Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve Showcased as Eco-Tourism Mode

Leading environmentalists, academics, government officials and eco-tourism experts visited Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, after a three-day conference identified the award-winning property as the region’s leading sustainable eco-tourism development.

Organized by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water, the Sustainable Eco-Tourism in Desert Ecosystems conference in Dubai was arranged to discuss sustainable development, conservation of natural resources and tourism growth.

A benchmark in the conference discussions was the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR); the first and largest protected wildlife conservation area in the UAE, formally recognized as a Protected Area by UNEP, and also home to Emirates’ exclusive Al Maha property.

In 2003, the Government of Dubai decided to create a nationally significant conservation area and charged Emirates with its management and protection. Since then Emirates has invested over 10 Million dhs in support of wildlife conservation programs, scientific research, and protection of this 225 square kilometer area.