Town fairs used to be centered around Ferris wheels. Today, they are a prominent feature of major metropolitan skylines. Ain Dubai – whose Arabic name translates as “Dubai Eye” – will top them all after its Oct. 21 opening. The High Roller observation wheel, which will be second tallest in the world with a height of 820 feet, will be 270 feet above this landmark.
Dubai opened in 2018 an artificial island, Bluewaters Island, near the Marina. The attraction is the centerpiece of the island. Ain Dubai’s new landmark tower exceeds the Singapore Flyer, with a height of 165 meters, and is almost twice as large as the London Eye, according to the attraction’s general manager, Ronald Drake.
Several of the cabins can accommodate as many as 40 passengers, most of which are enclosed. At the moment, capacity is currently limited by the global pandemic, which limits the capacity of the attraction to 1,750 people riding at once. As of now, each cabin can accommodate up to ten passengers, confirmed Drake.
According to the Ain Dubai website, each cabin is larger than two double-decker buses stacked side by side. The park offers three types of cabins: observational, social, and private. Observational cabins are for free wandering through the park, social experiences include lounge access and beverages, and private cabins are available for dinner parties, business meetings, and special events. Dubai’s coast and skyline are viewed from a bird’s eye perspective during each 38-minute ride. This hotel and entertainment complex is part of Dubai’s bid to become a global tourist destination.
Usman Khalid, assistant professor in economics at United Arab Emirates University, says tourism has been a major strategy of diversifying the economy in UAE and Dubai in particular. In addition to diversifying away from oil, the UAE’s other sectors need strengthening due to CVID-19’s oil volatility.”
Dubai does not produce much oil compared to other parts of the UAE. The World Economic Forum estimates that less than 1% of Dubai’s GDP comes from oil today. According to the World Trade & Tourism Council, travel and tourism contributed 11.5% to the economy of the emirate in 2018.
Also, emirates are offering new thrills-seeking attractions for adventure tourists. The world’s deepest diving pool, Deep Dive Dubai, was launched in July 2021. Besides the XLine’s urban zipline, Dubai has also welcomed an Emirates A380 flight simulator at the Dubai Mall and the world’s longest urban zipline.
Forbes dubbed Ain Dubai as one of the world’s top bucket list attractions of 2021, making it one of the world’s largest observation wheels. The wheel is already a hit on Instagram thanks to its stunning light displays at night.
Thursday, October 21, will mark the opening of Ain Dubai