City Sightseeing tour buses start ops in Sharjah

The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has announced the start of new bus tours as part of its plan to attract more tourists to the emirate.

City Sightseeing Sharjah tour buses have started operations with three buses with plans to increase capacity if demand grows.

The service will take tourists around the city and introduce them to tourist attractions and landmarks across the emirate, a statement said.

The bus service will make 18 stops across Sharjah including the Central Souq, Marbella Resort, Al Noor Mosque, Al Majaz Waterfront, Buhaira Corniche, Al Qasba, Sharjah Aquarium, Al Khan Corniche/Beaches, the Fish Market, the Heart of Sharjah, the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, Radisson BLU Resort, Clock Square, and Mega Mall.

Each tour will take about one hour and 15 minutes to complete, with passengers having the option to get on and off the bus at any of the stops.

The double-decker bus service, which can accommodate 72 people, will operate seven days a week all year long at "affordable rates", the statement added.

The buses have been specifically designed to accommodate the weather conditions of the region, with a convertible rooftop that can be removed during winter months for an open top tour experience.

Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, chief operating officer of Shurooq, said: "We have already started the operation of City Sightseeing Sharjah tours, a move that comes in line with Shurooq's strategy for 2013.

"This step also comes in harmony with other steps, as the Authority has already embarked on a master plan to develop the Emirate's tourism sector, most notably the marine tourism industry, as well as other significant sectors."

He added: "The service is also helping to highlight Sharjah's premier tourist attractions and heritage sites, as well as the immense efforts being exerted by all sectors involved in tourism in presenting Sharjah's development to the world." Al Qaseer said.

City Sightseeing Worldwide operates on five continents and over 99 tourist destinations, carrying more than nine million passengers in 2011 in cities across the world including London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Seville, Istanbul, Singapore, Edinburgh, Brussels, Copenhagen, Glasgow, Dublin, Oxford, and Cape Town.