There was one destination that was on the mind of virtually every visitor to this year’s Arabian Travel Market, – the Nakheel Stand….
There was one destination that was on the mind of virtually every visitor to this year’s Arabian Travel Market, – the Nakheel Stand. The striking three storey construction with state-of-the art, interactive presentations and impressive project models was busy throughout the four days of the Show with visitors from Europe, the Far East, the United States as well as those from around the Middle East. Star of the show was clearly The World as the launch for sale of this unique project drew immediate and unprecedented international interest.
“We had three people fly overnight from Europe to Dubai to register their interest in purchasing islands,” said Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chairman of Nakheel. “We have had serious interest from investors and hotel groups from around the world, all fascinated by the possibilities presented by The World. We had expected strong interest once we announced the pricing but even we have been taken aback by the level of interest. The staff on the stand and also in our sales office have been overwhelmed by the number of inquiries about this unique project while the project model of The World has been a magnet for local, regional and international media attending the event.”
The World is expected to become a world-class tourist destination as it is likely, according to Nakheel, that several of the islands will house exclusive hotel and tourist developments. The 300 islands will also host private estates as well as various commercial developments.
Further features on both The Palm, Jumeirah and The Palm, Jebel Ali were also unveiled during the Show. These included the release of a new set of Water Homes on The Palm, Jebel Ali which features a new poem verse written by His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister. The opportunity to own these four bedroom elevated ‘Maldivian-like’ Water Homes also evoked a ‘fantastic response’, according to Nakheel, as buyers welcomed the opportunity to buy these unique waterfront properties.
As far as The Palm, Jumeirah is concerned the joint venture apartment development between Nakheel and IFA Hotels and Resorts on The Golden Mile announced at the Show sold out within 48 hours – a new record for The Palm!
Nakheel also unveiled plans for the Village Center, a luxurious residential and retail development, featuring what is sure to be one of Dubai’s most desirable addresses – the Marina Apartments, on the trunk of The Palm Jumeirah. This soon-to-be-released development provoked ‘enormous interest’ at the Show and Nakheel is confident that it will sell as quickly as The Palm and the Golden Mile.
“ATM is a key focus for Nakheel every year but this year’s event has been exceptional for us,” said Wahid Attalla, Executive Director, Commercial and Operations, Nakheel. “We have seen a tremendous number of visitors to our stand and the quality of these visitors has been excellent. We are already looking forward to next year’s event. We can promise that once again Nakheel will surprise and delight with further unique developments.”
Photo: Nakheel’s The World and The Palm, Jebel Ali
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
