Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has announced the launch of City Sightseeing Sharjah tour buses at a press conference held at Al Majaz Waterfront.
Present were Mohamed Ali Al Noman, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce & Tourism Development Authority, Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, Shurooq CEO, Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, Shurooq COO, Enrique Ybarra Valdenebro, President & CEO City Sightseeing Worldwide, and Gonzalo Ruiz Garcia, City Sightseeing General Manager, in addition to a number of VIP’s and various media representatives.After the press conference, the media and guests were given a tour in Sharjah with City Sightseeing’s signature red double-decker buses.
With their presence on five continents and over 99 top tourism destinations across the world, the launch of City Sightseeing in Sharjah comes as an important leap for the budding tourism sector of Sharjah. Statistics have revealed that City Sightseeing carried more than 9 million passengers in 2011, in cities such as London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Seville, Istanbul, Singapore, Edinburgh, Brussels, Copenhagen, Glasgow, Dublin, Cape Town and Oxford.
On the occasion, Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), commented, “At Shurooq we are constantly looking to build and expand Sharjah’s tourism infrastructure, as can be seen through our many highly successful projects such as Al Qasba and Al Majaz Waterfront.”He added that the addition of a tour bus service was the logical next step to further adding value to Sharjah’s tourism experience. City Sightseeing has proven its worth as one of the best tourist transporter by their huge presence in some of the world’s most beautiful cities. “Extending their services to Sharjah now, City Sightseeing Sharjah will provide an international standard of service to aid us in further developing the emirate’s already flourishing tourism sector.”
Mohamed Ali Al Noman stressed on the importance of the initiative to launch the sightseeing tourism buses in Sharjah, by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) as part of the collective efforts to encourage the significant projects that promote the emirate and boost its position on the world tourism map.The service of these double decker buses can be availed 365 days a year, seven days a week, run non-stop all-year-round at highly affordable rates, with ticket prices at AED 85 for adults and AED 45 for the younger lot valid for 24 hour. The buses have also been specifically designed for Shurooq to accommodate the conditions in the region, with a convertible rooftop that can be removed during the temperate winter months to create an open top tour experience or kept in place to ensure a fully air-conditioned interior for comfortable summer tours.
Enrique Ybarra Valdenebro, President & CEO City Sightseeing Worldwide said, “Making travel more enjoyable and memorable for holiday-makers is what we do best. We are truly happy to launch our services in a city like Sharjah, which is considered the cultural hub of the Arab world. With its vast historical and Islamic heritage and its numerous award winning leisure options, Sharjah is the perfect destination for those who want to understand the evolution of this great nation, while enjoying a truly singular tourism experience.”The buses will include an audio guide for passengers which can be used through the headphone available inside the buses, explaining the significance of historical places in German, Russian, English, and Arabic and 5 more to be added in the future which are Chinese, Spanish, Urdu, Indian and French.
