Ski Dubai is a ski resort, which is a highlight of the Emirates both for the local citizens who had never seen snow and for a huge number of tourists who can go skiing in the desert. This paper gives a detailed description on the location and size of Ski Dubai, analyzes its advantages, disadvantages and its features, which leave unforgettable tourists’ impressions.
According to the Majid Al Futtaim Group official website (2012), first ski resort of such a big size in the Middle East called Ski Dubai is located on the territory of Mall of the Emirates, Al Barsha’s major shopping and entertainment center. Majid Al Futtaim Leisure & Entertainment Group is a founder of Ski Dubai and is an innovative supporter and developer of recreational services in the United Arabian Emirates. Ski Dubai occupies an area of 22.5 thousand square meters and, it is designed as a huge ski slope under the roof with an artificial snow cover. It is the largest resort of such a direction of winter entertainment in the world.
As it is stated at the official website Ski Dubai (2012), Ski Dubai was opened in December 2005. 1,500 visitors could enjoy its amazing snow entertainment. Ski Dubai is 60 m in height and is designed as a ski center with 5 slopes varying by difficulty and steepness. Snowboarding track length accounts for 90 m. There are numerous ski lifts transporting visitors to the start of snowboarding and ski runs.
Main ski slope is surrounded by the area with various sledding slopes, ice cave, ledges for climbing and a cinema. This surrounding territory equals to 3 thousand square meters. Warm clothing of different sizes, ski and snowboard equipment are proposed to the visitors. The temperature inside this ski resort is maintained at the level of 1 - 2 ° C below zero due to the up-to-date technologies (Ski Dubai Official website, 2012).
Visitors have an opportunity to enjoy snowboarding, skiing, playing snow or tobogganing. There is no restriction on the age of the visitors because there is a variety of amazing opportunities either for the smallest or for the most risky persons. At the same time, everyone will be involved in an interesting pastime despite the level of training from beginners to advanced skiers. Each visitor can choose two options. It is two-hour pass and full day pass costing 180 and 300 Dirhams for one adult.
The key to Ski Dubai’s success is the outlandish idea of proposing all year round opportunity to enjoy winter sports when it is 50 ° C above zero outdoors. Representatives of the modern society always seek for something new and extraordinary. Ski Dubai as a marvel of modern technology and equipment satisfy this desire of being surprised.
The highest level of service is one of the biggest advantages of Ski Dubai. Everything from equipment prior to the entering of the mountain slope, instructors services to first class service in bars is directed on satisfaction the most demanding requirements of visitors. Ski Dubai has a good location where as it is a part of a huge entertainment center where the visitors after the skiing sport could enjoy shopping or spent their free time.
Since Dubai is a touristic center of The United Arab Emirates, Ski Dubai is a beneficial resort attracting thousands of tourists who book tickets and come from all over the world (Ski Dubai official web site, 2012). Ski Dubai has a unique advantage of being exclusive provider of such services in the Middle East, alluring tourists by the opportunity to see snow and try winter sports in the desert. Safety and reliability of the Ski Dubai’s technical construction are fully guaranteed for tourists. Such a guarantee was proved by the Quality of Construction Awards received by Ski Dubai in 2007.
Ski Dubai is one of the main entertainment objects that attract more and more tourists. Ski Dubai enhances the image of Dubai as a tourist destination with exotic offerings to stay for an individual and for the whole family. By attracting more visitors, this ski resort assures not only the profitable operational activity but develop state industries that support it in particular hotels, shops and restaurants. It is stated at the official Ski Dubai website (2012) “in a single day, the tourist can experience everything from rugged mountains and awe-inspiring sand dunes to sandy beaches and lush green parks, from dusty villages to luxurious residential districts and from ancient houses with wind towers to ultra-modern shopping malls”.
Desiring to try exotic entertainment, tourists are ready to pay extra for the high quality hotel services, enjoy beautiful views from the windows of high-rise modern hotels, use transport services, eat at the cafes and restaurants and spend their savings in the numerous of shopping boutiques located in the Mall of the Emirates. In combination, these industries increase the inflow of investments made by the tourists.
Ski Dubai marketing team conducts a wise marketing policy. Emphasizing the importance of New Year and Christmas, Ski Dubai marketers launched a program “12 days celebration of Xmas in Ski Dubai”. Every day tourists can enjoy the most interesting pastimes including Santa's sled race, snowball gallery and naturally snowman building and dressing (Majid Al Futtaim Group official website, 2012). It is clear that the increased traffic of customers allows managers applying some measures to cut costs due to the increased inflow of tourists’ investments. However, such a cost reduction should not affect the quality of services and thus the level of visitors’ satisfaction. It should be emphasized that Ski Dubai has a great success nowadays. Its huge territory with numerous of possibilities of trying snowboarding, skiing or tobogganing provides an unforgettable experience for every tourist either a child or an adult.