Fujairah attracts one million tourists in a year

Fujairah — As many as one million tourists from the Arab, GCC and foreign countries visited Fujairah last year, thanks to its amazing weather, pristine beaches and scenic views, said Dr Ahmed Khalifa Al Shamsi, Chairman of Fujairah Tourism and Antiquities Authority.

“Hotels housed more than 830,000 Emarati and foreign tourists, while those who stayed in hotel apartments accounted for 170,000,” he said, adding, that occupancy rate in five-star hotels constituted 76 per cent; hotel apartments 20 per cent and four-star hotels, 4 per cent.

The movement of visitors and tourists was at a all-time high, especially in beach areas like Al Faqeet, Al Aqah and at archeological sites, Fujairah Museum, Fujairah Castle, Heritage Village, Al Badiya Historical Mosque and other castles and forts in different parts of the emirate.

Karim Zaki director-general Novotel Ibis and Adagio Fujairah Centre Hotels called on encouraging and developing tourism and promoting it at local, regional and global levels.

He appealed to the authorities to renovate historical buildings to open them up to visitors, update tourism maps and guidebooks as per modern tourism rules and to hold seminars, conferences, exhibitions and tourist and heritage festivals with the aim of providing a clear picture to the tourists.

Fujairah has not received the tourism media coverage it deserves despite its wonderful natural and historical landmarks as well as archeological sites, he said, adding that the emirate requires what he termed as a tourism perspective to take its leading position in the world map of tourism.

The beaches with their strategic locations on the Gulf of Oman require investment, said Zaki.

salah@khaleejtimes.com