Government | Sunday 4 January, 2015 12:46 am |

His Highness LT General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi’s crown prince and deputy supreme commander of the UAE armed forces, has been selected as the strongest Arab personality for 2014 in tourism and culture.
Abu Dhabi-based “hotelandrest.com” website said it gave Sheikh Mohammed this title for his support for the tourism and culture sector and major contribution to projects in this field in Abu Dhabi emirate.
It noted cited such major projects as the development of Saadiyat and Yas Islands, adding that nearly Dh340 billion had been allocated for these two islands.
“There is no other city in the world witnessing such massive development in tourism and culture as Abu Dhabi,” the website said in a report.
It showed nearly Dh147.2 billion has been allocated for the development of Yas, adding that thanks to Sheikh Mohammed’s support, the island has become a key tourism destination for foreign tourists attracted by its beaches, location and sport, entertainment, culture, shopping and leisure facilities, including Formula 1, Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld and Yas mall, the largest in Abu Dhabi. The report noted that Yas has now seven key hotels, including Crowne Plaza, Rotana and Viceroy Yas.
The report also referred to the museums being built on Saadiyat by saying that these projects would be a major attraction for visitors and tourists from abroad.
They include Sheikh Zayed museum, the Louvre, to be ready in 2015, and Guggenheim, which will be completed in 2017.
It noted that development of Saadiyat, with an area of around 27 square km, would cost nearly Dh100 billion and would be completed in 2018, adding that it would give a strong push to the tourism industry in the emirate.
Another major project in the emirate is Almariyah Island, which is part of Abu Dhabi’s 2030 Vision and involves turning the island into a business and commercial centre. It said projects underway on that island is the Abu Dhabi securities market, Rosewood hotel, Cleveland Clinic, Galleria Mall and another mall between Almaryah and Reem.
The report also cited the Dh54-billion Al Raha beach project and the Dh4.5 billion central market, which it said had given another boost to the emirate.
It said all those projects required expansion of Abu Dhabi airport at a cost of around Dh26 billion to expand its capacity to 45 million passengers a year.
It quoted officials as saying nearly 38 per cent of the airport project was completed by the end of 2014 and that 70-75 per cent would be finished at the end of 2015 before the new airport is commissioned in 2017.