News

Abu Dhabi Developer To Build World’s First Healthy Living Island

The exclusive resort will be situated halfway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and will feature a helipad, 86 residential villas, and 49 apartments.

Published

1 week ago

April 25, 2024

Nour Nasir

abu dhabi developer to build world's first healthy living island

Abu Dhabi-based real estate developer IMKAN has formed a partnership with the world-renowned SHA Wellness Clinic to construct a unique private island resort at Al Jurf, halfway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The development is known as SHA Residences Emirates and will combine a holistic health resort with 86 residential villas and 49 apartments — two of which will be penthouses. The “healthy living island” will also offer easy beach access, a fantastic climate, and even a former royal palace.

Raed Al Hadad, chief of marketing and sales at IMKAN, explained why the idyllic location was chosen: “We have turquoise water here, cooler temperatures, and breezes. This is the place where the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan used to come and reflect on key policies. This palace is where one of the first talks about the formation of the UAE took place”.

IMKAN is currently working alongside Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism to rejuvenate the historic palace and turn it into a tourist attraction.

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Construction of the resort will begin in July and should be finished by 2025. The island will eventually be home to a full staff of doctors, therapists, yoga instructors, personal trainers, and world-class chefs. Residents and visitors will benefit from a full suite of services, including wellness programs, detox treatments, spas, and blood tests.

“Al Jurf as a destination has all the potential to promote wellness tourism. People from Saudi Arabia, India, and Russia are just a few hours away from this place,” Raed Al Hadad added.

The exclusive healthy living island will be accessible by road and also feature a helipad. Meanwhile the developers plan to add connections by water from Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

News

Joby To Establish All-Electric Air Taxi Ecosystem Across The UAE

The comprehensive agreement with Abu Dhabi’s government includes a training program, infrastructure development, and a manufacturing presence.

Published

3 days ago

May 1, 2024

Nour Nasir

joby to establish all-electric air taxi ecosystem across the uae

Joby Aviation

All-electric aircraft company Joby Aviation has secured three separate agreements with departments of Abu Dhabi’s government that lay the groundwork to develop and scale air taxi services in the Emirate and beyond.

The deal was signed at the recent DRIFTx thought-leadership and exhibition platform and gave Joby exclusive rights to not only operate air taxi services in Dubai but also unlock inter-emirate services between Abu Dhabi.

joby air taxi partnership abu dhabi

Joe Ben Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby Aviation, said: “Today’s agreement demonstrates the incredible momentum behind the adoption of clean flight across the UAE. We’re looking forward to delivering a fantastic experience for our future customers in Abu Dhabi and we’re excited to be unlocking the potential for zero-emissions flight between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. We’re grateful for the support and collaboration of our governmental partners and the entire ecosystem in Abu Dhabi and we remain deeply impressed by their commitment to building out a world-class aviation ecosystem in the Emirate”.

Joby’s all-electric aircraft went on display for the first time in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina at the DRIFTx event. The air taxi is designed to carry a pilot and four passengers and can reach speeds of 200 miles per hour (321 km/h). The zero-emission craft is said to have an extremely low acoustic footprint and can travel a maximum of 100 miles (161 km) on a single charge.

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Once operational, Joby’s air taxi fleet would enable fast, clean travel across the UAE, with journeys between Abu Dhabi to Dubai taking just 30 minutes compared with two hours by car during peak times.

Joby continues to work closely with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to help the Emirates become a world leader in the introduction of air taxis. Additional testing and analysis will be required before inter-emirate travel becomes a reality, but the cutting-edge technology already appears to have great potential.