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Soon, walk atop Ferrari World's red roof

Abu Dhabi - By the end of the year, the amusement park will have a total of 44 rides.

The red roof of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is hard to miss when you're flying over the Capital - and even for astronauts in space. And starting March, you'll get the chance to walk 600 metres right on top of this iconic roof.
However, if you don't feel like walking, you can also 'fly' on a 400m-long zip line from the centre of the building and across the world's highest roller-coaster loop, giving you the perfect vista of Yas Island.
These are just two of the newest thrills that Ferrari World is set to offer, as announced by Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral, the company responsible for the development and management of Yas Island.
"We want to be a top family destination. This is an exciting year for us," he said, noting that Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is turning 10 in November.
Among the other new attractions are the Family Zone with decorated tracks and rides, and Mission Ferrari, an indoor high-speed rollercoaster with cutting-edge systems and special effects.
By the end of the year, the amusement park will have a total of 44 rides, including Formula Rossa, the world's fastest rollercoaster.
Yas Island ready to welcome more tourists
Al Zaabi said plans are afoot for hotels with 1,500 rooms that can cater to the 'current and future demand' at theme parks and entertainment destinations.
"The percentage of tourists visiting Yas Island - and Abu Dhabi in general - has been increasing over the years. I think (the number of) tourists coming to Dubai and Abu Dhabi was around 21 million last year. There is a healthy increase year-on-year in the number of tourists," he added.
To meet the overall projected demand, Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island Hotel, which will be completed this year, will have 550 rooms, while Warner Bros Hotel, set to be completed in 2021, will have 250.
"Yas Island is 55 per cent developed. So, still, there's more to come and the question is about which kind of developments," Al Zaabi said, adding that construction never stopped on Yas Island.
In addition, this year will see the completion of Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi's first-of-its-kind, multi-purpose, indoor entertainment venue with a capacity from 200 to 18,000 people for private and large-scale events.
Etihad Arena is part of Yas Bay, a mixed-use development with Yas Bay Waterfront, the Residences at Yas Bay and twofour54, the new hub for Abu Dhabi Media Zone.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com