Meraas, the Dubai Government-backed real estate company has plans to develop a series of hospitality projects in the UAE region of Hatta, as part of the 10-year Hatta Development Plan. It is intended to position the mountainous area as a global destination for eco-tourism.
Abdulla Al Habbai, group chairman of Meraas said, “Supporting and enhancing the integration of leisure, hospitality, tourism and transportation is key to transforming this highly popular destination into a world-class area that offers families a diverse leisure experience.”
The first phase of the development will see a 20-room mountain lodge intended to provide a tranquil retreat with views of the surrounding Hajar Mountains landscape. A “campers’ hotel” built out of Airstream trailers on the banks of the Hatta dam is also part of the plan.
Visitors will be welcomed to Hatta by a giant “Hatta” sign located at an elevation of around 450 metres in the Hajar Mountains. An adventure centre and interactive tourism information hub are also part of the plans. The first-phase projects are scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of this year.
Meraas said that the second phase of the project comprises a whole lot of additional hospitality and retail facilities intended to “create further touch points between local and international tourists and the rich Emirati culture.”
Projects will incorporate state-of-the-art sustainable materials with unconventional designs to add character and charm.
Dubai witnessed 4.7 million international overnight visitors in the first quarter of 2018, marking a 2 per cent rise from the same period last year, according to the latest figures from the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism).
