FUJAIRAH, 14th January, 2019 — The number of tourists visiting Fujairah rose in 2018, due to various tourism initiatives and programmes and the international participation of the Fujairah Tourism and Antiquities Authority.

Tourism in the emirate during 2018 witnessed noticeable development and demand from visitors, who occupied 36 hotel establishments. Their number reached over 800,000, according to hotel reservations.

Saeed Al Samahi, Director-General of the Fujairah Tourism and Antiquities Authority, said that the authority aims to advance the emirate’s tourism sector, as per the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, and the monitoring of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah.

He added that 2018 witnessed the launch of new hotels in the emirate, including the 379-room Blue Diamond Alsalam Resort, which is located near the Fujairah International Marine Club and was launched in January 2019, and the 119-room Mirage Bab Al Bahr Hotel in Dibba. Work is also underway on new hotels.

Al Samahi explained that the authority participated in 38 events in 2018 with various local government institutions, with the aim of promoting community participation and achieving its role in highlighting the emirate’s tourism and historic potential, which will benefit the entire community.

He also noted that the authority is focussing, in 2019, on initiatives related to tolerance, in light of Fujairah’s hospitality to tourists from different cultures while highlighting the country’s role in promoting coexistence and tolerance and launching competitions for school and university students and the visitors to the authority’s centres.

Al Samahi stressed the importance of preserving antiquities, through reconstructing forts and castles and researching archaeological sites, as well as the excavation work conducted last year in various sites in the emirate, which aim to preserve antiquities and showcase them to the emirate’s visitors and future generations. The authority hosted many delegations and showed them the emirate’s ancient history, which is full of buildings and artefacts that date back to before the birth of Jesus Christ, he further added.

The reconstruction of Habhab Fort will be completed this year, as well as the redevelopment of the Fujairah Museum, he said in conclusion.