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While Dubai’s luxury shopping, glittering skyscrapers and ultra-hip vibe have been appealing enough to lure a myriad of national and international meetings and events, this fast growing city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) isn’t resting on its laurels. This year, Dubai will open sixteen new attractions that run the gamut from family friendly to luxuriously pampering and everything in between. The new additions increase the likelihood that meeting attendees will want to extend their pre- and post-convention stays for a little R&R. Here’s a preview of five of their coming attractions:
Dubai Safari Park
This zoo-style experience has taken some cues from the best zoos around the world. At 294 acres (three times the size of the San Diego Zoo) Safari Park will be home to 1,000 animals from around the world, including 350 rare and endangered species, and . Promised to be a uniquely Dubai experience, the park will also feature giraffe feeding area, hippo viewing area and an elephant interaction space along with authentic African, Asian and Arabian villages with hundreds of plants, each related to the area’s theme, and thousands of trees. Adding to the appeal, the zoo will use environmentally-friendly systems including a hybrid operational system, water recycling, waste disposal, and recycling facilities and solar energy.
Al Thuraya Astronomy Centre
Experience stargazing at a whole new level when the Al Thuraya Astronomy Centre opens. Designed to become a regional focal point for astronomy, the observatory will feature a space museum, gallery, a theatre and a one-metre telescope. It’s expected to be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Dubai Astronomy Group, who will manage the facility, is looking to build a second one. If approved, the Hatta Tourist Observatory would be built on top of a 1,600-metre mountain. The only way to reach it would be via cable car, which, in itself would be a major attraction.
The Dubai Frame
At nearly 500 feet high and more than 300 feet wide, the Dubai Frame is reminiscent of a huge picture frame, with a walkway made entirely of glass. Visitors can follow a path depicting the history of Dubai, before taking a panoramic elevator up to the top of the frame for spectacular panoramic views of Old and New Dubai. Located at Zabeel Park, the project will also feature a museum on the ground floor.
The Dubai Eye
Soaring to nearly 700 feet, the Dubai Eye is the world’s largest Ferris wheel, offering breathtaking views of the skyline as well as Burj Al Arab, Palm Jumeirah and Burj Khalifa. The Eye’s 48 capsules can hold up to 1,400 visitors at a time. The centerpiece of the $1.4 billion entertainment center, Bluewaters Island, the giant Ferris wheel is expected to attract more than three million visitors every year.
IMG Worlds of Adventure
The world’s Largest indoor mega-themed entertainment destination, IMG Worlds of Adventure, will serve up 1.5 million square feet of epic adventure built around four exciting activity zones. Prepare for adrenaline-pumping roller coasters and thrill rides, as well as attractions based on popular Cartoon Network characters, iconic MARVEL Super Heroes and hair-raising dinosaurs. The park’s welcome zone, IMG Boulevard, will feature a mix of both leisure and thrilling experiences, along with 28 restaurants and 25 shops.
From the new Marina Tower, which will be home to the Middle East’s first Hard Rock Hotel, to a new opera house, a waterfront promenade, markets and more, Dubai is developing at an astounding pace. For more details and a full list of the city’s sixteen new developments, look here.
Learn more about the Dubai experience in “Beyond the Bling in Dubai”.
Brought to you by Visit Dubai
