Sharjah’s premier tourist, leisure and cultural destination Al-Qasba attracted over 1.3 million visitors in the first half of 2012, according to figures released by Al-Qasba Development Authority.
Spread over 10,000 hectares, Al-Qasba is home to a range of state-of-the-art entertainment, cultural and business venues. It features a manmade water canal that runs for a kilometer through the destination. Wooden boats are available for cruising along the canal and to the neighboring Khalid and Al-Khan lagoons. Facilities include the 60-meter-high Etisalat Eye of the Emirates Ferris Wheel, Maraya Art Center, the 300 seat Masrah Al Qasba Theatre, which hosts various Arabic and international concerts, films, plays and poetry evenings, Multaqa Al Qasba and many more.
According to the figures, around 379,193 visitors explored the restaurants and cafes in Al-Qasba, while Etisalat Eye of the Emirates received 54,245 visitors. The play area and Kids Fun Zone came third and fourth in terms of the number of visitors it received, followed by Al Qasba Musical Fountain, Masrah Al Qasba Theatre, Multaqa Al Qasba (Meetings & Conference Halls), Maraya Art Center and the walkways, respectively.
Ahmed Obaid Al-Qaseer, Chief Operating Officer at Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), attributed the growing number of visitors to Al-Qasba’s ability to meet the varied recreational, cultural and artistic needs of visitors and to offer diverse programs and an ideal environment for all members of the family to communicate and socialize. “Figures show a steady increase in the number of visitors year after year,” he added.
Al-Qaseer said the various facilities and amenities that the authority is continuously developing in Al-Qasba have significantly contributed to diversify the tourist product in the region, and attract and entertain visitors. He noted that the results of the many surveys conducted to measure customer satisfaction were positive. He said that the impressive family turnout in Al-Qasba is the best evidence of its success and excellence in meeting the needs of all members of the family. “We have developed integrated organizational measures to provide all means of comfort and luxury to our visitors,” he added.
Al-Qaseer said Al-Qasba continues its steady growth toward achieving its target of attracting a higher number of visitors in 2013. “In a time of accelerated rate of progress reported in the investment projects in the UAE, in general, and in Sharjah, in particular, the promotion of Al-Qasba has continued its strong growth. Al-Qasba has become a first class family destination that is able to capitalize on its leisure attractions to build a thriving tourist spot and to significantly and increasingly support domestic tourism, thanks to its integrated leisure and entertainment services which makes it a reliable destination for community, corporate and individuals, alike,” he said.
Al-Qasba: A complete family destination
Al-Qasba: A complete family destination
Russian cyclist finds warm welcome on Saudi Arabia’s roads
- Anna Rodnishcheva’s ride through Kingdom is defining chapter in solo expedition
- Rodnishcheva cycled to Aqaba, crossed the border into Saudi Arabia, and has since traveled through Tabuk, AlUla, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif on her way to Riyadh
MAKKAH: Solo adventurer Anna Rodnishcheva, 27, has undertaken an ambitious journey that spans countries, climates and cultures — on a bicycle.
Born and raised in Moscow and trained as a biologist before becoming an event photographer, she now finds herself pedaling thousands of kilometers across unfamiliar landscapes in pursuit of discovery, connection, and the simple joy of movement.
In her conversation with Arab News, Rodnishcheva offered a detailed account of her ongoing route in Saudi Arabia, describing how the expedition is her third major cycling adventure.
After previously riding from Moscow to Sochi and later from Vladivostok to Sochi — a route that stretches across the entirety of Russia — she felt compelled to explore foreign lands by bicycle.
She set off from Moscow heading south last June, passing through Russia, Georgia, and Turkiye before flying from Antalya to Amman. She cycled to Aqaba, crossed the border into Saudi Arabia, and has since traveled through Tabuk, AlUla, Madinah, Jeddah, and Taif on her way to Riyadh.
Rodnishcheva explained that physical preparation played only a small role in her planning. She began slowly and allowed her body to adapt naturally over the first month.
The true challenge, she said, was in the mental and financial preparation. She spent a year and a half planning the journey, even though she originally intended to postpone it for several more years.
Ultimately, her belief that “life is short” convinced her to start with the resources she already had. Although she sought medical evaluations and additional vaccinations, she was unable to complete them all and decided to continue regardless.
Her journey through Georgia and Turkiye presented unexpected difficulties. Simple tasks such as finding groceries or locating bicycle repair shops became more challenging outside of Russia, where she knew how to navigate on a budget.
She also encountered language barriers, though the situation improved when a local cyclist joined her in Georgia. The intense midsummer heat added another layer of difficulty, but she had prepared herself for such conditions.
One of the most striking moments of her trip occurred as she crossed from Jordan into Saudi Arabia. She described the experience as surreal and emotionally overwhelming, likening it to the adventures of a literary hero traveling across the Arabian Peninsula.
Her anxiety eased unexpectedly when she got a flat tire at the border, bringing her back to the present.
Despite being warned that crossing by bicycle would be prohibited, the process went smoothly, and she was struck by the friendliness of both Jordanian and Saudi officials. She expressed particular surprise at meeting a female Saudi passport officer, an encounter that challenged her previous assumptions about women’s roles in the Kingdom.
Rodnishcheva said the hospitality she had experienced in Saudi Arabia surpassed anything she had encountered on previous journeys. Drivers frequently stop to offer her water, fruit, or sweets, and several families have generously hosted her in their homes or guest flats.
She emphasized that she feels completely safe traveling across the Kingdom, especially on the open roads between cities, noting the strong and visible security presence.
She has also observed significant differences in weather. While the stretch from the border to Jeddah was hot despite being winter, the climate changed dramatically after climbing Al-Hada in Taif, turning cooler and windier — a climate she compared to Russian summers.
Rodnishcheva documents her travels primarily through Russian-language platforms such as VK and Telegram. Although she maintains YouTube and Instagram accounts, she explained that her schedule left little time for frequent updates.
Offering a message to women around the world who dream of embarking on similar adventures, she said such journeys were “not as scary as they seem before you start,” though they may not suit everyone.
Her closing advice? “Listen to your heart.”
