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Abu Dhabi Ports has officially opened Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach, offering cruise ship passengers a new and unique destination with “unmatched” tourism experiences. The facility is expected to attract more regional cruise operators and will play a vital role in further increasing Abu Dhabi’s cruise passenger traffic, which is estimated to grow by 9 % in the 2016-17 season.
Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, chief executive of Abu Dhabi Ports, commented: “Abu Dhabi Ports has spearheaded the development of the cruise tourism industry in Abu Dhabi by following an approach marked by three principles; investment in infrastructure, creating a niche in the growing passenger market and ensuring maximum integration across the industry supply chain. We are excited about the official opening of Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach as part of our developments in the Western Region which reiterates our commitment to enriching the cruise experiences we offer.”
Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach is the Gulf region’s only dedicated desert island cruise stopover and was developed in keeping with local culture. It extends over a 1.3 km stretch of land, and has the capacity to double in size to meet future market demands.
The official launch of Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach coincided with the arrival of the MSC Fantasia, which has made Abu Dhabi Cruise terminal its winter sun home port, and which set sail to Sir Bani Yas with almost 4000 passengers, who disembarked on the beach. The Beach is expected to attract more than 60,000 passengers from 39 cruise line calls in its first season alone.
