New Dhs860m Resort Planned For Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island

A new Dhs860 million resort has been planned for Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island, it was announced this week.

The complex which is set for a 2017 completion, will be developed by contractors Ghantoot Group and engineering company Sheikh Suroor Projects.

The beach resort will include a 295-room low-rise hotel in addition to a spa, meeting rooms and 11 villas.

Upcoming cultural and tourism hub Saadiyat currently includes leisure properties such as the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, the Monte-Carlo Beach Club and the St.Regis Saadiyat Island Resort.

The Saadiyat Cultural District aims to become an international arts hub featuring museums such as Louvre Abu Dhabi, slated for launch in 2015, the Zayed National Museum, to be opened in 2016 and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, set for completion in 2017.

Abu Dhabi has been seeing a boom in tourism in recent months, with occupancy levels in the emirate’s hotels reaching 71 per cent in 2013.

Around 276,970 guests checked into Abu Dhabi’s hotels and hotel apartments in January this year, up 36 per cent from the corresponding period last year, according to the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).

Guests to the capital delivered 855, 651 nights, up 26 per cent from December 2013 while occupancy rates rose to 77 per cent year-on-year. The average room rate increased to Dhs462, up two per cent in January, TCA Abu Dhabi reported.

Total hotel revenues touched Dhs522 million, up 22 per cent year-on-year while revenues from food and beverages rose 21 per cent to touch Dhs194 million.