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29 March 2024

Sharjah's 'Wild Wadi' opens June

Al Majaz Waterfront. (SUPPLIED)

Published
By Parag Deulgaonkar

A themed amusement park in Sharjah with water rides similar to Dubai’s Wild Wadi is set to open in June, a top government official told Emirates 24|7.

“We are co-investing in the Al Mountazah project through a joint venture with an established UAE company. The park is expected to officially open by mid-June,” said Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Chief Executive Officer, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq).

“Entertainment is very important if you want to be a touristic destination. This project is going to create a vibe for Sharjah… it will be more of a catalyst to attract families who want to enjoy good time in the emirate.”

The existing park has been scrapped and new rides will be on the line of one seen in Jumeirah’s Wild Wadi. But, the rides won’t be as grand at the above destination.

 “We are taking the old theme park… scrapping it but are keeping the landscape. We are developing one part as a water theme park and the other as an entertainment zone with rides, restaurants and cafes.”

Wild Wadi, situated in front of the Burj Al Arab,  offers 30 rides and attractions for all the family. It is themed around the tale of Juha, a known character from the Arabian folklore, according to Jumeirah website.

Al Sarkal further disclosed there were no plans to build a mega theme park in the emirate and the current one, under constriction, was based on the parks built in Italy and Denmark.

“Our benchmark was not Universal, Disney or Paramount… those are mega theme parks and have to be built outside the city. We are thinking of inner city parks similar to ones found in Italy and Denmark… these have been financially very successful.”

Shurooq will be announcing a new tourism project that will be developed on an island within the emirate at the Arabian Travel Market 2013, which opens on May 6.

“The project will generate large scale of international interest. We are also looking forward to promoting our many on going and completed projects,” Al Sarkal stated.