Sharjah is the Emirate immediately north of Dubai. There is no distance between the two, one moment you are in busy Dubai the next in busy Sharjah. Sharjah differs to Dubai in that Sharjah is more of a residential Emirate when compared to Dubai’s attractiveness for tourists and international business. That is not to say Sharjah is only for living in, Sharjah International Airport was the first airport in the Arabian Gulf (1932) and its dedication to culture and the arts rivals cities globally. In 2014 Sharjah was named the Capital of Islamic Culture.
Sharjah’s growth as mid to low priced place to live has created a somewhat unique situation in the UAE. The large residential population close to Dubai is condensed into tall towers, some more than 60 floors high. This built up area is currently underserved by quality retail outlets meaning long queues form during the weekend shopping period of Friday afternoon and Saturday. There is low-rise development on the outskirts of the main city, where there is more space, but even there new malls and retail zones are appearing. By 2020 we’re expecting a further 3 million square feet (278,000+ sqm.) of premium retail space to be developed.
Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has stepped up its trade and investment promotion efforts in the UK, opening a permanent office in London earlier this year. Last year the Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) to encourage, promote and facilitate investment and development cooperation between Sharjah and the United Kingdom.
In addition to its popularity as a place to live, its 32 museums, its parks, traditional souqs (markets), trading port, waterfront penthouses, and the exquisite design of official buildings, Sharjah has announced Sharjah Waterfront City, a multi-billion dollar development on its northeast coast. Announced at Cityscape Global September 2015, it is listed as the third largest mixed-use project in the Gulf by MEConstructionNews.com.
Sometimes the UAE gets compartmentalised into Abu Dhabi and Dubai and little else, but there’s so much more. We’re here to help you see past the headlines created by oil and football clubs, and to help your business capitalise on what remains a growth area of the world.
