The Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) in Dubai announced on Thursday that it has launched the Religious Tourism Project to boost Islamic tourism. The project seeks to make Dubai the most visited city in the world by 2025. "The project contributes to strengthening the emirate's position as an attraction point for international religious tourism for residents, visitors, and tourists, both Muslims and non-Muslims," said Ahmed Khalfan Al Mansouri from IACAD. The project will include the most prominent religious attractions in Dubai such as, the Floating Mosque, The Quranic Exhibition, Dubai Iftar, Hala Ramadan, Quranic Park, and Ramadan and Eid Market. Al Mansouri also said the project will achieve a three to four percent increase in the number of tourists in Dubai. The 55 million dirhams Floating Mosque will be the world's first floating mosque, consisting of three floors, with sitting areas and a coffee shop above the water. The rest of the structure is submerged in water with the praying area and toilet facilities. The Quranic exhibition will feature the journey of Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Quran, who printed thousands of copies of the Holy Quran from 2000 to 2005 and distributed them around the world. Dubai Iftar will be an event organised during the holy month of Ramadan bringing together a huge number of people from different ethnicities. Hala Ramadan is an initiative for people of different faiths to gather in the new neighbourhoods of Dubai in social, sports, and educational programmes. The initiative also includes visit to the Quranic Park which is the first-ever Quran-inspired park in the world. It spans over an area of 600,000 square metres, divided into sections serving different purposes and interests. The park holds a number of plants and herbs mentioned in the holy book. Ramadan and Eid Market will be situated next to a few popular mosques in Dubai to welcome Muslim and non-Muslim tourists during the Ramadan and Eid holidays.
