Dubai will soon be opening the doors to the world’s largest and tallest observation wheel, Ain Dubai, according to a recent announcement.
The attraction is part of several initiatives to boost Dubai’s tourism sector as the UAE diversifies the economy away from oil. Set to open in October this year, Ain Dubai is a part of the entertainment portfolio at Dubai Holding, the company behind other tourist attractions Global Village and Wild Wadi.
AIN DUBAI NEARLY AS TALL AS THE LONDON EYE
Ain Dubai provides a bird's eye view of the city's skyline. Standing at a height of 250 metres, the observation wheel is nearly twice the height of the London Eye. Viewers will be able to access both Bluewaters views as well as night-time entertainment options from the rotating booths at Ain Dubai.
It also offers 19 customisable experiences, including dining in the sky, celebration packages, and corporate and event offerings.
Visitors can access Observation Cabins, Social Cabins and Private Cabins, and spend about 38 minutes in one rotation, or 76 minutes for two rotations.
“Ain Dubai offers unique experiences catering to all audiences, including luxurious special event cabins; nightlife and party occasions; unique dining and culinary options; family friendly cabins and customisable romantic experiences for special moments,” Ronald Drake, General Manager of Ain Dubai, said.
POST-COVID TOURISM CAPITAL
Dubai reopened its borders to international tourists on 7 July 2020. Since then, the emirate has seen an inflow of 3.7 million overnight visitors until May 2021, according to government data. Of these, 1.7 million visitors were received from July to December. The remaining two million visitors were received in the first five months of 2021.
India and the UK were the top source markets for the period, joined by Russia, Pakistan and Egypt. However, Dubai also receives some visitor activity from emerging markets, such as Kazakhstan and Ukraine, Ethiopia and Sudan.
Meanwhile, Dubai was named the world’s busiest international airport in May this year, and was in the top 10 busiest international routes as well. In the backdrop of a global decline in tourism by 74%, Dubai’s tourism sector actually registered a positive growth of 0.3%.
A sturdy healthcare response, proactive prevention efforts, and mass vaccination programs have contributed to the city’s popularity as a safe destination for international and domestic tourism.
Further, initiatives such as vaccination drives for visiting Chinese nationals and ‘Safe Travels’ stamps provided further support to tourism in the emirate.
Photo credit: www.dubaichronicle.com/2020/02/07/ain-dubai-expo-2020-dubai/, https://blog.musement.com/us/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-ain-dubai/
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