Ajman pulls out all the stops to promote tourism

Ajman's booming tourism industry has been attracting a growing number of visitors with its new niche destinations, retail expansion and wide selection of new indoor and outdoor activities.

Recent estimates by the Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) showed that the emirate welcomed 153,464 visitors in the first quarter of 2018.

"A fantastic selection of new tourist attractions have opened, or are underway, in Ajman. This is helping to highlight the emirate's many landmarks as well as the assortment of resorts, hotels and new tours available to visitors," said Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, director-general at the ATDD.

Ajman stands out as a unique destination for tourism investment, with a vast array of investment opportunities in key tourism sectors such as medical tourism, sport tourism, business tourism and leisure tourism. The emirate has plans to develop more leisure and tourism projects and will provide facilities to investors who are willing to establish their tourism projects in the emirate.

The emirate has emerged as a regional hub, with the opening of a number of new resorts, such as the luxury five-star eco-destination, Oberoi Beach Resort Al Zorah. The Radisson Blu Ajman and Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche were also recently added to the growing list of hospitality landmarks in the emirate. The ATDD also signed an MoU with Al Janahi Real Estate Centre and Time Hotels Management to provide hospitality solutions to manage the demands arising from tourism growth.

On the retail front, major flagship projects to have opened recently include Ajman Cubes, Al Zorah Marina 1 and Ajman Festival Land. Ajman Qubes is home to a growing community of entrepreneurs and since its introduction, approximately 10 locally-grown, UAE concepts have launched, including restaurants, cafes, the first Arabic art gallery and a spa. Al Zorah Marina 1, a 100,000 square-metre creek side development, is home to a recreational park, food and beverage outlets and entertainment venues for all age groups. Projected to attract 1 million visitors in its first year, Ajman Festival Land is a shopping, entertainment and events destination, which opened in November 2017 and is spread over 90,000 square metres in the heart of Ajman.

Ajman has also expanded its selection of restaurants, offering local and traditional cuisine, as well as the introduction of food festivals whose aim is to highlight and celebrate food native to the region. One new addition is the Marsa Ajman Cruise Floating Restaurant which offers tourists a 2-hour culinary cruise through Ajman Marina, with magnificent views of the Ajman mangroves.

Family attractions include Aqua Bounce, Ajman's first-ever floating water-park located on the premises of the Fairmont Ajman hotel, which welcomed visitors earlier this month.