Emirates plans to open Wolgan resort in October

With the construction of Emirates' Dh142 million Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, its first luxury conservation-based resort outside Dubai, in Australia's Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, reaching completion, the resort is on track for October 1 opening, Emirates said yesterday. "We are well on schedule for our October 1 soft opening," Joost Heymeijer, General Manager, Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, said in a statement. "We have reached that point in the development when the hard construction work is behind us and the focus shifts onto detail, quality finishing and preparation for operations." Built on the same principles as Emirates' Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai, the Wolgan Valley Resort is fully integrated into its environment, Emirates said, adding that the resort has over 100 solar-energy units, significantly reducing its energy consumption and resources footprint. The Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa was originally scheduled to open in October 2007, but faced "unexpected" delays due to objections from the Australian government at that time, due to which the target opening date was rescheduled to the first quarter of 2008. The project, said to be the most expensive eco-resorts with rooms costing up to $900 (Dh3,301) per night, would provide luxury accommodation to support Australia's drive in markets such as the Middle East and the United States. Keep up with the latest business news from the region with the Emirates Business 24|7 daily newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, please click here .