Shurooq launches lodge to attract ecotourists

The Kingfisher Lodge is due to be completed by the end of the first half of this year

Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) yesterday announced it has begun work on the Kalba Kingfisher Lodge, an ecotourism project, in collaboration with the Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA).

Shurooq said the five-star hospitability project, featuring a tented camp within the mangrove nature reserve in Kalba, is a “perfect addition to its strategy of promoting environmentally-friendly tourism”.

The Kingfisher Lodge, due to be completed in the first half of 2017, will have 20 luxury tents. With a private swimming pool for each tent, the accommodation is designed to provide guests with comfort, privacy and amazing views overlooking the Indian Ocean and a forest of mangrove (Qurm) trees surrounding the lodge — also home to a number of kingfishers and a host of flora and fauna.

It will include an outdoor yoga and wellness centre and a range of public facilities, including an information desk, a reception lounge, restaurants and outdoor recreational areas.

Marwan Bin Jasem Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq, said: “There are so many parts of Sharjah which qualify as outstanding areas of natural beauty and we have identified that there are numerous hospitality opportunities which could cater to that market. We understand that there are a growing number of eco-tourists, and a shift in trends towards visitors who want to enjoy incredible natural surroundings in a luxury environment. The Kalba Kingfisher Lodge is an ideal fit for that market.”