Desert Islands flies in more business

Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) has launched scheduled flights to Sir Baniyas Island, which are expected to more than double the amount of guests reaching the destination’s Desert Islands Resort & Spa by plane.

TDIC senior marketing manager - Western Region Lars Nielsen said: “At the moment, 90% of visitors arrive by boat. Once the new flights launch, we expect 25% to arrive by plane.”

The scheduled flights, which start this week, take off every Thursday and Saturday on a 50-seaster DASH-8 passenger aircraft. The flight-time is 25 minutes and costs AED 380 (US $103) per seat each way.

TDIC already operates eight-seater flights from Abu Dhabi on the Cessna Caravan aircraft, which take guests on a flight above the island before landing.

Pilots are currently undergoing training in order to land these planes on water, adding to the arrival experience, said Neilsen.

All flights depart from Abu Dhabi International Airport, at the Abu Dhabi Aviation and Royal Jet terminals, and land at the new regional airport on Sir Baniyas Island, currently under development.

“People work hard during the week, so using the new planes will save them an hour and a half on journey time there and back,” said Neilsen.

“We are not only launching a new tourism destination, but starting an entire air carrier,” he added.

Visitors to Sir Baniyas Island will stay at the TDIC-owned, Anantara-operated Desert Islands Resort & Spa, which was the first hotel to open on the island in October 2008.

Neilsen said that more hotels would open on the island over the next seven to eight years, with a total of 1800 to 2000 rooms planned.