Fujairah tourism needs development

With some work, Fujairah has the potential to be an important destination in a unifed UAE-wide tourism promotion.

Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort in Fujairah. (Photo by: Sarah Dea/The National)

With some work, the emirate has the potential to be an important destination for those visiting the UAE

Fujairah offers its visitors an escape from the hectic pace of the city and provides a rich historical and adventure-filled experience, with its heritage sites and imposing mountains. Unfortunately, a declining number of tourists have visited the emirate recently, with many visitors now preferring to head to Ras Al Khaimah instead, which is closer to Dubai airport and has transformed its hospitality sector.

The improvement in RAK's tourism is positive, but can it be emulated in Fujairah? As The National reported yesterday, hotel managers are calling for more support for the tourism industry in the emirate to stem its decline and in a bid to attract more international visitors. The emirate has the potential to be a significant stop on the UAE tourist trail and is brimming with historic sites, including the Old Fort, Fujairah Museum, Al-Heil Castle and Al Bidya mosque, which is the oldest known mosque in the UAE.

There are also souqs and safari tours, but what is needed is a strategy to increase awareness of the emirate and market it as an important destination for international and domestic visitors.

The best way to do this would be for the National Council of Tourism and Antiquities, which uses the promotional line “seven emirates, one destination”, to continue to market the merits of the country as a whole. The aim would be to persuade international tourists, in particular, to extend their horizons beyond Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

This could be achieved through developing UAE-wide travel packages, such as seven emirate tours, which would help visitors experience some of the more hidden delights this country has to offer in its quieter corners and on its roads less travelled.