Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH), a leading hospitality group with interests spanning tourism, transportation and catering, is to invest around AED 700 million (US $190 million) in a five-star destination resort on Saadiyat Island – the natural island lying 500 metres offshore from the UAE capital city.

The resort will be built on the island’s secluded Saadiyat Beach district with ADNH purchasing an 807,000 square feet plot for the project from Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), the tourism asset development arm of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA).

“This will be a flagship addition to the growing ADNH portfolio,” said Khalifa Nasser Huwaileel Al Mansoori, Chairman, ADNH, “and we are pleased to be one of the first partners in this ambitious Saadiyat Island development.”

The resort will boast a 400,000 square feet hotel with around 400 rooms and will be managed by an international hotel operator.

“We anticipate making further announcements, including details of the design, selected architects and operator, in the not too distant future,” said Al Mansoori. “We expect construction to begin in the first quarter of next year with the resort opening in the second quarter of 2009.”

The ADNH resort will have a unique setting overlooking a 300 metre-wide beach.

“The unique environment of Saadiyat Island and its beaches present special opportunities to hotel and resort developers,” said Mubarak Al Muhairi, Managing Director, TDIC, “Directly behind the ADNH plot beachfront lie a series of natural sand dunes and fauna.

“Guests will access the resort beaches by a series of boardwalks and pathways that will meander through the picturesque dune environment. Once on the beach, visitors will experience a completely natural setting that is only a few minutes walk from their hotel rooms.”

ADNH plans to create a resort in harmony with nature while providing premium luxury hospitality.

“ADNH has a long history of catering to high-end hotel clientele and we anticipate our Saadiyat Beach development will cement our reputation for delivering projects of excellence,” added Al Mansoori.

TDIC says it has chosen only a few select developers for projects on Saadiyat Beach and has established strict development criteria for the area.

“Our aim for Saadiyat Beach is to have highly landscaped resorts that are secluded and private. Development concepts for the beach must take into consideration the natural environment as well as offering hotel guests recreational amenities and entertainment on a par with the world’s best resort settings. ADNH was selected for development because we were extremely impressed with its approach and concept,” said Al Muhairi.

Saadiyat Beach, which lies to the north west of Saadiyat Island, is masterplanned to produce a range of five-star resorts flanking nine kilometres of pristine beach, a championship golf course with freehold villas, dedicated sailing club and private beach clubs, all creating a celebrity see-and-be-seen atmosphere.

Saadiyat Island, which translates from Arabic as ‘Island of Happiness,’ is to be developed in three phases from 2006-2018. Half the size of the tropical island of Bermuda, Saadiyat is the Middle East’s largest single natural island development.

Enabling works to clear the ground for infrastructure development of the island are now underway and an international tender has been issued for the building of a 10-lane highway bridge linking the capital city with Saadiyat Island.

About Abu Dhabi National Hotels:
ADNH has business interests in tourism, transportation and catering and the management of four, five-star hotels in the UAE. The company was established more than 20 years ago as a shareholding company with three hotels purchased from the Government of Abu Dhabi, later an industrial catering division was set up to broaden its activities.

Today ADNH includes the tour operator Sunshine Tours and the Al Ghazal Transportation Company – a liveried taxi and chauffeur-driven service provider.

In addition, the company’s DIAR division has six executive hotels and two resorts and manages two projects – one hotel and the Al Shattee Palace, owned by the Government of Abu Dhabi.

ADNH also has additional overseas interests in a number of hotels and resorts.

About Tourism Development & Investment Company:
Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) is a public joint stock company established under Law No: 12 o0f 2005 as decreed by the Abu Dhabi Ruler and UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. TDIC is an independent organization empowered to manage the tourism investment zones of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which directs and implements strategy for the expansion of the emirate’s tourism sector. TDIC will develop the real estate assets that support ADTA’s mission of assisting UAE economic diversification through tourism development.

TDIC, launched with an initial paid-up capital of AED 100 million (US $27.5 million) with its shareholding fully owned by ADTA, operates along strictly commercial lines with its projects being self-sustaining and economically feasible. Its activities include creating development and tourism related concepts for specific sites and locations, disposing of, or repositioning, government-owned tourism related assets, entering into joint ventures with investment partners for assets, such as hotels or residential products, as well as serving as the master developer for large scale projects.

About Saadiyat Island:
Saadiyat Island – which translates from Arabic as Island of Happiness – is the largest single mixed-use development in the Arabian Gulf. The 27 square kilometre natural island – half the size of Bermuda – lies only 500 metres offshore Abu Dhabi island – the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. Saadiyat Island is being developed into a complete visitor and residential destination.

Saadiyat Island represents one of the most important development opportunities in Abu Dhabi’s history. The island, which has 30kms of water frontage and boasts many natural eco-features, including mangrove forests, is being developed as a strategic international tourism destination and marks a new era in the rapid evolution of Abu Dhabi, the largest of the seven emirates which form the UAE Federation.

Saadiyat Island will be developed in three phases with total completion scheduled for 2018. The masterplan envisages six highly individual districts and includes 29 hotels, including an iconic 7-star property, three marinas with combined berths for around 1,000 boats, museums and cultural centres, two golf courses, civic and leisure facilities, sea-view apartments and elite villas.

Saadiyat Island is expected to be home to a community of more than 150,000 people – the same population size as Chang Mai in Thailand, Oxford in the UK or Hollywood in the USA.

Saadiyat Island will be linked to the main Abu Dhabi island and the Abu Dhabi mainland via two, 10-lane freeways making the destination easily accessible to Abu Dhabi International Airport, just a 25 kilometre drive away.

Saadiyat Island is being developed by the Tourism Development & Investment Compaqny (TDIC), an independent public joint stock company of which Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority is the sole shareholder. TDIC’s strategy is to dispose of development land on the island to private investors who will each develop their sites in accordance with the masterplan and supporting planning regulations and design guidelines.

For further information: Barbara Saunders, MCS/Action. Tel: +9714 390 2960; fax: +9714 390 8161. email: Barbara.s@actionprgroup.com
Or visit Saadiyat Island online at: www.saadiyat.ae
Or visit TDIC online at: www.tdic.ae