Al Qasba, the premiere tourist, cultural and entertainment destination in Sharjah, hosted a series of events to mark the fifth anniversary of the opening of Etisalat Eye of the Emirates, a landmark attraction of the city.

The Etisalat-Eye of the Emirates offers 360-degree aerial views of the Sharjah Buheira corniche and nearby lagoons and landscape. The 60 m high wheel is the largest in the region and was originally designed in the Netherlands.

The emirate's key attraction has 42 cabins that can carry 336 passengers at a time, said a statement from Al Qasba.

The celebrations began at Al Qasba on April 14 night with several colourful programmes including a public parade as well as a private ceremony which was attended by Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) and other officials.

The major highlights were special live performances and the annual anniversary fireworks show held over the destination’s waterfront.

The celebrations also highlighted the formalization of a three-year strategic partnership between Al Qasba and Etisalat, which was first discussed by the two groups back in July 2008.

For Etisalat, the partnership includes the sponsorship and branding of the 'Eye of the Emirates' attraction and a portfolio of related events to be held at Al Qasba during the three-year period.

Marwan Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of the Al Qasba Development Authority, said a larger promotional and marketing campaign throughout the UAE was also underway to reinforce the Al Qasba/Etisalat partnership.

Al Sarkal said he was optimistic about the future of Sharjah’s entertainment and tourist potential as businesses at Al Qasba see profits coming back in and an increase in visitor numbers compared to previous months.

According to the latest report by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), the tourism industry in Sharjah has retained its leading position on the tourism map with visitors increasing 9 per cent in the second half of 2009, bouncing back from a 15 per cent decline in the first half of the year.

“It is good to see the entertainment industry thriving once again as we celebrate the anniversary of one of Sharjah’s most iconic landmarks,” Al Sarkal commented.

“Our partnerships with companies like Etisalat have gone above and beyond our expectations, and we look forward to strengthening these collaborations in our future work,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service