New AED 150m Dubai Safari park taking shape

With so much fantastic entertainment on offer throughout the city, is it any wonder that Dubai is such a firm favourite among tourists?The visitor figures speak for themselves, with more than 57 million people travelling to the emirate via air in 2012 and plenty more will have entered the city through its ports too.You will never struggle to find something to see or do in this magnificent metropolis and it is an ideal place for a family holiday.The city is about to become even more appealing to foreigners, as the highly anticipated Dubai Safari is really starting to take shape.More than 1,000 animals and birds are set to be transferred to the 400-hectare park in the coming weeks and the first phase of the complex is expected to open some time this month.Located in Al Warqa 5 on Aweer Road, the wildlife attraction is around 80 per cent complete at the moment and director general of Dubai Municipality Hussain Nassir Lootah expects the park to be hugely popular.The first phase of the project will include a butterfly park, golf courses, entertainment areas and recreational facilities."It is worth mentioning that the project comes in the old landfill area of Dubai. The upcoming stages will be announced once the bids are finalised with contractors," Mr Lootah remarked.Hotel and apartment owners throughout Dubai will no doubt welcome the addition of a new safari park in the city.Last year, hotel bookings increased sharply and this trend is expected to continue throughout 2013.Aside from the excellent entertainment facilities, Dubai is also extremely attractive to foreigners because of its glorious beaches and stunning weather.Then, of course, you have the superb selection of gourmet restaurants and a plethora of designer boutiques. Dubai is worth a visit just for the amazing malls, which are the biggest in the world.All in all, there is something for everyone to enjoy in this part of the UAE and it would certainly be no surprise to see tourism records broken in 2013.