Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach opened on Thursday, December 15, creating another key destination for cruise ship passengers in Arabian Gulf.
The ceremony was performed by chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, Mohammed Al Mubarak, under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region.
Sir Bani Yas is one of the country’s largest natural reserves open to the public, and investment in its development will build upon the island’s flourishing reputation into a tourist destination, he said.
The beach will contribute towards increasing cruise passenger traffic, which is estimated to grow by 9 percent in the 2016-2017 season.
The official launch of Sir Bani Yas Cruise Beach coincided with the arrival of the 18-deck vessel, MSC Fantasia, which made Abu Dhabi Cruise terminal its winter-sun home and set sail to Sir Bani Yas with almost 4000 passengers.
The beach is expected to attract more than 60,000 passengers from 39 stopover cruise line calls in its first season alone.