Middle East: Skyscrapers, Shopping and…FECs?

Over the years, increasing amounts of tourists have flocked to the Middle East & North Africa region (MENA) for work, relocation or simply general leisure purposes. In fact, by the year 2030, it is expected that there will be “more than a hundred and fifty million tourists visiting this region of the world yearly” according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization [1]. So what is it that makes this part of the world so magnetic to those traveling?

It comes down to a combination of remarkable historical sites such as the pyramids, sacred religious monuments and a boost in technological advances that appeal to both those in the corporate sector as well as individuals wanting to observe for themselves. Take the city of Dubai for example. Serving as a center for both tourism and commercial growth, tourists are drawn to the city and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in part because of the “high-standard entertainment avenues, luxury hotels, theme parks, shopping malls and adventure sports” [2]. While these activities are captivating forms of entertainment, some families are looking for more which has prompted new family entertainment centers (FEC) to come into existence throughout the MENA region.     

One such establishment, Trampo Extreme, saw the need for accessible family entertainment and opened locations in Kuwait as well as Oman. Ghassan Assi, COO of Trampo Extreme, is a parent himself and wanted to tackle the issue of children becoming preoccupied by digital screens. “There was an acute need for active play as opposed to passive play” explained Assi. And at Trampo Extreme, there is plenty of room for active play.  

In April 2016, one location was built inside of the Murouj Mall Sports Facility in Sabhan, Kuwait while the other came about in April 2018 in Muscat, Oman. Both locations feature an indoor Sky Trail® aerial attraction with a 60-foot (18 meter) Sky Rail™ directly above a ‘Skate ‘n Ride’ zone and include fun interactive elements for participants to engage with such as swinging steps, a zig-zag rope bridge, a seven-foot (two-meter) stand-alone beam, lily pad stepping stones, a rolling log and other obstacles that test balance and concentration.

If visitors aren’t enthralled enough with the Sky Trail®, trampolines and skate park, they are also welcome to conquer one, or all of the different Clip ‘n Climb® walls—each featuring unique and colorful obstacles en route to the top.

This move to incorporate more and more family entertainment options into the MENA region both helps tourism efforts and provides outlets for locals. To date, RCI has built Sky Trail® aerial attractions at destinations in 31 different countries with a growing presence in the Middle East including Dubai, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Turkey. We will be further showcasing our versatile collection of interactive attractions in booth #2-B164 at the 2019 Dubai Entertainment Amusement and Leisure (DEAL) show in Dubai, UAE. With 7,000 attendees and 300+ exhibitors, this is the largest trade show for FEC, leisure and amusement industries in the MENA region. The show will mark RCI’s 3rd year in attendance as an exhibitor and we can’t wait to once again be a part of the advancements happening in this part of the world!

To see more of Trampo Extreme and learn about their expansion efforts, click on the button below:

Sources:

[1] The importance of the MENA region to the tourism industry | TTS. (2018, February 22), https://www.tts.com/blog/the-importance-of-the-mena-region-to-the-tourism-industry/.

[2] Abbas, W. (n.d.). Dubai Remains a Tourist Hotspot. (2018, December 5), https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/dubai/why-dubai-retains-its-position-among-worlds-most-visited-cities-in-2018.