Sharjah Emirate Booms for Arabian Gulf Tourism

Dubai Neighbour and Third of the United Arab Emirates Woos Visitors

Nov 15, 2009 Kate Nivison

In 1998 Sharjah, UAE, was named UNESCO Cultural Capital of the Arab World. Each year an increasing range of attractions is enticing more visitors for a Sharjah holiday.

Sharjah was once the most prosperous of the Arabian Gulf emirate states. It held a strategically important position on the ancient shipping routes where the Arabian Peninsula juts out at the entrance to the Arabian Gulf, and had a lucrative pearl diving industry. Yet today it is nothing like as well known as its sister emirates such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain or Qatar.

The reasons are clear – the pearl industry went into rapid decline in the 1930’s with the introduction of cultured pearls from the Far East, and when vast oil fields were discovered in the region, Sharjah turned out to have only small amounts. In short, Sharjah’s luck seemed to have run out.

Under the ruling Al Qassimi family, Sharjah had various treaty arrangements with the British (1823-1971). One effect of this was that in 1932, the first airport in the emirates was built in Sharjah by the British as a staging post for Imperial Airways flights to India and South Africa.

Sharjah Tourism After Independence

Sharjah joined the United Arab Emirates in December 1971, but without major oil reserves its development was much slower than its neighbours. Considerable assistance was provided by Saudi Arabia, and strict Islamic Sharia law was introduced in 2001, making Sharjah the most religiously and culturally conservative emirate of the UAE.

Since 1998, when Sharjah City won the Cultural Capital of the Arab World award, the emirate has been making every effort to capitalise on its advantages as an all-year-round destination, with winter sun holidays a particular attraction.

Sharjah Tourism Media Centre reports that visitor numbers have increased from 600,000 in 2001 to 1.5 million in 2008, with a 32% increase from Europe in the last two years.
The introduction of hotel classification laws in 2008 has raised standards to international levels and high quality resort hotel building is on the increase.
Most people live in Sharjah City on the Arabian Gulf coast where most of the resort hotels are to be found.

Advantages of a Sharjah Holiday

Sharjah has the same climate as Dubai, noted for its hot dry summers and winter sunshine, but it is the only emirate to have a coastline on both the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. This comparatively unspoilt coast has fine scenery, wildlife, snorkelling and scuba to offer in desert enclaves under its jurisdiction such as Kalba, Dibba Al-Hisn and Khor Fakkan, and resorts are now being developed here.

Sharjah is quieter and less expensive than Dubai.
Emphasis is on budget to mid-price-range holidays and family-oriented entertainment.
Air Arabia, the Middle East’s first and largest low-cost airline operates from Sharjah International Airport, recently updated and enlarged.
Day trips from/to Dubai are popular, with no border formalities between the two.
Shopping in air-conditioned malls is generally cheaper than Dubai.
Open air markets have good local vegetables and fruit from the inland oasis of Al Dhaid, with a big range of imported items.
Crime rates are low and burglary is rare.

Respecting Sharjah’s Strict Islamic Laws

The sale, possession and consumption of alcohol is forbidden everywhere, even in hotels and Sharjah International Airport. A conservative dress code is required for both men and women residents, and visitors have to respect this in their own choice of clothing. ‘A man and a woman who are not in a legally acceptable relationship should not be alone in public places, or in suspicious times and circumstances.’ (2001 article in Gulf News, quoting official guidance booklet.)

Education, sports and work places are segregated.
Visitors are asked not to consume food or drink in public during Ramadan daylight hours.

Sharjah International Airport is opening new routes to bring tourists from Europe and Asia with more good quality tourist accommodation under construction. Visitors who are prepared to respect the emirate's strict Islamic laws during a Sharjah holiday offered a more modestly priced alternative to Dubai, with tourism looking set to becoming a mainstay of Sharjah’s economy.

The copyright of the article Sharjah Emirate Booms for Arabian Gulf Tourism in Middle East Travel is owned by Kate Nivison. Permission to republish Sharjah Emirate Booms for Arabian Gulf Tourism in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Sharjah Blue Souk, also called Sharjah Souk	Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, Desert Scenery	Sharjah Heritage City Centre
Sharjah Souk Fresh Fruit Stall	Sharjah Indian Ocean Coast Coral Garden