It is considered one of Abu Dhabi's most important tourist attractions and is undoubtedly one of the liveliest districts of the capital.
Tourist Club Area, located in the northeast of the city, stretches from the Corniche to Al Falah Street and is home to a cosmopolitan mix of residents and a buzzing social scene.
In pictures: Tourist Club Area
But the heart is being ripped out of this hive of bustling downtown activity by the seemingly never ending travails of traffic and parking. At any given moment of the day, thousands of brake lights illuminate for as far as the eye can see. Traffic has undeniably become the main talking point for residents of Tourist Club Area since construction work began on the Salam Street tunnel. Diversions are in place everywhere and the agony is not set to end until at least October of this year.
Parking
A notoriously bad parking situation only serves to heighten residents' misery. It is a dog-eat-dog parking nightmare out there with every bay occupied and stationary vehicles jutting out from every angle; scratches and mysterious marks on vehicles appear to be part of daily life in the Tourist Club Area.
But despite the 24-hour gridlock, Tourist Club Area is known as one of the city's most energetic districts with a plethora of shops and restaurants to choose from. The Le Meridien Hotel and the Beach Rotana Hotel between them feature Trader Vic's (Polynesian), Brauhaus (German), Al Birkeh (Arabic) and Prego's (Italian). The bustling garden and courtyard area of the Le Meridien is also home to the popular Captain's Arms outlet.
Mark Mansbridge moved to Abu Dhabi from England just over two months ago and is the joint manager of a construction company. The 42 year old said: "Everybody is very friendly here and everything is located in one area; you don't have to go very far.
"I find Tourist Club a really lively area. It is close to the Corniche and the beach is really good so there is plenty of stuff going on."
One of the district's main attractions is the Wagih Mansour Marine Club (formerly Abu Dhabi Marina) which is home to over 17 outlets. Wagih Mansour, owner of the Marine Club, has lived in the area for over 35 years. He explained his fondness for life in the Tourist Club Area amid a backdrop of bobbing yachts and fishing vessels.
The 64-year-old Egyptian said: "Tourist Club is a beautiful area. The name originates from a club that was located in the area, which was called Tourist Club. It was meant to be upgraded but nothing has happened for around five years. The Tourist Club was a real club with around 20,000 members, it was a huge club.
"People from all over the world love living here; that is why they call it Tourist Club Area. You are downtown but you are also close to the sea.
"In the Marina, we have about 17 outlets, four tennis courts, two squash courts, a swimming pool, the beach and marina facilities for boating. But unfortunately it might go soon because they are planning to build a bridge to Suwwah Island - earmarked as the future home of the city's commercial district — and the marina is in the way."
Tourist Club Area is also home to numerous green spaces for residents to escape the hustle and bustle of downtown city life. Mette McIsaac, a physiotherapist at Zayed Military Hospital, regularly enjoys the late afternoon sun in one of the district's public parks with her step-grandson Hamdan, a five-year-old of Emirati-Scottish descent, and his dog Max; a 10-year-old West Highland White Terrier, who proudly adorns a Saltire pendant around his neck.
Forty-five-year-old McIsaac, originally from Denmark, said: "We are very close to the sea and there is a good selection of hotels nearby with a good choice of restaurants. The Abu Dhabi Mall is also nearby, you are really not far from anything you want. We've got a mixture of everything really. We have got friends from Canada, Denmark, Britain, India, Philippines and the US. It does not make a difference where you are from, we are all neighbours and it is a nice area to be in.
Change
"I have lived in the Tourist Club Area for almost 13 years. But in the last year it has changed dramatically due to the traffic. They are carrying out reconstruction work on Salam Street, they have made this a one-way street, which has been a bit of a problem. But the residents have adapted to the situation and we are making the best of it I suppose. Parking is also a major problem; in fact it's the biggest problem everyone is facing here.
"We have, however, got very easy access to Saadiyat Island and Yas Island which has the Formula One race tracks. We also have access to Reem Island, which is a new development. It will really be a nice place to go when it's finished."
At night, the Tourist Club Area comes alive with revellers heading to the various clubs and restaurants while an abundance of activity takes place on the myriad of streets criss-crossing the district.
Krishna Bihari Tripathi, a 57-year-old teacher from India, said: "I like Tourist Club because I never feel I am living far away from my home country; many Indians live here. It is also very close to the heart of the city and the market is nearby. I think it is a very friendly area, you do not feel isolated. Everybody helps each other."
With six months still to go until the end of construction work on Salam Street, there is no quick-fix to the Tourist Club Area's problems. Many residents are putting a brave face on things but there is also uncertainty as to whether the district will remain Abu Dhabi's heartbeat in the years ahead.
A fishing hamlet
The Tourist Club is considered one of the nicest and most residential areas in Abu Dhabi city. The area has undergone a tremendous amount of construction since the seventies, which has greatly impacted its features. Due to its location, which is close to the sea, and long before the discovery of oil in 1968, this area was the preferred place for fishermen as is the Bateen area. However, due to the amount of construction, the Tourist Club area lost favour among local fishermen. It saw significant development in the seventies, then again in the eighties when skyscrapers began to appear. It was the first area in Abu Dhabi to have buildings more than 10-15 storeys high. The area also had the first mega mall where the Abu Dhabi Cooperative is located. Today the area is undergoing a major transformation. It is now connected with Reem island. The giant Sourouh construction projects are nearly complete, as is the Salam project.
— Abdulla Rasheed, Abu Dhabi Editor
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