Shurooq announces Kalba Eco-Tourism project

Dubai, May 2, 2012 (WAM) In a groundbreaking move, the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), in collaboration with the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) in Sharjah, has announced the launch of an eco-tourism project, which will be implemented in Kalba City in the Emirate of Sharjah. The announcement was made by Marwan Bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq, during a press conference, which was held yesterday (Tuesday) on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2012. The press conference was held in the presence of Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) in Sharjah, Abdullah Saif Al Yamahi, Chairman of the Kalba Municipal Council, Tim Rundle, Director of the International Conservation Services, a number of officials and individuals concerned with tourism, as well as media representatives. The project, the largest of its kind in the development eco-tourism facilities in the UAE and the region, will be set up in Khor Kalba, 15 km south of Fujairah city on the UAE-Oman borders. The Kalba Eco-Tourism Project, which will be developed in collaboration with the Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority(EPAA), and the International Conservation Services, will feature natural reserves and diverse tourist and commercial facilities. 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, so as to encourage investment by adopting the best international standards in providing quality services that help attract investors from the region and the world. The Authority's main mission is to provide the necessary facilities and incentives, to overcome obstacles facing investment activities in the Emirate, to evaluate tourism-related infrastructure projects, and to lay down the necessary plans and groundwork to complete such projects. – Emirates News Agency, WAM