Construction work continues on the Raj Mahal, part of the Bollywood of Dubai Parks and Resorts ©Marwan Naamani (AFP)

DUBAI: Domes inspired by the royal palaces of India rise from a new Bollywood theme park under construction in Dubai, part of a drive to lure millions more tourists to the emirate.

It already boasts opulent shopping malls and numerous luxury resorts, but the Gulf city-state has even grander ambitions and the film industry is center stage.

Bollywood Parks is part of Dubai Parks and Resorts (DPR) which is being developed as the region’s “largest integrated theme park resort.”

Spread over 25 million square feet, it will feature three theme parks and a water park.

The Bollywood theme park, a first of its kind inspired by the Indian popular movie industry, aims with its centerpiece Rajmahal Theatre, cinemas, rides and simulators to increase Dubai’s appeal to tourists from South Asia.

Visitors from Gulf countries represented the largest regional group last year at 3.3 million, up 12.8 percent, with Saudis alone numbering 1.54 million.

But Indian visitors surged by 26 percent to 1.6 million, becoming for the first time the largest single nationality, while Britons rose 11 percent to 1.2 million. Bollywood Parks will target visitors passing through Dubai and aims to “keep them a little bit longer,” said Jellum.

Other theme parks are also being developed to increase the number of visitors.

Next door, Motiongate Dubai teams up three major Hollywood studios — Dreamworks, Sony Pictures and Lionsgate.

It features rides that take visitors across simulated settings like the Smurfs Village, Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda, among 27 attractions based on 13 popular movies.

“Our target is everybody,” said Motiongate Dubai general manager Guido Zucchi, including visitors from Gulf countries and elsewhere.

The theme parks are only the latest additions to a long list of entertainment venues in Dubai, including an indoor ski slope.

Source: AFP