Public beaches in Dubai were listed among the top 10 in cities popular among tourists by a UK daily newspaper.

The Telegraph listed Dubai's public beaches among the most popular worldwide along with other beaches in cities like Paris, Sydney, Shanghai, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Barcelona, Athens, Los Angeles, and Cape Town.

The selection reflects the considerable efforts made by Dubai Municipality in the management and development of public beaches, said Alia Abdul Rahim Al Harmoudi, Director of Environment Department at Dubai Municipality, who described Dubai's beaches as one of the most important landmarks in the emirate visited by thousands of residents and tourists throughout the year.

Alia revealed that Dubai Government has spent nearly Dh200 million over the past three years to develop Dubai's public beaches starting from Al Mamzar Creek to Dubai Marina. She said the best facilities and services available at these beaches is what placed them in the top 10 list.

Alia mentioned that the municipality is currently working on accrediting most of Dubai's public open beaches under an international programme by the UN.

"The effort and interest in improving the services in all the beaches has helped in the nomination of Dubai for the global accreditation,” she said.

The municipality, she said, is also working on strengthening the safety and rescue services in all the open beaches in the emirate and improving the quality of the coastal environment by launching educational campaigns on how to protect the environment and how to stay safe when visiting beaches.

Alia added that Dubai Municipality is keen on equipping Dubai's public beaches with the best attractions to keep families entertained such as the Smart Palm project which is now providing visitors free internet access at beaches.
Source: Gulf News