Sharjah: Al Qasba, the premier tourist, leisure and cultural destination in Sharjah, has attracted 1,376,676 visitors in the first half of this year, according to data issued by Al Qasba Development Authority.
Ahmad Obaid Al Qaseer, chief operating officer at Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), attributed the growing number of visitors to Al Qasba’s ability to meet the varied recreational needs of visitors besides offering diverse programmes satisfying cultural and artistic tastes of all members of the family.
He said that consumer satisfaction was high and the development authority always took consumer suggestions into consideration. “We have developed integrated organisational measures to provide all means of comfort and luxury to all visitors,” he said.
“In a time of accelerated rate of progress reported in the investment projects in the UAE, in general, and in Sharjah, in particular, the tourist promotion of Al Qasba has continued its strong growth. Al Qasba has become a first-class family destination that is able to capitalise on its leisure attractions to build a thriving tourist destination and to significantly and increasingly support domestic tourism, thanks to its integrated leisure and entertainment services which makes it a reliable destination for community, corporate and individuals, alike,” he said.
“Figures show a steady increase in number of visitors year after year. Al Qasba had bet big on family tourism and eventually won the bet.”
Al Qasba is spread over 10,000 hectares and boasts a range of state-of-the-art tourist, entertainment, cultural and business venues that have come to symbolise the heart of tourism facilities in Sharjah.
Al Qasba features a 1km-long man-made canal with boats providing rides to the neighbouring Khalid and Al Khan lagoons. Other attractions include the 60m-high Etisalat Eye of the Emirates Ferris Wheel, the Maraya Art Centre and the 300-seat Masrah Al Qasba Theatre that hosts various Arabic and international concerts, films, plays and poetry evenings.
