Dubai Festival City has doubled the size of its stand for ATM 2005. “The growth in our participation is in line with the extensive progress made on the development and the increasing role we see this waterfront destination playing in the tourism aspirations of Dubai,” said Bassem Terkawi, PR and events manager, Dubai Festival City.
The iconic waterfront project is also to unveil a new double-storey stand specially designed for ATM to reflect the diversity of its hospitality and leisure offerings. “We are currently in negotiations with a number of possible partners to operate leisure facilities at Dubai Festival City and we hope to use ATM 2005 to solidify commitment and announce new agreements,” added Terkawi. Dubai Festival City, , the ‘city-within-a-city’ being built on the banks of Dubai Creek, already has partnerships with InterContinental Hotels Group and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts for two prime properties on the development. Foundation work is well under way on the marina-view InterContinental Dubai Festival City. The 450-room hotel and convention centre, which will overlook the project’s Festival Centre retail, leisure and entertainment hub, will also feature executive apartments and 3,000 sq m of conference and banquet facilities.
The luxury, waterfront Four Seasons Hotel Dubai, which will open in the first half of 2007, will have 250 rooms, a destination spa, five restaurants and a range of conference and banqueting facilities. In addition, the new Four Seasons Golf & Country Club Dubai Festival City will open early in 2007. It will include the Al Badia golf course and its iconic clubhouse and associated facilities, tennis and squash courts as well as beauty, spa, massage, wellness and lifestyle rooms. Design of the facilities is under way, and will reflect the superior standards for which Four Seasons is internationally recognised.
“As a sporting, convention, entertainment and shopping destination, Dubai Festival City will attract a range of tourists seeking variety in a central location,” said Terkawi. Dubai Festival City is being developed along 1,600 acres on the banks of Dubai’s historic Creek. The mixed-use development is an Al Futtaim Group project and the Middle East’s largest, privately-funded, real estate initiative.