As the beacon of Emirati culture, learning and values, Sharjah stands out amongst its neighbours in the Emirates by not only preserving its heritage but also sharing it with the world. Sharjah is a great draw for arts and culture enthusiasts, especially for those looking to get a rich glimpse into the Emirates Bedouin past. Sharjah has always been on the Indian travel circuit and has a large Indian community base. TTJ spoke to the Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, H.E. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, on his visit to New Delhi in August, to learn more about this third most populated Emirate of the UAE.
Gurjit Singh Ahuja
Much different from its more flamboyant and touristy neighbours of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Sharjah has continued to evolve and develop while preserving its cultural traditions and values. It has maintained a more conservative approach to modernisation while staying anchored in its past and using it to shape its future in a world full of technological razzmatazz.
Sharjah has emerged as a great center for education and learning with its universities, colleges, and schools. It has good infrastructure facilities, malls, housing, and hospitals and all of this is much more affordable in Sharjah as compared to the other Emirates. This makes it hugely popular among the expatriate community in the Emirates who have opted for Sharjah as their home base.
Speaking on the importance of the India market, Khalid said, “This is our first roadshow in India post the pandemic. It is nice to be back. We have had our presence in the India market since 2014, and even during the pandemic we were constantly aware of the market dynamics through our representative office in India which was always operational.” He further elaborated, “The COVID situation gave Sharjah a tremendous opportunity to carry on developmental work on its road network and infrastructure and exercise, the results of which are now visible.”
“Sharjah enjoys a unique position in the UAE, as it has access to the east coast as well as the west coast, and the three east coast destinations of Khor Fakkar, Dibba and Kalba are now ready to welcome guests to experience their unique offerings,” explained Khalid.
Also, a noteworthy unique experience that was introduced in February 2022, is the Sharjah Safari, the largest safari experience outside continental Africa, currently spread across an area of 9 sq. km. Sharjah Safari is host to more than 120 species of animals, which live in Africa and up to 50,000 animals, ranging from birds, reptiles and mammals, such as lions, elephants, giraffes, black and white rhinoceros, crocodiles, deer, and many other endangered animals.
The safari park area will also increase in the future as the park grows. All this is very carefully managed and monitored by experts who ensure the checks and balances for the well-being of the animals. This experience is a one of its kind adventure and educational activity for families and nature enthusiasts to observe the endemic wildlife in Africa. Native African faunae roam without fences in an environment similar to their natural environment.
Sharjah currently has 105 hotels across various categories, offering 7,782 room nights per day to its visitors. In the first half of 2022, the hotels in Sharjah exhibited a 66 per cent average occupancy. India has emerged as the top global market for Sharjah with a 13 per cent market share and accounting for 81,513 room nights in the second quarter of 2022.
With the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar, hotels in the Emirates are bullish about a fair share of business due to the operation of shuttle flights between the UAE and Qatar and the special visa being offered by the UAE to football enthusiasts.
The focus of Sharjah continues to be to position itself as a cultural hub, a family destination, and a destination that promotes responsible tourism, eco-tourism, adventure tourism activities, and sports. Khalid elaborates, “We have noticed Indians love to travel as a family group. A vacation is just not about partying or shopping for them. They are interested to know more about the destination, its culture, its history, customs, its past so that they and their children take back these learnings and experiences with them. We love this aspect of Indian travel and so the entrance tickets to our attractions, monuments, and museums are kept very affordable, enabling maximum people to experience them.”
The love for cricket bonds fans worldwide, and Sharjah Cricket Stadium is a living testament to that, given the top tournaments hosted here. Sharjah also hosts numerous world-class events and competitions year-round, such as the Sharjah Biennial, Xposure International Photographic Festival, Sharjah World Music Festival, Sharjah International Book Fair, and the awe-inspiring Sharjah Light Festival, an epitome of human creativity where the city landmarks of Sharjah get transformed into a different dimension.
