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Dubai’s Deira Islands, a cluster of four man-made isles off the coast of Deira, is finally welcoming its first guests, with the opening of the first mega attraction, the 800-room Riu Dubai.
A joint venture between developer Nakheel and Spain’s Riu Hutels and Resorts, the all-inclusive resort with 24-hour service, was inaugurated by Nakheel Chairman Mohammed Al Shaibani and Luis Riu, chief executive officer of Riu Hotels and Resorts.
According to Al Shaibani, Riu Dubai is a “key milestone” for Nakheel, Deira Islands and Dubai, as it underlines their commitment to bring new and unique tourism concepts to the emirate.
The latest attraction has a splash park, called "Splash Water World"; three swimming pools, ten food and beverage outlets, water sports, two children’s pools, a fitness centre, a beauty salon and a children’s club.
It is the first Middle East resort of Riu Hotels. The property has 800 rooms and suites, most offering sea views.
“[This] is a major milestone in our hotel chain’s international expansion, because this is our first hotel in the Middle East,” said Luis Riu.
“This is a unique opportunity to offer all our experience with the 24-hour all-inclusive product – so popular among European and American customers – in a completely new destination. We are confident that Riu Dubai will be a huge success among our traditional European customers and those who will get to experience our brand for the first time,” he added.
The Spanish hotel chain was founded in Mallorca in 1953 as a small family vacation business by the Riu family. The hotelier specializes in vacation accommodations. Its portfolio now has 100 hotels in 19 countries.
Dubai's Deira Islands, previously called Palm Deira, was first launched in 2004.
The travel and tourism sector in the UAE has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Over the last several months, hotels around the country struggled to fill their rooms, with most properties posting less than 50 percent occupancy.
The trend is expected to shift, with industry sources saying that bookings, fueled mainly by staycationers, have picked up. There is also a renewed demand from overseas visitors, particularly in markets like the United Kingdom, India, France and Germany, who are looking to travel overseas for the winter.
(Reporting by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Mily Chakrabarty)
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