Shurooq puts Sharjah in focus at ITB Berlin 2013

Taking place from the 6th to the 10th of March, ITB Berlin is considered to be the world's leading travel trade show, and Shurooq has been making use of the opportunity to promote Sharjah's investment potential in its tourism and leisure industry, as well as its healthcare and environment sectors, in addition to the opportunities available in Sharjah's freezones, as Hamriyah Free Zone Authority is participating this year along with Shurooq.

The first day of ITB Berlin 2013, saw Shurooq's participation already garnering high levels of interest and acclaim with regards to the quality and diversity of the Authority's many projects as well as the multitude of services they offer to established and potential investors, with projects such as the Kalba Eco Tourism project, City Sightseeing Sharjah, and the Khorfakkan Resort, among many others receiving extremely positive feedback.

A special point of interest has been the showcase of the Authority's landmark leisure and heritage project, the Heart of Sharjah, which has generated large-scale interest from delegates from across the globe.

Commenting on the response to the project, Shurooq CEO HE Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal said, "The very nature of the Heart of Sharjah project, which will see the historical heart of the city of Sharjah restored and revitalised, has struck a deep chord with visitors to our ITB stand. This is the first time that the full project model is being put on display, giving viewers the chance to get a true overview of the immense scope of the project. When completed Heart of Sharjah will be comprised of a range of diverse commercial, cultural and residential areas, featuring traditional markets, restaurants, cafes, museums, art galleries and hotels, and will ultimately serve as a focal point for a large number of the events that take place on Sharjah's busy culture and heritage calendar."

Al Sarkal went on to add, "The first of the five phases in the development is well on track and noted that the archaeological excavations of the area beneath Bank Street, one of the most historical sections of the city of Sharjah, which are currently underway have been of special interest to the international community. "The Heart of Sharjah project is truly unique. The project represents far more than just a commercial leisure and tourism development. Central to Shurooq's mandate is the development of Sharjah based on the Emirate's distinct Arab and Islamic identity and the Heart of Sharjah does just that. It serves not only as an example of how tradition and progress can be successfully melded, but also as a benchmark against which other authorities and developers can measure prospective projects, making this project one of the most significant in the UAE and the region to date."

In addition to showcasing the Authority's various projects and disseminating a publication that details the Authority's various current and future projects initiatives, and services, the delegation from Shurooq, which includes Shurooq CEO HE Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Saud Al Mazroui, Hamriyah Free Zone Director of Commercial Affairs, Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, Shurooq COO, Director of Business Development at Shurooq, Elie Armaly, Head of Investment Promotion at Shurooq, Mohamed Juma Al Musharrkh, Tourism Executive at Shurooq Hatem Heidar and Sultan Mohammed Shattaf, Manager of Al Qasba a number of meetings with members of participating delegations and representatives of travel agencies, hoteliers, and investors are also scheduled to take place with the aim of exploring future avenues of cooperation and collaboration.

Further commenting on Shurooq's presence in the Germany, Marwan Al Sarkal noted, "Germany had always been an important economic partner of the UAE. There are currently more than 800 German companies established in the UAE and, in 2011, the volume of trade between the UAE and Germany exceeded $11bn, making it one of Germany's most important markets in the MENA Region. He went on to point out that the relationship between Sharjah and Germany was especially strong, as evidenced by the establishment of the Sharjah Chapter of the German Emirati Joint Council for Industry and Commerce (AHK) and the recently held first Sharjah - German Roundtable, hosted jointly by Shurooq and the Sharjah Chapter of the AHK."

As the world's leading travel trade show, ITB Berlin brings together representatives from across the spectrum of the travel and tourism sector, including destinations, tour operators, booking systems, carriers, hotels, and all other suppliers, as well as government bodies from around the globe, to discuss and collaborate on overcoming any obstacle that the industry might face.

Shurooq was established in 2009 with the aim of achieving social, cultural, environmental and economic development on the basis of Sharjah's distinct Arab and Islamic identity, and to encourage investment by adopting the best international standards in providing quality services that help attract investors from the region and the world.

Shurooq's key mission is to provide facilities and incentives to help overcome obstacles facing investment activities in the emirate, evaluate tourism-related infrastructure projects, and lay down the necessary plans to complete such projects.