Fujairah Forging Ahead Despite Recession

Fujairah With Fresh Eyes
I have recently returned to Fujairah after several months away and it has been surprising to see the emirate with fresh eyes.

One would hardly think that a recession is affecting this eastern emirate. On the contrary there appear to be many signs of growth and progress.

New Buildings
In earlier postings I have written of the new buildings springing up in Fujairah. Check out a sample at these links:
City Mall and Retail Park
Seaside Apartment Tower
Apartment Overlooking Fish Roundabout
High Tower Overlooking Beach
Shopping Mall
Commercial Buildings
Hospital

Beyond these facilities there are other new developments. These strike you particularly when you enter into the top of Fujairah’s main street from Dubai.

To The Left
On the left side of the main street there is a new Rotana Tower with hotel and apartments.

According to a report (6 May 2009) Rotana Hotels in the UAE have seen a 15-20% decline in revenues in the first quarter of this year compared with the same quarter in 2008. But like many UAE companies, Rotana takes the view that this country will bounce back from the downturn faster than most countries.

Based in Abu Dhabi, Rotana is due to open six more hotels in the capital by October of this year and seven (including the one in Fujairah) by 2011.

Also being built on the left side is the 300 bed Al Fanar hotel which is part of Escan’s three tower development. This involves a three level shopping mall and three sky rise towers comprising 30, 25 and 20 levels respectively to be used for a mix of residential, commercial and hotel purposes.

Eyes Right
On the right side of the main street behind the high advertising walls there are other major developments aiming for a 2010 launch.

These include a 180 room Ibis Hotel and a 220 room Novotel Hotel and residences.

Further down at the lights and just before Etisalat you will note work going on at the Al Rostamani building (with Nissan Showroom underneath). Having erected a central tower, work is proceeding on two towers on either side. I hope the people already ensconced in their apartments were told of this development because their views are quickly getting blocked out! Quite a thought when the builders wake you outside your window at 6 in the morning with their jack hammers.

You can’t see it from the road but if you take a right turn after the Etisalat building and go 100 metres you will see that the Lulu Hypermarket is extending its reaches. Lulu management will be glad that it has the land because a shopping mall is being established there along with an extension of Lulu. This may mean that Lulu will move from being a Hypermarket to an Ultramarket.

Al Aqah Adds More
This article has been noting the new developments appearing in Fujairah’s main street. As the above links indicate there are new developments occurring in Faseel towards the Fujairah Free Zone and the Fujairah Port.

Added to this Le Méridien at the Al Aqah Beach Resort is undergoing a Dh10 million (US$2.7 million) refurbishment of its spa facility in order to become a premium spa destination.

What Recession?
There is bound to be pain being experienced in homes behind the high walls but the changing appearance of Fujairah suggests an emirate on the move and defying the financial challenges.

The steady expansion of the Fujairah Port with the associated new businesses in the Free Zone and the new oil pipeline from oil rich Abu Dhabi, now set to be operational in 2010, are creating jobs and are instilling confidence in the business community.

The new Dubai to Fujairah highway that will cut the commuting time as it bypasses the little towns like Dhaid, Masafi, Thoban and Dafta is set to boost the large number of weekend visitors to Fujairah and add to the numbers of Dubai and Sharjah workers who are choosing to reside in Fujairah.

Dr Geoff Pound

Image: “To see the emirate with fresh eyes.”