Recent satellite imagery has shown how a man-made island has emerged off the coast of the Persian Gulf, now set to become another luxury Middle East destination.
Why It Matters
Al Marjan Islands in Ras Al Khaimah, a coastal getaway of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has attracted world-leading hotels and restaurants. It highlights another example of how the Gulf nation, like its neighbors, is investing in a wide-scale plan that primarily aims at diversifying sources of revenue in economies affected by declining oil revenues, through foreign investment and tourism.
Such projects also advance political and soft-power goals, though some ties to President Donald Trump and The Trump Organization have raised scrutiny in the U.S.
What To Know
Al Marjan, meaning “coral” in Arabic, spans around 2.7 million square meters and consists of four distinct islands—Breeze, Treasure, Dream, and View—home to family hotels, beachside resorts and luxury residences, according to its official website.
Wynn Al Marjan Island—a $5.1 billion integrated resort under construction in Ras Al Khaimah and slated for opening in 2027—is set to feature a 70-story hotel tower, some 22 restaurants and clubs as well as a full-service marina. In 2024, Wynn Resorts became the first company to receive a commercial gaming operator’s license by the UAE, according to Khaleej Times.
The project will also bring a concept steakhouse by globally renowned French chef Alain Ducasse, whose restaurants have collectively earned more than 20 Michelin stars, and the Wynn Las Vegas Delilah supper club to the Middle East.
Other prominent resorts on Al Marjan Island include the Hampton by Hilton, Conrad Marjan Island Resort and Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island. The DoubleTree by Hilton Marjan Island and Rixos Bab Al Bahr were the first hotels to open there.
Work on Al Marjan Island began in 2004 in Ras Al Khaimah, aiming to boost tourism. Officially opened in 2013, the island stretches over 23 kilometers of beachfront and 4 1/2 kilometers into the Arabian Gulf, the name used by Arab countries for the Persian Gulf.
What People Are Saying
Ducasse, in a news release on September 25: “I’m very proud and honored to contribute to the Wynn Al Marjan Island project, which is for sure one of the most visionary and ambitious projects in the region. The culinary experience we’ll create will radically reinvent the steakhouse concept by boldly reinterpreting the American classics with a contemporary French flair.”
Marjan CEO Abdulla Al Abdouli told Forbes Middle East in June: “Over the next few years, we’re going to develop key destinations that will attract not only the residents of Ras Al Khaimah and the UAE, but also international tourists and global investors to discover Ras Al Khaimah and everything it has to offer.”
What Happens Next
Marjan Island is preparing for major expansion with a new project encompassing residential, hospitality and infrastructure developments, set to launch before the end of 2025, as Ras Al Khaimah aims to attract more than 3.5 million tourists by 2030, Al Abdouli told Gulf News.
