The last time I went to Sharjah I saw a man in salwar kameez riding a rickety bicycle down the street with a car door balanced perfectly on each shoulder, his arms through the open windows, as if it were a mode of transport he used every day. It was a sight that will stay with me forever.
He was not conducting an experiment in sustainable transport, however, nor was he some sort of avant-garde street performer. Rather, he was a recent customer at one of the area’s many scrap- yards and he was surrounded by crowds of similarly encumbered buyers and sellers.
The street he cycled down was barely paved and flanked on either side by industrial units, lines of great hulking trucks and mountains of scrap metal.
He moved precariously among teeming crowds of welders, cutters, scrappies, drivers and their customers who, I learnt from a group drinking tea on the pavement, were mostly from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Indeed, the entire scene could easily have been drawn in Kabul or Faisalabad.
I could have stayed for hours, watching deals being struck with the slap of hands, the haggling, the disagreements and the exchange of goods. The sheer energy and volume of commerce being conducted was intoxicating to observe.
This is how most of us think of Sharjah. It is the industrial emirate. It is where you go when you need cheap car parts or a compressor for your air conditioner.
But there has always been another side to Sharjah that is often forgotten and goes undiscovered by those visitors whose focus is drawn to the glamour of neighbouring Dubai and the importance of Abu Dhabi.
In Sharjah there are golden beaches, resorts, hotels, traditional souqs, sites of international cultural importance and, increasingly, large numbers of travellers and tourists looking to enjoy them.
Sharjah released its annual tourism data for 2012 yesterday and the numbers made impressive reading.
The number of guests staying at hotels and hotel apartments in the emirate increased by a healthy 11 per cent to almost 1.8 million last year from 1.5 million in 2011, the data show.
And the first-half numbers reveal this year is heading for another impressive increase.
Revenues at the same establishments, meanwhile, increased by 27 per cent and occupancy – the holy grail of the hotel industry – was up by 9 per cent at 64 per cent. Again, the first half of this year is looking equally robust.
The growth in arrivals, occupancy and revenue can be charted in direct correlation to a continued increase in investment in the sector by the Government of Sharjah.
In 2011 the emirate invested Dh1.1 billion in tourism, which increased to Dh1.17bn last year. Plans for this year include tourism spending of more Dh 1.24bn with Dh1.32bn budgeted for next year, Dh1.4bn for 2015 and Dh 1.49bn for the year after that.
Sharjah appears to be getting similarly impressive levels of growth as Abu Dhabi and Dubai, but with a much more modest outlay. In other words, the emirate seems to be getting much more bang for its buck in the tourism market.
Much of this is down to its no-frills offering.
Most people fly into Sharjah on Air Arabia, a cut-price airline, rather than in the relative luxury of an Etihad or Emirates seat.
This strategy has quietly transformed Sharjah airport into one of the busiest in the region. The airport handled 7,516,538 passengers last year and 419,076 tonnes of freight.
Hotel rooms and hotel apartments are much cheaper than those on offer on average in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Of course, there is nothing in Sharjah to compare with the likes of Emirates Palace or the Armani Hotel at Burj Khalifa, but it does not stop the tourists flocking in.
But while the cheaper end of the market has put Sharjah on the global tourism map it is not set to stay that way forever.
There are big plans afoot to develop a host of new attractions and hotels.
Projects like the billion-dirham Kalba eco-tourism initiative, the Sir Bu Nair island eco-tourism plan by Shurooq and the luxury Chedi Khorfakkan resort and spa are expected to significantly upgrade the emirate’s hospitality sector.
Then there is the Heart of Sharjah project that is set to transform Sharjah’s skyline and waterfront from Khalid Lagoon to Al Majarrah area.
Sharjah has targeted completely different tourist markets from Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with the majority of visitors coming in from Russia, Central Asia, Saudi Arabia and neighbouring GCC countries.
It is an attractive destination for Muslim tourists, a strategy which, again, is expected to gain more traction in the coming months and years.
With all this in mind it is easy to see Sharjah as a real complement to Abu Dhabi and Dubai in terms of tourism strategy. Abu Dhabi will have its high-end cultural offering with some of the world’s finest museums and hotels. Dubai will continue with its fast-paced and youthful party town image, while Sharjah presents a family oriented, culturally astute offering particularly attractive to the global Islamic tourist market.
But I would implore the Sharjah tourism chiefs not to abandon the industrial areas as they pursue the bounties of the international travel market. The crowded streets of scrap metal traders in the backside of town are all part of the emirate’s rich cultural tapestry. I for one would gladly pay for a guided tour.
jdoran@thenational.ae
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
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Company%20Profile
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Company%20Profile
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
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The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Kill%20
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Company%20profile
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Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
The biog
Siblings: five brothers and one sister
Education: Bachelors in Political Science at the University of Minnesota
Interests: Swimming, tennis and the gym
Favourite place: UAE
Favourite packet food on the trip: pasta primavera
What he did to pass the time during the trip: listen to audio books
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.