Sharjah Nightline

Defying all global economic projections and predictions, the emirate of Sharjah has been hogging the limelight for quite some time. At a time when the rest of the world had been struggling with the continuing effects of the recession, it continues to attract thousands of foreign tourists.Last year, the emirate attracted 1.55 million visitors, nearly half of them from Europe. Sharjah registered eight per cent growth in international tourist flow. Sharjah’s hotels received 774,651 guests in 2009 and 748,677 in 2008, whereas hotel apartments had recorded 782,234 guests in 2009 and 699,257 in 2008.

Hotel occupancy grew to 73 per cent last year compared to 69 per cent in 2009 whereas hotel apartments recorded 70 per cent occupancy compared to 64 per cent in 2009.The total number of room nights in Sharjah’s hotels and hotel apartments rose to 1,537,765 in 2010, with hotel room nights accounting for 806,401 and hotel apartment nights accounting for 731,364.This compares with 1,462,165 room nights in 2009 with 790,000 hotel rooms and 671,265 hotel apartment rooms, a five per cent increase from 2009.

Last year, the tourist flow into the emirate exceeded 1.55 million from around the world, registering a solid eight per cent growth in numbers. Interestingly, in 2010, more than 42 per cent of the visitors had come from Europe whereas 24 per cent of the tourists included visitors from the neighbouring Gulf countries. Hotel occupancy increased by 73 per cent. The number of hotels and hotel apartments in Sharjah has touched 107 (45 hotels and 62 hotel apartments) with an increase in the number of rooms that has reached the 8,585 mark (4,661 hotel rooms and 3,924 hotel apartment rooms). The total number of room nights in Sharjah’s hotels and hotel apartments rose to 1,537,765 in 2010, with hotel room nights accounting for 806,401 and hotel apartment nights accounting for 731,364. This can be compared to 1,462,165 room nights in 2009 with 790,000 hotel rooms and 671,265 hotel apartment rooms, a five per cent increase from 2009.

A master plan to develop tourism in the East Coast is on track. The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is putting together a tourism master plan for East Coast cities — Khor Fakkan and Kalba — to create niche tourism products for international visitors. Shurooq is working with the private sector on a public-private partnership model to facilitate investment in the tourism sector.The objective is to create a distinctive identity for each city. Khor Fakkan has a water sport facility while Kalba is ideal for eco-tourism with mountains and clear beaches and mangroves at the waterfront.

Sharjah’s tourism industry, which is being revamped with a large masterplan to redevlop the East Coast, continues to grow amid regional turmoil and a challenging environment, a top official said. “We have seen an increase in tourism arrivals in the first quarter, and expect an 8-10 per cent growth during the rest of the year,” Shaikh Sultan Bin Ahmad Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority. “Our hotel occupancy remained strong at 75 per cent amid all the challenges, which I think is wonderful.” The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is currently negotiating with a number of investors to participate in some major master-planned mixed-use projects that would include hotels, resorts and theme parks.

Sharjah’s hotels recorded a 14 per cent increase in guests during the first quarter of 2011 to 229,067, up from 200,952 in the corresponding period last year, and the number of tourists who stayed in hotel apartments stood at 192,449 compared to 200,695 last year.The number of hotels and hotel apartments now stands at 107 (45 hotels and 62 hotel apartments). The total number of rooms stands at 8,585 (4,661 hotel rooms and 3,924 hotel apartment rooms.) Room nights that measures the average nights stayed by tourists in the first quarter of 2011 rose to 478,456 compared to 411,896 in the first quarter of 2010.

Western visitors continue to dominate the tourist flow into the emirate, known for its architecture and natural beauty. With 198,668 Western tourists visiting in the first quarter of 2011, Europeans accounted for 47 per cent of the foreign tourists — 421,516 — visiting in the period under review. GCC citizens came second with 29 per cent of them visiting Sharjah in the first quarter. Asian tourists accounted for 11 per cent with 44,492. They were followed by 43,694 visitors from other Arab countries who accounted for 10 per cent. The number of visitors from the Americas stood at about 2 per cent. While the Africans accounted for one per cent and 2,005 visitors came from Oceanic countries.The report showed a five per cent growth in the occupancy rate of hotels and hotel apartments, with the number of guests jumping from 401,647 in 2010 to 421,516 this year, highlighting the resilience of the emirate’s tourism sector and defying global patterns.

Etihad Rail Route Map

Etihad Rail, formerly known as Union Railway, the master developer and operator of the UAE’s first railway network, will construct 1,200 kilometres of railway routes in the nationwide project valued at Dh40 billion to be fully completed by 2018, it was announced here at a news conference late on Wednesday.

“The network’s aim is to support the country’s economic development, enhance the transportation infrastructure and improve the investment potential of the UAE through offering an alternative transport network that is efficient and provides an ideal logistics platform for current and future industries,” said Nasser Al Suwaidi, chairman of the board of directors of Etihad Rail.

The previously estimated cost of the rail project, which will carry freight as well as passengers, was between Dh25 billion and Dh30 billion. The Etihad rail network is poised to connect the emirates and link the UAE to Saudi Arabia via Ghweifat in the west and to Oman via Al Ain in the east. The project will be completed in three phases — phase I of the project incorporates the Shah-Habshan-Ruwais route — with the link between Habshan and Ruwais scheduled to be completed in the beginning of 2013 and that between Shah and Habshan by the end of 2014.

Phase two of the project involves the constuction of the remainder of the Abu Dhabi Emirate Network and a connection to Dubai — covering vital areas such as Mussaffah and the Khalifa and Jebel Ali ports.

The third and final phase entails the implementation of the rest of the network in the northern emirates.

“The rail routes will integrate and seamlessly link vital residential, commercial and industrial centres along with sea and land ports in the country.

“In addition, they will link with the GCC railway network, improving trade among member countries and facilitating passenger travel as well,” said Al Suwaidi.

He said Etihad Rail has successfully completed many economic, technical and feasibility studies to measure the cargo and heavy transport operations in the country and now aims to transport 50 million tonnes of cargo during the first phase of the project.

Richard Bowker, chief executive of Etihad Rail, said the ownership structure of the company is that it’s owned 70 per cent by the government of Abu Dhabi and 30 per cent by the federal government.

Bowker said as far as the financing strategy of the rail project is concerned, the company is working with UBS and in due course the decision on the financing strategy will be made after presentations to the board and higher authorities.

He said the locomotives willo run on diesel but there will be “provision for electrification” if traffic demands it.

The freight trains on the network will run at speeds of 120 km/h and passenger trains at speeds of up to 200 km/h.

Initial stops

Route linking Habshan to Ruwais to be completed in early 2013 and Shah route by end of 2014.

Etihad Rail will finalise design for second and third phases of the project by the end of this year and construction to begin in the second half of 2012.

The company will transport approximately 50 million tonnes of freight and 16 million passengers in the initial stages.

Long-term strategic partnerships with a number of state authorities are to be developed and the new corporate identity will be unveiled.

Cargo containers could be transported via a modern and integrated rail network that connects the UAE to neighbouring GCC countries thus allowing eventual access to Europe and Asia.

The group call themselves Igrab, a word from UAE dialect that translates roughly as ‘hospitality’ but can mean ‘be with me, share my food, be my friend’.Igrab introduces the everyday culture that plays out in the homes and backyards of Emiratis across the country.”The foundation of tourism in our country is moving in the wrong way,” said Mr al Shehhi. “They consider building and hotels, not the culture, not the society of the UAE.”The men behind Igrab say they hope there will be more Emirati participation in the sector following the launch of RAK’s new tourism authority and recent government support for entrepreneurs.

“We are hopeful now because the country is considering tourism,” said Jassem Al Khomere, 21, an Igrab guide and a pilot for Emirates Airline. “If you have the idea, if you have the good plan, you will have the sponsorship and support from the country.” For now, the tour is staffed by volunteers.”We don’t want to be a company, we will loose our truth,” said Mr al Shehhi. “The hospitality is in our tradition; it’s not a new thing.” He joked that their offer of homemade bread and date syrup served on a one-hour tour does not go far enough.”If our grandfathers saw us they would punish us,” said Mr al Shehhi. “If they have a guest they must have a whole goat.”His mother, the cook, is fully supportive. In fact, Mr al Shehhi said women are welcome in his home to learn Emirati cooking or tour his mother’s farm, famous for its pomegranates. Future plans include visits to women’s centre so tourists can buy handmade crafts as a remedy to Mr al Shehhi’s distaste for the overabundance of camel paraphernalia.

Mr Al Shehhi and his friend see a future in tourism.”We actually want to take control of it,” said Mohammed Bu Showairb, 21, a member of Igrab. “When our friend went on a desert safari and he saw how they do the falcons and the camels, he was jealous of it. He said, ‘I can do that myself’.” “Tourists take the idea that everyone here is Bedouin, but we are many cultures. We are farmers, we are fishermen.” They hope to involve others to spread the idea of igrab.”It must not be an exclusive programme for our group, it must be a culture,” said Mr al Shehhi. “I am taking as a challenge that every tourist who comes here now he must know the meaning of igrab at the airport. It’s a challenge for us that this word will stay for the next generations that come.”

Source : The National

Sharjah’s hotels reaped the dividends with occupancy rates rising to 73 per cent during the year, an 8 per cent gain over 2009′s tally.The emirate has achieved steady growth in recent years, with the number of hotel guests rising 3.4 per cent between 2008 and 2009 and those in the hotel apartments up by 11.9 per cent.

New capacity

Guests also stayed longer during the past year , with the total number of room nights in the hotels and hotel apartments were up 5 per cent between 2009 and 2010. The emirate of Sharjah now has 45 hotels and 62 hotel apartments. Recent events such as the Sharjah Lights Festival which took place early this year have helped place the emirate firmly on the tourist map.

John Vanderslice, global head of Luxury and Lifestyle Brands at Hilton Worldwide, commented: “The Waldorf Astoria brand is synonymous with timeless luxury and sophistication and we’re delighted to announce the addition of The Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah to our portfolio. Guests to the hotel can expect a truly luxurious experience, with the highest level of service and comfort, in spectacular and tranquil surroundings.”

The 349-room, Arabian-themed palace hotel will offer state-of-the-art facilities, including a number of outdoor swimming pools. The hotel will also feature a 450-square-metre ballroom, as well as a varied choice of 10 restaurants and bars, of which four will offer fine dining. A bespoke spa experience has also been developed for the property. Guests will also have access to the recently opened shopping mall located within the Al Hamra development.

Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah will be the second Waldorf Astoria property to open in the Middle East, reflecting the luxury brand’s ongoing expansion in the region. Existing Hilton Worldwide properties in Ras Al Khaimah are the Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa, the Hilton Ras Al Khaimah and the soon-to-open Doubletree by Hilton Ras Al Khaimah.

The show, which began last Tuesday and runs daily from 7pm to midnight, will continue until November 22.

This is a test run for the festival proper, which is scheduled to be held from February 10-18 next year. The show is organised by Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA).

During the festival, light will be synchronised with music in a display that will illuminate the landscape and buildings of the city, in an attempt to convey the significance of Islamic architecture and heritage, drawing from its illustrious past.

At a glance

• What: Sharjah Festival of Lights
• When: February 10-18

Organisers of the Sharjah Light Festival have said the city was able to save up to 51 per cent of electricity per day even while the light shows went on.

Contrary to residents’ belief that the light festival was a waste of energy, statistics provided by the Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (SEWA) show energy use falling to nearly half of normal consumption in the 12 areas where the festival is being held daily.

Mohammad Al Noman, Director General of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), said according to SEWA statistics, average electricity consumption on a normal day before the festival stood at 656 Kw, and this was reduced to 335 Kw per day during the nine-day event.

This decrease was achieved by switching off the street lights in the festival neighbourhoods while the light shows were going on. The illumination provided by the show lights was enough to keep the localities well-lit and there was no need for the normal street lights, it was said. The Light Festival, which ends today, includes a series of light and sound shows and is estimated to have saved a total of 2,889 Kw of electricity throughout the week.

“We hired the best international experts who use the latest energy-saving lighting technology and methods,” Al Noman said. “That helped us stage a world-class event of this kind using very little electricity in real terms.”

To conduct the light show, projectors were used at each location that used Light Emitting Diodes (LED), a high-quality light source which consumes minimal power.

The SEWA statistics also showed that Al Maghfirah mosque had a 70 per cent reduction in power consumption during the festival, while Al Noor mosque, the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation and Palm Oasis all had approximately 50 per cent reductions.

Other venues of the festival achieved between 25 and 50 per cent of power conservation.

“We thank Allah for the immense success and overwhelming response to the event. This adds to our responsibilities, driving us to do better in developing the concept and objectives of the festival year after year,” said Al Noman.

The festival covered 12 locations in Sharjah city, including the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Al Qasba, Al Majaz Park, the Central Souq, the Heritage and Arts area, Al Hisn Fort, Cultural Palace Square and government buildings in the Al Layyeh area.

In order to ensure the shows ran smoothly, more than 10 technicians with experience in organising similar events came from Lyon, France, and Berlin, Germany.

The organisers said they started preparing for the festival ten days in advance and each venue had its own lighting theme.

A popular attraction was Al Qasba, where hundreds of residents gathered to marvel at the light show that lasted for about 10 minutes. The buildings slowly transformed into unrecognisable spectacles as beating drums echoed around the venue, and the street lights were switched off.

The designs and patterns on the buildings changed colour before being splashed with what looked like paint.

“While driving to the Corniche Road I saw the bright lights and decided to park at the museum to get a better look. My children loved it because they had never seen anything like it before,” said Manas, a father of two.

Paintings by children with special needs were put up in a montage on Al Hisn Fort, giving the illusion that the building had crayon drawings over it.

Visitors to the Heritage Area were also treated to dancing and miming performances.

Fact file

• WHAT: Sharjah Light Festival
• WHEN: Runs until February 18, from 7pm to midnight
• WHERE: Held at 12 locations across the city. One of the main attractions is at the Central Souq, where the show is accompanied by music and bursts of flame, at 9 and 10pm.

The week-long Sharjah Lights Festival was officially inaugurated on Saturday evening, lighting up 12 landmarks across the city.

The Lights Festival was launched by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority and runs until February 18.

It was inaugurated by His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. The lights will cover the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Al Qasba, Al Majaz Park, Al Noor Mosque and Palm Oasis.

After inaugurating the festival, Shaikh Sultan went on a cruise from Al Qasba Canal to Khalid Lagoon.

The lights will also cover the Central Souq, the Heritage and Arts Area, the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, Al Maghfira Mosque, Al Hisn Fort, Cultural Palace Square and the government buildings at Al Layyeh Area.

High quality products

The festival will see the use of a new high quality light presentation technique, Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), which consumes minimal power.

The light shows are being supervised and monitored by world-class professionals and artistes with experience in organising similar festivals in Lyon, France and Berlin, Germany.

“Its distinct blend of tradition and modernity gives Sharjah its unique charm and has helped it emerge as the capital of Arab and Islamic culture,” Shaikh Sultan Bin Ahmad Al Qasimi, chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) said.

It has been steadily increasing over the past seven years, the figures show.

“Even in times of econ-omic slowdown in the world, this particular trade relationship continues to grow strongly,” said Wayne Mikkelsen, New Zealand Consul-General and Trade Commissioner.

“Our economy is based on agriculture. People are continuing to eat, there’s natural demand particularly as the population grows.

“Agriculture exports continue to grow strongly into the Gulf region. There is an increase of exports towards the UAE.”

New Zealand’s exports to the UAE were $282.7 million and the top products were dairy, meat, wood, machinery and fruits and nuts.

New Zealand was one of the five largest dairy exporters globally, said Mikkelsen.

Fonterra, a New Zealand company, was the largest dairy exporter worldwide and had offices in Dubai, he said.

New Zealand’s imports from the UAE totalled $638.9 million, dominated by oil, glass, plastic man-made filaments and fabric.

The UAE is New Zealand’s 12th biggest import partner and 21st export partner, said Mikkelsen.

Qatar is New Zealand’s top supplier in the region with $700 million in imports and is its 10th biggest trading partner, he said.

New Zealand’s total imports from the GCC reached $1.788 billion.

A free trade agreement between New Zealand and the GCC “has been substantially negotiated” between the two blocs, he said but refused to elaborate on the date or details.

“There’s a maturing trade relationship. But we are moving beyond imports and exports.

There are opportunities for New Zealand companies to be involved with manufacturing and investment in local firms and developing the services sector which holds a lot of potential,” Mikkelsen said.

There are an estimated 40 New Zealand companies in the UAE across sectors, he said.

They provide education consultancy, health and safety training services, technology, and telecommunications products among others.

Tait Radio Communications, a New Zealand company offering secure radio networks, saw business grow by 200 per cent in the Gulf in 2009, according to Nick Avil, Head of Sales and Business Development for the Middle East and Africa.

They are planning to open an office in Dubai to expand in the region which is their biggest market, he said.

GCC countries are still investing heavily in infrastructure and Tait was targeting the security, utilities, and transport market here, Avil added.

He cited the Saudi railway project, Qatari investments in infrastructure, and UAE investments in smart power-grid enhancements to distribute electricity more efficiently.

Modern logistics, infrastructure, banking services, and regular flights to New Zealand were encouraging companies to do business here, said Mikkelsen.

Fresh from the south: Kiwi delicacies in the UAE

Supermarket shelves in the UAE are carrying a wealth of delicacies from New Zealand:

1. Manuka Honey: A variety of honey produced from the white manuka flower native to New Zealand. Containing a special quality called the “unique manuka factor” or UMF. It has anti-bacterial properties and is known to cure ulcers. Manuka is also a main ingredient in skin care and cosmetics products made in New Zealand.

2. Pavlova: A meringue-based dessert, believed to be created in honour of famous Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova during her visit to New Zealand and Australia in the 1920s

3. Goat’s milk formula for children from the Dairy Goat Co-operative company.

4. Sheep’s milk cheese.