General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, yesterday inaugurated the Desert Islands Resort on Sir Bani Yas Island.
The five-star resort, the first phase of the integrated Desert Islands tourist project, is run by Anantara Resort & Spa of Thailand.
The Desert Islands project encompasses Sir Bani Yas along with eight natural islands off the western beaches of Abu Dhabi. It is being developed by the Tourism Development & Investment Company. Sheikh Mohammed toured an exhibition of plans of the successive phase to develop a number of quality tourism projects to be executed on the Sir Bani Yas and other islands nearby.
He was briefed by TDIC officials on the type of projects to be built on Sir Bani Yas and the progress of work on them, which will be completed in 2014. They include six hotels, resorts, sea fronts for marine sports, natural camping, residential villages with Arabian architecture, canals and other facilities.
Work on the eight Desert Islands is expected to be completed in 2018.
Sheikh Mohammed stressed the significance of the natural and environmental tourism sector as well as the need to promote it.
Meanwhile, TDIC's CEO Lee Tabler said the opening of phase one of Desert Islands forms an important step and a landmark in the company's plans to develop the western region.
Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was committed to turning Sir Bani Yas into a safe reserve for rare species of birds, animals and plants.