Al Marjan Island 4.38

Al Marjan Island is a group of 4 coral-shaped islands in a man-made archipelago located in Ras al-Khaimah, in the Persian Gulf. It is administered by the Al Marjan Island Company. Several resorts, beaches and other tourism destinations are located in the four islands, being one of the UAE's top tourism spots. The area has received over 100 thousand visitors during 2013.HistoryStarted as a tourism enterprise, the five-year construction development started in 2013 now harbors a quasi-metropolis, fully equipped with a developed residential area and hospitality industry, as well as adjoining infrastructure.Although still under development, at full operation, it is expected to host up to 20 thousand party-goers at its clubs, hotels and other facilities, with an estimated foreign investment starting at Dh19 billion. The Island now houses 45% of the total 5-star hotel rooms in the Emirate through its 3 resorts - the Rixos Bab Al Bahr, Hilton, and Al Marjan Island Hotel & Spa; capacity will exceed 10 thousand rooms by 2017 in the Emirate, half of it in the Island.While more than 100 thousand foreigners visited the Island during 2014, 23% of the total number of visitors during the first quarter of 2013 were UAE nationals. The tourism industry is diversifying due to the slump in Russian inward tourism; the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority is now looking towards eastern Europe and the UK to prop up its numbers, with tourism expected to generate approximately 20% of the Emirate's GDP.A project to hold a soccer-themed resolt sponsored by Real Madrid in the Island was scrapped in late 2013 due to lack of funding. The RAK government, however, is in talks to reformulate that investment with the help of other investors.