Sharjah’s Shurooq to reopen its hospitality and leisure destinations

Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has readied its hospitality, ecotourism and leisure destinations to welcome local and foreign visitors.

The move has been made in adherence to the UAE government’s health and safety protocols.

Speaking to the official news agency WAM, Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, chief operating officer of Shurooq, said that the authority had adhered to precautionary measures at its destinations to ensure the safety of visitors without intrusive measures.

All destinations were working at 30 per cent capacity and were provided thermal scanners at entrances, and all visitors were mandated to wear masks and gloves.

Additionally, a medical team was available in each destination in case of emergencies. and the destinations were open to families and individuals of all ages, from 9am-9pm until further notice.

The COO said that all restaurants and cafes in Al Qasba, Al Majaz Waterfront, Al Noor Island, The Flag Island, Heart of Sharjah, Mleiha Archaeological and Ecotourism Project, Al Montazah Parks and other hospitality destinations, followed a physical distancing policy that limited the number of guests at a table to four.

Seats are placed two metres apart, and only disposable cutlery is used.

Warning signs have been put up in all open areas to ensure visitors comply with the two-metre distancing rule.

Al Majaz Waterfront will limit entry to its water park to 30 children at a time, while the children’s play area in Al Qasba will be limited to 23 children. The Kids Fun House will accommodate a maximum of 61 children at a time. Meanwhile, Al Noor Island Butterfly House will be limited to five visitors at a time.

City Sightseeing Sharjah’s tour buses which operate between 9 am and 5 pm are sterilised after every tour, passengers’ temperatures are checked before boarding and the seating ensures a safe distance between passengers.

Currently, only one passenger is allowed per row, with the maximum capacity of having 20 – 35 passengers on board.

For Mleiha Archaeological & Ecotourism Project, only three guests are allowed inside the destination’s 4×4 transport cars which are sterilised pre- and post-use and have been modified to include a plastic separator between guests and staff members.

Guests from one family or first-degree relatives are allowed to be seated together, with a two-person limit in tents. Corporate bookings are limited to a maximum number of four persons in a group.