Al-Qasba: A complete family destination

Sharjah’s premier tourist, leisure and cultural destination Al-Qasba attracted over 1.3 million visitors in the first half of 2012, according to figures released by Al-Qasba Development Authority.
Spread over 10,000 hectares, Al-Qasba is home to a range of state-of-the-art entertainment, cultural and business venues. It features a manmade water canal that runs for a kilometer through the destination. Wooden boats are available for cruising along the canal and to the neighboring Khalid and Al-Khan lagoons. Facilities include the 60-meter-high Etisalat Eye of the Emirates Ferris Wheel, Maraya Art Center, the 300 seat Masrah Al Qasba Theatre, which hosts various Arabic and international concerts, films, plays and poetry evenings, Multaqa Al Qasba and many more.
According to the figures, around 379,193 visitors explored the restaurants and cafes in Al-Qasba, while Etisalat Eye of the Emirates received 54,245 visitors. The play area and Kids Fun Zone came third and fourth in terms of the number of visitors it received, followed by Al Qasba Musical Fountain, Masrah Al Qasba Theatre, Multaqa Al Qasba (Meetings & Conference Halls), Maraya Art Center and the walkways, respectively.
Ahmed Obaid Al-Qaseer, Chief Operating Officer at Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), attributed the growing number of visitors to Al-Qasba’s ability to meet the varied recreational, cultural and artistic needs of visitors and to offer diverse programs and an ideal environment for all members of the family to communicate and socialize. “Figures show a steady increase in the number of visitors year after year,” he added.
Al-Qaseer said the various facilities and amenities that the authority is continuously developing in Al-Qasba have significantly contributed to diversify the tourist product in the region, and attract and entertain visitors. He noted that the results of the many surveys conducted to measure customer satisfaction were positive. He said that the impressive family turnout in Al-Qasba is the best evidence of its success and excellence in meeting the needs of all members of the family. “We have developed integrated organizational measures to provide all means of comfort and luxury to our visitors,” he added.
Al-Qaseer said Al-Qasba continues its steady growth toward achieving its target of attracting a higher number of visitors in 2013. “In a time of accelerated rate of progress reported in the investment projects in the UAE, in general, and in Sharjah, in particular, the promotion of Al-Qasba has continued its strong growth. Al-Qasba has become a first class family destination that is able to capitalize on its leisure attractions to build a thriving tourist spot and to significantly and increasingly support domestic tourism, thanks to its integrated leisure and entertainment services which makes it a reliable destination for community, corporate and individuals, alike,” he said.