New Year's Eve revellers are flocking to Fujairah - only to find most accommodation already booked.
More than 700 rooms and suites in the emirate's seven major hotels, beach motels and residential apartments have been reserved for New Year's Eve.
Kalam Arshad, reservations manager at Fujairah Hilton Hotel, has prepared a special celebratory programme for guests who have booked into the hotel's 92 rooms and suites.
"Bookings have mainly come from Europeans and other expats coming from other emirates to enjoy the start of the new year," Arshad said.
Patrick Antaki, general manager of the Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, said the hotel's 218 rooms and suites had all been reserved, mainly by German, British and Swiss visitors as well as UAE national families. "Visitors will be enjoying a gala dinner with two bands," Antaki said.
Shankar Bharadwaj, associate director of sales and marketing at the Diar Siji Hotel, said the 90-room hotel was fully booked.
"Bookings have been made by national families from Dubai, in addition to other group reservations by Indians and Germans who will be enjoying a gala dinner with live music," Bharadwaj said.
The Fujairah Ritz Plaza Hotel also reports full occupation of its 65 rooms for the New Year's celebrations. "Sixty per cent of bookings have come from expats from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while 40 per cent of reservations have been made by national families," said Ramesh Khatri, manager of the Ritz Plaza Hotel.
Joseph Abu Deeb, manager of the Sandy Beach Motel, said their 40 rooms and 28 beach chalets had all been booked for New Year's Eve. "Seventy-five per cent of bookings were by Europeans, whereas the other 25 per cent of reservations came from Arabs and national families," Abu Deeb said.
The Fujairah Beach Motel and the Fujairah Holiday Motel have also reported full occupation of their 112 rooms and chalets overlooking the beach.
Fujairah's two major residential suites are nearly fully booked. The Emirates Royal Springs reports 70 per cent occupancy of its 56 rooms, which have been reserved by a majority of UAE, Gulf and Arab nationals. The Oasis Residence, with 30 rooms, is also full for New Year's Eve.
