DUBAI / 8UAE 3rd NOVEMBER 2007A paradise for horseloversTop equine-themedpark to become a majornew attraction inthe Middle EastMachhour Moukaddem says Al Kaheel will be an attraction to be enjoyed by all the family<strong>Arab</strong> traditions of horsemanship can betraced back to the eighth century and<strong>Arab</strong>ian horses, notable for their distinctivebeauty and stamina, have played an importantrole in warfare and sport through the ages.Al Kaheel,an equine theme park that will bepart of Dubailand, the multi-themed megaleisure and tourism development, aims to attracthorse lovers from across the world,bothas tourists and property owners.According toMachhour Moukaddem,Chief Executive Officerof Al Kaheel Equine Management,it will be themost comprehensive equine centre ever built,“the ultimate destination for horse lovers.”Covering 10 million square feet, the Dh1.6billion (£214 million) project will be an educationaltheme park and working horse farmoffering activities for all the family. Visitors willbe able to enjoy short or extended stays atthe full service luxury resort, which will featurea 150 room executive suite hotel and 100luxury chalets, restaurants and shops.An equine “edutainment park” will feature400 horses representing more than 60 differentbreeds at work and play.Weekend horsefairs will be staged with competitions,demonstrations,anda variety of family activities.A nightlyshow will feature world-class equine acts withmore than 45 performers and 70 horses.Desertsafaris will offer scenic outings through thesand dunes on horses, ponies and wagons.The park will also be home to the region’sfirst accredited world-class academy of horsemanship,teachinga variety of certified courses,andan equestrian centre with a clubhouse,stables, horse training and event areas. Anequine spa and therapy centre will have stateof-the-artfacilities for the treatment and rehabilitationof sport horses.Mr Moukaddem says that visitors to AlKaheel will have the opportunity to enjoy an“up close and personal” relationship with thehorses.“When someone comes to Al Kaheel,they will have the chance to learn horse riding,watch the equine theatre and take partin the interesting shows,demonstrations andexhibitions that will be unique to the park.“In Al Kaheel, the whole family will be entertained;kidscan go to the park,others maygo on the Desert Safari, and at night we willhave shows displaying top horsemanship.Thewhole family will be entertained in one projectthat needs a minimum of one week to beseen in its entirety.”Located in Dubailand’s eco-zone,Al Kaheelalso provides a rare opportunity in Dubai toown a home in open and natural surroundings.Not surprisingly, all 400 individually designedproperties on offer rapidly sold out.Investors saw the value of their propertiesrise by more than 25 per cent in the first sixmonths.Mr Moukaddem has no doubts thatDubailand itself will be a huge success, andsays that Al Kaheel plans on getting 3-4 percent of its tourists.“Tourists usually stay forfive to seven days, and therefore do not havethe time to see all the attractions, whichmeans they will keep coming back to visit adifferent theme park.“The following year,people who came to AlKaheel will visit another part of Dubailand andvice-versa.That is the beauty behind Dubailand;it caters to all tastes and interests.” ●
UAE 3rd NOVEMBER 2007 RAS AL-KHAIMAH / 9RAS AL-KHAIMAHTowering mountains provide an impressive setting for the emirate’s capitalEASY LIVINGAND VALUEFOR MONEYRas Al-Khaimah is reinventing itself as a primelocation for investment in business and tourismWith an attractive investment climatebacked by a proactive government thatfirmly encourages free enterprise, Ras Al-Khaimah is positioning itself as a top businessdestination, regardless of its lack of significantoil reserves.The emirate has attracted the thirdhighestlevel of project investment relative toGDP in the UAE – with a value of around £12.6billion – and accounts for a full five per cent oftotal GCC project investment.Spearheading efforts to expand the localeconomy is the Investment and DevelopmentOffice (IDO), which has laid the groundworkto attract a further £6.6 billion in inward investmentover the next few years. Ras Al-Khaimah certainly has plenty to offer investors,especially in terms of real estate, tourism andthe leisure industry.Nestling between the Al Hajjar Mountains tothe east and the Gulf to the west,the emirate’shighly varied landscape of valleys,peaks,desertsand unspoilt coastline contrasts sharply withmany other parts of the UAE.The city of Ras Al-Khaimah,the capital,is undergoingmultiple new construction projects.Key developments include RAK Financial City,which has been designed as a new hub for theoffshore financial operations of the regionalbusiness community. The almost 2,5 millionsquare feet project will include uniquely designedtowers, up to 65 storeys high, providing office,hotel and residential space.In terms of real estate, Ras Al-Khaimah ispromoting low-rise developments focused ona comfortable,beach lifestyle.The emirate offersgood value in terms of the cost of landand leasing,plus high quality living conditions.Its modest pricing in comparison to certainother parts of the UAE is a major selling point.This value for money, easy living appeal haswon over large numbers of weekenders comingfrom Dubai and elsewhere, as well as attractinglonger-term residents.Saqr Port is on the way to becoming one ofthe most modern ports in the region.Earlier thisyear a new container terminal opened with a capacityto handle 350,000 TEUs:the first phase ofa massive expansion. Phase two will see capacityenhanced to around 3 million TEUs over a periodof five years.In April,the IDO announced a new joint ventureproject with the US-based ArgentumDevelopment Company to build an InternationalHospitality Trade and Training Zone.A hub forthe global hospitality industry,it will include a freetrade zone area and a training and educationalcampus, which will position Ras Al-Khaimah asa centre of excellence in the leisure industry.The capital is not the only development hub.The huge resort of Al Hamra Village comprisesvarious sized villas and apartments offering luxuryaccommodation for both residents and weekenders.Facing out to the Gulf, it has a marinawith 200 yachting berths allowing boat ownersquick and easy access to the sailing and fishingopportunities along the coast.In fact, a variety of tourism and leisure projectsare taking shape.Some 17 miles south-westof Ras Al-Khaimah city centre,Al Marjan Islandwill be the emirate’s first man-made island venture,reflecting the Dubai influence.This almost£1 billion cluster of coral shaped islands is duefor completion in 2009.A more unusual development will be the JebelJais Mountain Resort,which will be built on oneof the highest points in the Al Hajjar Mountainrange, and will offer visitors five-star hotel andconference facilities, and even a cable car leadingto an outdoor winter snow skiing slope.To cater for increased numbers of visitors,theinternational airport is being upgraded and theemirate has launched the UAE’s fourth nationalairline, Rak Airways. What’s more, plans haveeven been announced to develop a US$265 millioncommercial spaceport for the operation ofsub-orbital flights. ●