Sharjah woos Indian travellers with fresh brand campaign after 38% visitor growth in 2025

At its recent multi-city roadshow, the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority showcased sweeping developments, ranging from the expansion of Sharjah International Airport to luxury hospitality tie-ups with global brand names. Together with its India-tailored brand campaign Har Rasta, Ek Nayi Kahani and a notable jump in Indian arrivals this year, these moves are aimed at positioning Sharjah as a growth engine aligned with the UAE’s ambition of doubling tourism’s GDP contribution to AED 450 billion by 2031. 

One of the most dynamic cultural and experiential destinations in the Gulf, Sharjah is sharpening its focus on India with a refreshed brand campaign and ambitious growth targets, as the emirate eyes a larger share of one of the world’s fastest-growing outbound markets. At a media interaction in India recently, the Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, underscored the country’s significance, further revealing that Indian hotel guests in Sharjah grew by 38% in the first half of 2025 alone, making India one of the emirate’s top five source markets.

“The opportunities in the Indian market are what bring us here today, along with our partners and representative office. We've been promoting Sharjah and its new experiences, and it's working—the numbers prove it. During the first seven months of 2025, we've seen a 38% increase in Indian hotel guests in Sharjah, from 82,000 in the same period last year to 130,000 for the first six months this year,” he said. 

While Kerala remains a strong contributor, Sharjah is now aiming at a wider cross-section of Indian travellers, including high-net-worth individuals drawn to luxury retreats like Kingfisher Retreat (USD 800 per night) and families seeking value-for-money cultural and wildlife experiences. 

Sharjah is now expanding its India outreach beyond metros. Recent sales missions covered Kolkata and Hyderabad in addition to established gateways such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kerala. “The aim is to simultaneously position its east coast gems such as Khor Fakkan and Kalba as eco-friendly, family-oriented destinations. Backed by heavy government investments, these cities are now drawing huge winter crowds,” the Chairman added. 

Midfa was speaking on the sidelines of multi-city roadshow of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), managed by their India representation firm. This included visits to Mumbai and New Delhi on September 3 and 5, respectively. SCTDA also launched Har Rasta, Ek Nayi Kahani (Every Path, a New Story), new brand campaign, designed with the Indian market in mind, utilising a blend of Indian influencers to highlight the unique offerings of Sharjah and aiming to connect with potential travellers. 

“Every emirate in the UAE is a destination on its own. Sharjah, however, is the cultural hub of the world—awarded by UNESCO and known globally for its museums, heritage and educational initiatives,” the chairman said, adding that Sharjah’s push to tourism aligns with the UAE government’s broader ambition to expand tourism’s GDP contribution from AED 200 billion to AED 450 billion by 2031.

Besides Midfa, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to India, Dr. Abdulnasser Jamal Alshaali was also present on the occasion along with SCTDA officials. The roadshow also featured the exhibiting local partners like Shurooq, SATA, Al Zajil, Centro Hotel, Golden Tulip Sharjah, Air Arabia, and Emirates.

Expanding access & infrastructure

Connectivity remains central to Sharjah’s growth. With tourism arrivals soaring, Sharjah International Airport is now undergoing a massive expansion. Built for 8 million passengers annually, the airport handled 17 million in 2023. By 2027, its capacity will rise to 25 million passengers, shared Midfa. 

The emirate aligns its market development with air connectivity through carriers like Air Arabia and Emirates. Sharjah’s national carrier, Air Arabia, is also aggressively expanding its fleet and destinations. “Air Arabia is one of the leading budget carriers globally, and Emirates Airline is just 8 km away, making connectivity seamless for Indian travellers,” the chairman noted.

Major infrastructure upgrades, including highways that cut travel from Sharjah to the east coast from 2.5 hours to under one hour are also in the offing. 

Sharjah’s hospitality sector too is set for a major boost with a slew of international projects. These include The Address, Vida, and Anantara Resorts, alongside properties by the Lux Group. Lux will operate two marquee projects—one inside a safari park and another in Port Khor Fakkan, featuring 45 luxury villas perched on the mountains overlooking the Arabian Sea, Midfa shared while answering question posed by T3. 

In addition, Marriott, Accor, and IHG are expanding their portfolios, with Voco Hotel set to enter the Sharjah market.

Edutainment, Not just entertainment

Sharjah has positioned itself as a pioneer of “edutainment”,  From 16 museums that make up more than 50% of the UAE’s museum landscape to eco-tourism initiatives like the Sharjah Safari—the largest safari outside Africa, home to the Big Five and endangered species such as black rhinos and Arabian leopards, the emirate is banking on experiences that combine education with leisure, the Chairman said. 

“The aim is not to make tourism purely commercial. It is to educate people and preserve wildlife and culture. Even our safari has breeding centres for elephants and rhinos. In summer, we close the park, because it is not about profits—it is about protection,” he stressed.

Midfa added that unlike neighbouring cities, Sharjah is not looking to replicate large-scale theme parks. Instead, it is doubling down on family-friendly, educational attractions such as water parks and heritage sites. 

Sharjah also banks on numerous prestigious global events that have established it as a cultural and intellectual hub. The Sharjah International Book Fair stands as a flagship event, ranking first worldwide for publishing rights sales and second globally in terms of exhibitors, participating countries, and visitor numbers. Then there’s Sharjah Biennial, an esteemed art exhibition running since 1991. 

The Sharjah Light Festival, now in its 15th year, transforms February with spectacular illuminations, including the world's largest mountain facade light installation featuring high-definition laser projections synchronised with music, an attraction that drew approximately 1.3 million visitors last year, as also shared by SCTDA.