From lush mangroves to rugged mountains, more travellers are looking to explore the UAE's natural beauty – but it's not just the call of the wild that is drawing in the crowds.
A report from booking.com found that 75 per cent of holidaymakers want to travel more sustainably, with the UAE in a prime position to meet a growing demand for ecotourism experiences.
Raki Phillips, chief executive of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, told The National that this travel trend is translating to higher visitor numbers in an emirate that is cementing its status as a nature and adventure hub.
Mr Phillips said that sustainability is a major consideration for travellers, particularly for those aged under 30.
Ras Al Khaimah recorded its best tourism figures in 2023 – the most recent statistics released – welcoming 1.22 million overnight arrivals, up eight per cent on 2022 and bolstered by a 24 per cent year-on-year surge in international visitors.
Ecotourism boom
The global ecotourism industry was estimated to be worth $248 billion in 2024, according to Precedence Research, with this number set to hit $945 billion by 2034.
"Ecotourism is so important to the community, it is driving a new type of tourist that really cares about authentic connection," said the Ras Al Khaimah tourism chief.
Mr Phillips revealed that a "significant amount" of ecofriendly development will be announced this year for Jebel Jais – the highest peak in the UAE.
Green tourism shoots for the economy
The UAE government has rolled out its "Coolest Winter" campaign, now in its fifth year, which aims to promote community engagement in agritourism by encouraging visits to farms and agricultural projects.
The theme of this year's campaign is "green tourism", which experts say could yield economic benefits.
John Burt, a professor of biology at NYU Abu Dhabi, who was awarded the Sheikh Mubarak Al Nahyan Award for natural history for his contributions to enhancing public awareness of the Emirates' marine systems, told The National that green tourism activities have the capacity to engage the public, increasing their awareness and appreciation of surrounding ecosystems.
"There are also the underappreciated conservation benefits that come from the economic value of ecotourism. Because ecosystems become sources of funds for local communities and businesses, there is an incentive to protect and conserve these habitats to ensure their long-term sustainability," he said.
Hatta at heart of vision
Examples of the agri-tourism sites under the winter campaign include the Hatta Honeybee Garden and Discovery Centre. The honey farm offers tours, beekeeper training and interactive workshops that educate tourists about the historical and ecological significance of bees and pollinators.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, recently set out the emirate's ambitions to turn Hatta into a "global model for harmony between humans and nature" after reviewing progress on a Dh3.6 billion master plan for the enclave.
Sheikh Mohammed unveiled the Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls project, which is at the heart of efforts to boost tourism and draw investment to the beauty spot.
Conservation benefits of ecotourism
Beyond economic benefits, experts say that ecotourism can generate revenue for environmental projects, educating visitors, and encouraging communities to protect natural resources.
Dr Maryam Rashed Al Shehhi, assistant professor in civil and environmental engineering at Khalifa University, told The National that in the UAE eco-tourism initiatives have significantly contributed to conservation efforts. For example, Sir Bani Yas Island, home to the Arabian Wildlife Park, supports more than 13,000 animals, including the Arabian oryx, which was reintroduced through conservation-funded ecotourism.
"Similarly, Jubail Mangrove Park preserves mangrove ecosystems that protect coastlines and support biodiversity, while eco-activities like kayaking raise awareness and generate funding," said Dr Al Shehhi.
Meanwhile, Fujairah recently added four hiking trails to its growing network, with a fifth on the way, as part of a drive to boost the emirate's status as a nature tourism hub and encourage more people to enjoy the great outdoors.
The routes bring the number of approved trails in the mountainous emirate to 15 and coincide with an expected winter season boom as residents and tourists take advantage of the cooler weather.
Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, director general of Emirates Nature-WWF, highlighted that healthy and diverse coastal ecosystems were essential for sustainable tourism to thrive.
"Our assessment of natural capital in the Umm Al Quwain lagoon reveals that combining conservation and ecotourism is key to maximising ecosystem services – conservation can boost tourism and recreation benefits by up to 50 per cent, including increased footfall and visitor spending.”
The Umm Al Quwain Department of Tourism and Archaeology recently unveiled plans for its first ecotrail to open in early 2025. The initiative aims to raises awareness about the rich biodiversity and ecological value of the emirate's coastal lagoon. The ecotrail will be implemented in partnership with environmental charity Emirates Nature-WWF.
The emirate is working to harness ecotourism to generate sources of income that support the natural renewal of the marine and coastal environment, in line with the objectives of the UAQ sustainable blue economy strategy 2031. Currently, the blue economy, a term that refers to the economic activity associated with oceans, seas, and coastal regions, which is expected to contribute about 40 per cent to Umm Al Quwain's gross domestic product by 2031.
Mobile phone packages comparison
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
West Asia Premiership
Dubai Hurricanes 58-10 Dubai Knights Eagles
Dubai Tigers 5-39 Bahrain
Jebel Ali Dragons 16-56 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
MO
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
ODI FIXTURE SCHEDULE
First ODI, October 22
Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Second ODI, October 25
Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune
Third ODI, October 29
Venue TBC
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
Banthology: Stories from Unwanted Nations
Edited by Sarah Cleave, Comma Press
MATCH INFO
Serie A
Juventus v Fiorentina, Saturday, 8pm (UAE)
Match is on BeIN Sports
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch
Power: 710bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 340km/h
Price: Dh1,000,885
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Karnatake Tuskers 114-1 (10 ovs)
Charles 57, Amla 47
Bangla Tigers 117-5 (8.5 ovs)
Fletcher 40, Moores 28 no, Lamichhane 2-9
Bangla Tiger win by five wickets
If you go
The flights
The closest international airport for those travelling from the UAE is Denver, Colorado. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from the UAE via London from Dh3,700 return, including taxes. From there, transfers can be arranged to the ranch or it’s a seven-hour drive. Alternatively, take an internal flight to the counties of Cody, Casper, or Billings
The stay
Red Reflet offers a series of packages, with prices varying depending on season. All meals and activities are included, with prices starting from US$2,218 (Dh7,150) per person for a minimum stay of three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit red-reflet-ranch.net.
