With the world finally opening up borders, travelers are ready to dive head first into the unique experiences and diverse offerings of countries that are waiting to welcome tourists. The post-covid trends see more and more Indian travelers looking for a hassle-free, pocket-friendly, close-to-home, and safe vacation destination.
Sharjah is the perfect spot for family fun! It is the third largest of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sharjah is further divided into 3 regions; Sharjah City, Central Region, and East Coast, each of which offers different and unique experiences for families. From numerous F&B experiences to cultural programs and events, Sharjah as a destination is focused on providing families and children with endless memories to go home with.
The Great Indian Roadshow
Sharjah held its recent multi-city road show in India, for the first time since the pandemic outbreak. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is leading a large delegation throughout India, with road shows being held in metro cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
The objective of the roadshow is to build back relations with the Indian trade. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa confirmed that during the pandemic Sharjah went under ‘development mode’ which means during this time, the infrastructure, connections between cities, new experiences, products, and attractions were developed in a rapid pace.
Development Boom
India is Sharjah’s largest international source market with 14% of the market share. Sharjah has seen a high demand with domestic travelers comprising 17% of the market, especially for niche products, resorts, natural mangroves, beach properties, and safaris. The Sharjah Safari is the biggest safari outside Africa; they target to house 50,000 species and are already providing a home to many endangered animals like the black and white rhinos that are under the care of professionals. The safari is built on a 9sqkm land with a further expansion plan. Besides this, Sharjah has a lot more new offerings. They have added resting areas and café’s in the mountains, where hikers can stop to enjoy a meal with a view of the entire coast. A new clock tower has been developed in the city of Kalba, which includes a restaurant within the tower that offers a 360° panoramic viewing deck.
According to Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Indian travelers love to learn. Indian families, even on vacations, want to learn about different cultures and educate themselves on the history of the destination that they are traveling to. Sharjah is rich in heritage and culture, and offers value in everything they do, from archaeology, history, museums, art, culture, and traditions.
Family Focused Fun
Sharjah is a family-orientated destination that was built as a cultural hub. This title has been recognized by UNESCO and the UN. Sharjah as a tourist destination is focusing on segments like Family Tourism, Eco-Tourism, Adventure Tourism, and Sports Tourism. As they don’t have any nightclubs or bars, everything is destined for families and all age groups. Sharjah is host to some of the most elaborate festivals in the world. Some large-scale and most medium scaled events take place here. The Sharjah Light Festival, which is their biggest event was held earlier this year. Sharjah also hosts the F1 World Championship week. They also host a new adventure-related event known as the Sharjah Paragliding International Championship.
A true success story
The tourism Industry in Sharjah has been booming over the last 7 years. After the pandemic, UAE succeeded in building back the confidence of the Indian market, and Sharjah is one of the best countries in the world to overcome the aftermath of the deadly virus. Today tourists are free to enter Sharjah without the need for a Covid test.
Indian travelers, according to SCDTA, prefer to visit museums, art galleries, installations, and innovation parks. Sharjah is authentic and genuine about human development. Sustainability is an important aspect for them. Recently, they have launched a 0 waste to landfill, which is an initiative that no other country in the Middle East has adopted.
Sharjah has great success stories and a diverse portfolio with steady growth. The strong connection between India and Sharjah makes it a great destination for your next holiday!
Air Connectivity
Airline connectivity to any holiday destination is very important. Air Arabia and Emirates are the two major airlines flying out of India into the Middle East. Air Arabia flies into 13 cities in India, including tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The duration of the direct flight is only 3 hours.
SCDTA informed us about the expansion plans of the Sharjah International Airport. They plan to expand the airport capacity from 8 million passengers today to 20 million passengers by 2024.
Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) concluded by saying “Sharjah is holding on strongly and preserving the identity that they have built for thousands of years. Indians being the smart travelers that they are know exactly what they want and for us, that’s great because we have exactly what they are looking for!”
