Hotelier Middle East: Market update - Sharjah, the Culture Capital
News: 20 June 2018
Hotelier Middle East: 20 June 2019
Sharjah is incorrectly considered as the often overlooked emirate while its neighbours, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, forge ahead. But of late, Sharjah has been making some noise and people are beginning to notice.
The emirate is currently trying to market itself as the UAE’s capital of culture and history — and it does that well. A number of eco-tourism projects, built around the concept of sustainability, are also being developed, including the Fossil Rock Lodge in Mleiha and the Kalba eco-tourism project.
While the hospitality market took a hit back in 2015 and 2016 due to drop in oil prices and the declining visitor numbers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), both factors have since been on an upward curve which has helped register more stable numbers in Sharjah. Sharjah’s authorities are also focused on moving away from being an oil-dependent economy and diversifying.
“Due to the improved transport infrastructure as well as the development of new luxury resorts and attractions, the emirate is now witnessing a steady growth in visitor arrivals,” says TRI Consulting director Christopher Hewett.
In 2017, Sharjah welcomed 1.7 million visitors and the revenues generated by its hotels and hotel apartments amounted to US$188.94 million (AED694m) for the fiscal year, up from US$181.86 m (AED668m) registered in 2016, according to Hewett.
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