Dubai Festival City to showcase Hospitality and Golf Tourism at ATM 2004

Dubai Festival City, the waterfront ‘city-within-a-city’ being built on the banks of Dubai Creek, is to showcase a new purpose-designed stand at the Arabian Travel Market 2004, the Middle East’s premier travel and tourism exhibition, which will held in the emirate this May.

“The stand will have a twin focus,” said Phil McArthur, Director of Leasing and Marketing, Dubai Festival City. “It will promote new hospitality projects planned for Dubai Festival City including the recently announced Hotel intercontinental Dubai Festival City; and our unique Al Badia Golf Resort, which opens this year.

“Tourism is vital to the success of Dubai Festival City, a centreplace destination delivering a sense of place, and all within just two kilometres of Dubai International Airport.

“Dubai Festival City will transform the upper reaches of Dubai Creek into a regional and international shopping, entertainment and sporting tourist attraction. Its very creation is in line with the vision of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, to attract to the emirate upwards of 15 million overseas visitors by 2010.”

Dubai Festival City’s retail and entertainment offering will span 2.5 million square feet. “It will be one of the biggest and varied retail and entertainment offerings within the entire Middle East and foundation work on this element of the project is already under way.

“Within the next five months, residents and visitors to Dubai will be able to see tangible progress, in particular, of The Crescent – the jewel in the crown of Dubai Festival City,” explained McArthur.

The design of The Crescent, which will have 400 shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as 10 international flagship stores, has been inspired by some of the finest festival marketplaces in the world. It has a unique architectural concept, dominated by generous civic plazas and waterfront experiences.

“It will be a true meeting place – somewhere where tourists can congregate, shop, be entertained or relax at a variety of distinctive food and beverage outlets – a destination-within-a-destination,” said McArthur.

“At the Arabian Travel Market 2004, we will be looking to network with local, regional and international travel suppliers who will be able to spread the exciting news of The Crescent and our Al Badia Golf Resort worldwide. We expect also to contract with some tour operators and hotel groups for tee-times at the Al Badia.”

The 18-hole championship-standard Al Badia Golf Resort is due to open this year. The course, designed by internationally-renowned golf architect Robert Trent Jones II, has already attracted worldwide golfing tourism attention, following its international launch last year at the International Golf Travel Market in the Dominican Republic.

“Interest is intense as Dubai’s reputation as a first-class golfing destination mounts,” said McArthur. “The addition of the Al Badia Golf Resort to Dubai’s golf portfolio will strengthen the emirate’s standing in the minds of global golf tour operators.”

The Al Badia Golf Resort is differentiated from other Dubai courses by its extensive use of water. It has 11 lakes, numerous ponds and streams and water cascading through features across the course and down into Dubai Creek.

“Visitors to Al Badia will have a truly relaxing experience – the kind that makes a vacation memorable,” said McArthur. “The whole water orientation of Dubai Festival City will make the destination unforgettable.”

Ultimately the Al Badia Golf Resort will include a clubhouse, sports academy and a 150-room golf resort hotel. “This will be one of a number of hotels planned for the project, including a waterfront convention hotel and a man-made resort island retreat,” said McArthur.

In addition, around the Al Badia Golf Resort will be executive, lifestyle homes with spectacular views built on a Mediterranean-style terraced hillside.

“Show homes are open now and the first 64 homes will be available for lease from August this year,” explained McArthur.