Photos: Water and thrills make this a must-see Dubai destination

Pumping up the action… At the Atlantis Aquaventure on the Palm, this will definitely be what visitors will be experiencing once past the turnstiles. Taller, longer, deeper… everything’s there for the taking.

(Left to Right) Philippe Zuber, Chief Executive Officer for Kerzner International, Khalifa AlDaboos, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Investment Corporation, Mohammed Al Shaibani, Executive Director & CEO of Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) and Chairman of Kerzner International, Issam Galadari, Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ithra Dubai, and Timothy Kelly, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Atlantis Dubai, during an official ribbon cutting for grand opening of Trident Tower at Atlantis Aquaventure in Dubai.

Heading for the 450 metre slide? That immediately puts you right in the zone, all 90 seconds of swirling action. More interested in the Double Tornadoes? At the expanded Aquaventure, there’s more thrills being packed into them.

Putting the finishing touches on a waterpark expansion at a time of the great pandemic might seem unnerving for the operators. But for Atlantis, it’s not about the immediate present. Once the worries and distractions from COVID-19 settle down and theme parks globally again become hives of action, that’s what Aquaventure is targeting.

Cross the 2 million visitor numbers by end 2023… and use the time between now and then to do everything possible to secure that. And double down on being one of the handful of destinations any visitor to Dubai will want to take in.

Before the pandemic, the waterpark was pulling in impressive numbers, around 1.6 million to 1.8 million and anchoring itself as among the world’s top such attractions.

But with the Palm Jumeirah and its many resorts creating 10,000 rooms by end 2022, there is scope – and economies of scale – from adding to the existing Aquaventure offerings. Once on the Palm, on-Palm attractions should be the first port of call for guests. Atlantis and Aquaventure will be betting on a good number of those visitors turning up.

Not just that, Dubai itself will add up 150,000 hotel rooms in the not too distant future. Once demand sees a revival and tourists make a return, being on the must-see agenda of sun, sand and water seekers should be heading in that direction.

Not just for the day either. The new expansion allows Aquaventure to host guests after dusk, with lightings now in place for extending bout of fun. That could be quite the breakthrough going forward, and play its part in getting those numbers marching past the 2 million mark.

Take to the water… Rather than walk around the all that 22.5 hectare expanse, the site has The Rapids, which is a network of waterways to get around. A mind-boggling 23.5 million litres of water gets circulated through the site.

With 105 slides, attractions and experiences for all ages and thrill levels, the expansion has increased Atlantis Aquaventure by a third in size to feature 79 rides across three towers, 26 marine and watersport experiences and 26 food and beverage outlets and kiosks across the park.

The centre of attraction come in the form of the three towers, each with a special theme. The Trident Tower is the latest addition. “The expansion is indeed a special addition and which we think has created a product that will really help with the city’s tourism efforts,” said Tim Kelly, Managing Director at Atlantis Dubai.