DUBAI: For the fifth year in a row, Ski Dubai has been crowned the world’s best indoor resort of its kind in a prestigious international awards scheme.
Hotels, resorts, and companies from around the globe involved in the ski sector annually compete for a wide range of accolades in the World Ski Awards, considered the skiing tourism industry’s equivalent of the Oscars for celebrating and rewarding excellence.
Ski Dubai, located in Mall of the Emirates, was nominated for the title among indoor ski destinations in Egypt, Germany, China, Spain, Scotland, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.
The winner was announced after obtaining the highest number of votes from ski industry professionals and consumers.
Majid Al-Futtaim Group, which owns Mall of the Emirates and Mall of Egypt, launched the Middle East’s first indoor ski resort in 2005. Since then, Ski Dubai had “cemented its position as one of the region’s most iconic attractions and welcomed more than 11 million tourists, snow sports enthusiasts, and guests from all around the world,” the company said in a statement.
It has introduced new innovations over the years, including a family-friendly snow park and a penguin encounter, which is home to a colony of king and gentoo penguins.
Mohammed El-Etri, director of global snow operations and projects at Majid Al-Futtaim, said: “Being in this category among other well-established ski resorts, including our sister brand Ski Egypt, inspires us to keep raising the bar as part of our endless pursuit at Majid Al-Futtaim to create great moments for everyone, every day.”
He noted that Ski Dubai had just celebrated its 15th anniversary, adding that the team was “deeply honored and privileged to have our commitment to excellence recognized by industry peers and guests, who voted for us to receive this prestigious title.
.@skidxb wins the ‘World’s Best Indoor Ski Resort’ at the internationally recognized World Ski Awards for the fifth consecutive year.https://t.co/bh4hwfyPuB pic.twitter.com/VlO4bxpOmI
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) November 20, 2020
“Winning the title of world’s best indoor ski resort motivates us to achieve even more and we look forward to what the next 15 years will bring for Ski Dubai,” El-Etri added.
Sion Rapson, managing director of World Ski Awards, said: “Despite the unprecedented challenges faced by the global tourism sector this year, Ski Dubai has demonstrated unrivalled resilience, enabling it to continue providing its visitors with a world-class ski experience in a responsible and safe manner.
“I am delighted that it has been acknowledged by both the ski industry and the public by being voted world’s best indoor ski resort.”
The award was launched in 2013 and seeks to improve quality standards in the ski sector. It is also the only global initiative dedicated to honoring and celebrating excellence in ski tourism.
This is the latest accolade awarded to Ski Dubai, which recently won best service performance brands (hospitality and entertainment) at the Business Excellence Awards hosted by Dubai Economy, under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE, and ruler of Dubai.