Miral Asset Management, the Abu Dhabi government-owned developer behind Yas Island’s main leisure attractions, forecasts 5 per cent annual growth in visitor numbers in 2019 as it expands its theme parks and markets them overseas.
"Bringing more international tourists to Abu Dhabi will be a game changer for us as it will grow our market share and help boost our visitor numbers," said Mohamed Al Zaabi, chief executive of Miral, told The National.
Miral recorded 28 million visits to Yas Island in 2018, up 3 per cent from 27 million in 2017, Mr Al Zaabi said, during the Arabian Travel Market exhibition in Dubai on Sunday. “Absolutely, we want to continue growing these numbers as we invest in new attractions at Yas Island.”
Miral was set up by Abu Dhabi government in 2011 to manage the entertainment components of the 25 million square foot Yas Island, alongside state-backed real estate developer Aldar, which oversees the island’s residential and retail strategy.
Miral already owns Yas Waterworld as well as Ferrari World and Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi theme parks.
The developer plans to open Clymb, an indoor skydiving attraction in early 2020, and Yas Bay, a waterfront leisure destination housing the 18,000-capacity Yas Arena exhibition centre, which is currently being built.
In addition, Miral plans to open the Middle East’s first SeaWorld marine life park in 2022. The value of attractions under construction sits at around Dh6.2 billion, according to Mr Zaabi, and about 40 per cent of Yas Island has been built to date.
While Yas Island’s theme parks currently attract a varying split of overseas to domestic visitors, Miral aims to capitalise on recent growth in international tourist numbers to Abu Dhabi to reach 10.27 million visitors in 2018, according to official statistics from Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism in February.
The capital is investing in new cultural and entertainment offerings to boost its tourism sector as part of a push to diversify the economy and reduce dependence on oil revenues. In addition to Louvre Abu Dhabi, which opened last year, the emirate has also reopened its oldest building, the Qasr Al Hosn fort site, as a museum. India, China and the UK remained the top three source markets for tourists to Abu Dhabi in 2018.
As part of its expansion Miral wants to "physically and digitally" connect the entertainment components of Yas Island, for example through new online ticketing packages and innovative ways of transporting visitors, its chief executive told The National.
For the past two years, the company has been in talks to build an aerial cable car network to take visitors across the island to different attractions with minimal impact on the ground. It signed an agreement with California-based skyTran in 2016 to discuss the feasibility of building skyTrain's elevated, high-speed Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) system at Yas Island.
Mr Al Zaabi said Miral will announce in July whether or not it will proceed with the plans.
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Racecard
6.35pm: American Business Council – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
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7.45pm: CCI France UAE – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
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8.55pm: Netherlands Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m
9.30pm: Indian Business and Professional Council – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m
Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
The%20specs
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The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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Scores
Wales 74-24 Tonga
England 35-15 Japan
Italy 7-26 Australia
THREE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million