal. Sir Bani Yas Bay will feature a promenade, floating restaurants, a cultural centre and alternative energy museum. To the north of the bay will be luxurious beachfront homes and an integrated aquarium and family resort, including a lagoon where visitors can swim with dolphins.
The Arabian National Park, which will be home to free roaming animals, will take up more than three quarters of the entire island with resorts, eco-lodges and campsites and, at its centre, the Falcon Lodge Peak, where visitors can take lessons in falconry in a spectacular setting with entire island views. Tours of the National Park will be by jeep, cycle and hiking tracks and hot air balloons.
The island will also have a family-oriented, integrated Safari Park which will also house a veterinarian research and animal wellness centre and a centre for breeding rare animals and birds in keeping with Sheikh Zayed's legacy.
The smaller 33 square kilometre Dalma Island, which lies 32 kilometres offshore, will provide a true heritage experience being rich in history and archaeological finds and where traditional fishing, farming and aquaculture livelihoods continue.
"This will be a heritage sanctuary inspired by, and building upon, Dalma's existing dhow marina, its local fishing and boat-building culture. It will be a waterfront destination alive with daily activities and local traditions," said Al Muhairi. "With a new emphasis on the local arts, it will also be home to a new Arts Centre, promoting local arts within the greater island community."
Dalma will have a new town centre with an archaeological museum, an inter-active children's learning experience and a tourism and hospitality school. The fertile island will also be home to an agricultural research and education centre focused on new technology and integrated alternative energy sources.
Dalma will also have a southern resort holiday homes having water gardens and sunset views. Designed along the lines of a royal retreat, the resort will have a private clubhouse, jetty and lagoon.
The existing Dalma marina is to be upgraded to include restaurants, cafs and berthing for luxury boats.
The planned Dalma Hillside Park will offer watersports and a nine-hole golf course. "The park will be the recreational alternative to an otherwise cultural destination," said Al Muhairi.
The Discovery Islands and their surrounding seas, rich in marine life, are aimed at being a world class example of environmental conservation and ecological tourism.
"These islands will be an ecological reserve for marine life. They provide an ideal setting for marine biologists and research teams to explore and study the indigenous species of turtles, dugongs, dolphins and other marine life," said Al Muhairi. "It also gives us a great opportunity to provide educational tourism facilities, such as interpretative centres and guided tours of these natural habitats."
Two islands will be protected areas reserved for existing breeding grounds for birds, and turtles will remain undisturbed to ensure the continuation of a thriving marine population.
Two islands will be devoted to exclusive resorts offering the highest level of service and accommodation. Visitors will arrive by privately-operated ferries and seaplanes.
Another two islands will provide a 'wild camp' experience delivering the authenticity of untouched, isolated, distant and deserted islands. With limited facilities, the islands will be oases within the sea.
The Desert Islands will have a variety of accommodation - from five-star hotels to small family resorts - in all 4,000 hotel rooms will be created. The first hotel - a 64-room, five-star property on Sir Bani Yas is already under construction and will open at the end of this year. It will be managed on behalf of TDIC by an international operator with an appointment expected around June this year.
ADTA believes the Desert Islands will attract around 250,000 visitors when the first phase is complete in 2010, rising to over a million a year - a mix of day trippers and overnight stayers - by 2017, with visitors arriving by plane, cruise ship and ferries.
Development of the destination is to be phased, at an estimated total investment from both the government and private sector will be more than US $3 billion (AED 11.5 billion).
"Increasingly well-informed tourists are seeking destinations with strong environmental sustainability achievements," said Al Muhairi. "The Desert Islands will utilise the latest sustainable technologies in utilities, transportation and waste disposal.
"The islands also realise social goals in terms of job creation and economic opportunities as well as educational and safe leisure opportunities for families."
When fully operational the Desert Islands are expected to annually generate AED1.2 billion (US $326 million) in tourism revenues, and create a total of around 6,500 jobs.
To download hi-res photos, please visit the following website:
ftp://ftp.tdic.ae/Desert%20Island/Outgoing/
Username: tdic_ftpuser4
Password: tdic123!
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About Tourism Development & Investment Company:
Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) is a public joint stock company established under Law No: 12 of 2005 as decreed by the Abu Dhabi Ruler and UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. TDIC is an independent organisation empowered to manage the tourism investment zones of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which directs and implements strategy for the expansion of the emirate's tourism sector. TDIC will develop the real estate assets that support ADTA's mission of assisting UAE economic diversification through tourism development.
TDIC, launched with an initial paid-up capital of AED100 million (US $27.5 million) with its shareholding fully owned by ADTA, operates along strictly commercial lines with its projects being self-sustaining and economically feasible. Its activities include creating development and tourism related concepts for specific sites and locations, disposing of, or repositioning, government-owned tourism related assets, entering into joint ventures with investment partners for assets such as hotels or residential products, as well as serving as the master developer for large scale projects.
About Abu Dhabi:
Spread over 87,340 square kilometres, Abu Dhabi is the largest of the seven emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates and accounts for more than 85% of the country's total landmass. The UAE is one of the six members of the Arabian Gulf Co-operation Council.
Abu Dhabi city, built on the largest of almost 200 natural offshore islands in the emirate, is the capital both of the emirate and of the UAE. It is the federal seat of government and home to most ministries and institutions, embassies, state broadcasting facilities and oil companies.
Abu Dhabi's population is currently around 1.6 million and is expected to grow by 6.8 per cent per annum over the next decade to a projected 3.4 million by 2015.
Abu Dhabi has an estimated 9.2% of the world's proven oil reserves and 4% of its total proven natural gas reserves. The emirate has a per capita income of US $46,185 - the highest in the world. Realising the challenges posed by the country's heavy economic reliance on finite carbon resources, the emirate's leadership is actively pursuing economic diversification.
For further information:
Bassem Terkawi.
PR & Events Manager, TDIC
bterkawi@tdic.ae
Tel: +9712 4443000;
fax: +9712 4443111.
Or Barbara Saunders,
MCS/Action.
Tel: +9714 390 2960;
fax: +9714 390 8161
.Email: barbara.s@actionprgroup.com
© Press Release 2007
