Beyond the familiar
Above: Khorfakkan showcases Sharjah’s east coast appeal
His Excellency Khalid Jasim Saif Al Midfa , Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), outlines the priorities sustaining Sharjah’s resilience and expanding its international tourism appeal
A cross city, coast and desert, Sharjah is giving visitors more reasons than ever before to explore the emirate in greater depth. New hospitality, infrastructure and destination projects are broadening its appeal, while cultural and natural assets remain central to the long-term tourism proposition. Q: What has underpinned Sharjah’s resilience, and how has SCTDA maintained confidence? Sharjah’s resilience as a destination is rooted in the strength and diversity of its tourism proposition. The emirate has never relied on one type of visitor or one single tourism experience; rather, it offers a balanced mix of culture, heritage, family attractions, nature, sustainability, adventure, leisure, business events and coastal experiences. This has enabled us to remain relevant to a wide range of travellers while adapting to changing expecta- tions and market conditions. That diversity is reinforced by a year-round calendar including the Sharjah Light Festival, Sharjah Inter- national Book Fair, Sharjah Heritage Days, F1H2O Grand Prix of Sharjah and the Tanweer Festival in Mleiha. Our approach has been to build confidence through consistency, quality and collaboration. We work closely with hotels, travel operators, airlines, attractions, event organisers and investors, while con-
tinuing to promote the emirate internationally through targeted trade engagement, destination campaigns and familiarisation programmes. The continued growth in visitor interest reflects the confidence the market has in Sharjah and the destina- tion’s ability to combine authenticity with accessibility. Q: What should international travellers and the travel trade understand about modern Sharjah and what it has to offer? Sharjah offers a much broader destination story while remaining true to the identity that has always distin- guished it. Recognised by UNESCO as the Cultural Capital of the Arab World (1998) and Capital of Islam- ic Culture (2014), Sharjah gives visitors the opportunity to engage with the region’s history, arts, architecture and living traditions. This has been further strengthened by the addition of the Al Faya Palaeolandscape to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Preserving evidence of human presence and adapta- tion in south-east Arabia over more than 200,000 years, it reinforces Sharjah’s role as a destination for archaeol- ogy, heritage and knowledge-based tourism. The emirate’s tourism offering extends far beyond this. Visitors can enjoy the east coast’s beaches and mountain landscapes, explore the mangroves and wild- life in Kalba, experience adventure and archaeological
H.E. Khalid Al Midfa
52 | ATM YEARBOOK 2026
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