Eco-tourism accolade for Al Maha
Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa yesterday has been named the region’s leading sustainable eco-tourism development by a collective of environmentalists, academics and government officials who met for an environmental conference this week.
Organised by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water, the Sustainable Eco-Tourism in Desert Ecosystems conference in Dubai was arranged to discuss sustainable development, conservation of natural resources and tourism growth.
A benchmark in discussions was the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR); the first and largest protected wildlife conservation area in the UAE, formally recognised as a Protected Area by UNEP and also home to Emirates Hotels and Resorts’ Al Maha property.
In 2003, the Government of Dubai took the decision to create the conservation area and charged Emirates with its management and protection.
Since then, Emirates has invested over AED 10 million (US $2.7 million) in support of wildlife conservation programmes, scientific research and protection of this 225km² area.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline and Group and the chairman of the Dubai Conservation Board, commented: “We are honoured that Al Maha and the DDCR have been held up internationally as a foremost example of sustainable tourism development at this prestigious conference.
“We are determined to preserve a balance between conservation and Dubai’s rapid urban expansion.
“Emirates and Al Maha have contributed enormously to ensure the management of conservation, research and tourism within the DDCR is at the highest international standards.”
“Much of the region’s natural resources, habitats and wildlife are under pressure; however, sustainable developments such as Al Maha offer the biggest opportunities to develop the tourism economy, while also protecting natural and historic heritage into the future,” he added.
Since the opening of Al Maha in 1999, the resort has accomplished major projects such as the successful re-introduction of the Arabian Oryx, Arabian Gazelle, Sand Gazelle and large-scale indigenous flora re-seeding programmes within the DDCR.