UAE Heritage And Natural Landscapes Drive World-Class Creative Tourism Experiences
The UAE is using heritage and nature to design new tourism experiences that appeal worldwide. These offers connect visitors with everyday Emirati life, from family recipes to stories of survival in the desert and mountains. They also show how tourism investment can support cultural identity, while creating modern attractions that suit global travellers and local residents.
The sixth edition of the ‘World’s Coolest Winter’ campaign places these ideas at the centre of national tourism plans. Running under the slogan ‘Our winter is entrepreneurial,’ the initiative is led by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism with partners across all emirates. It highlights projects where culture, environment and business work together to deliver sustainable growth.
Officials designed the campaign to showcase heritage and nature-based creative tourism as a key growth sector. The programme highlights successful models that combine commercial returns with protection of Emirati customs and landscapes. By drawing attention to these projects, authorities underline how tourism can help preserve historic neighbourhoods, mountain communities and traditional food knowledge across the country.
Among the featured examples are Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant in Dubai, Danat Food Industries in Abu Dhabi, and the Highlander mountain hiking challenge in Ras Al Khaimah. Each one connects visitors with authentic Emirati experiences in different ways, from heritage dining and food manufacturing to guided long-distance trekking across historic mountain paths.
Dubai’s wider food landscape supports these heritage-focused efforts. The city offers dining options for many budgets and tastes, reflecting a population drawn from nearly 200 nationalities. Historic areas such as Bur Dubai and Deira, especially around Dubai Creek, have become hubs for tours that stress authentic flavours, local ingredients and quality cooking techniques.
The growing attention to this heritage dining scene gained global notice this year. A traditional food tour in old Dubai was listed among Lonely Planet’s Best Travel Experiences for 2026. The recognition strengthened Dubai’s role as a culinary destination where visitors can sample dishes that mirror the city’s trading history and diverse resident communities.
UAE heritage tourism through Al Khayma’s living museum
Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant sits in the Al Fahidi historical neighbourhood, one of Dubai’s oldest districts. The venue received the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand rating, reflecting strong value and quality. It operates as both a restaurant and a living museum, where décor and design recall Dubai’s earlier days, before modern high-rise development transformed the skyline.
Guests at Al Khayma are served traditional Emirati dishes prepared with classic techniques and local spices. The restaurant uses fresh, hand-selected farm ingredients and presents meals in a home-style setting. Diners sit in an air-conditioned courtyard, where staff wear traditional garments, bread is baked in front of visitors and live traditional music adds to the sense of immersion.
The restaurant also offers Emirati cooking classes, giving guests a chance to learn recipes first-hand. These activities position the venue as more than a place to eat. Instead, Al Khayma acts as a cultural space where residents and tourists can understand how local food has developed, and how families once cooked and gathered in older neighbourhood homes.
Danat Food Industries and UAE heritage tourism through Emirati cuisine
Another strand of heritage tourism comes from Danat Food Industries, created by young Emirati entrepreneur Abdullah Al Mazrouei. Danat focuses on turning traditional home recipes into modern food products. The company preserves flavours used by Emirati grandmothers, while offering them in forms that fit current lifestyles, such as ready-made mixes and carefully measured spice blends.
Al Mazrouei’s interest in food started early, inspired by distinctive dishes cooked by family members. While studying and later completing a master’s degree in business administration, Al Mazrouei worked on a plan to turn this family knowledge into a professional venture. The goal was to meet recognised global standards while still respecting the simplicity of the original recipes.
From the outset, Al Mazrouei aimed to enter every Emirati household, and eventually reach foreign markets, through what was described as the universal language of food. Securing a high-status job was not the main target. Instead, Al Mazrouei wanted to show authentic Emirati cuisine to the world, using updated versions of recipes passed down within the family.
Danat began operations in 2007 from a 25-square-metre warehouse in Abu Dhabi. Over time, the small facility developed into a larger business whose products now appear in markets worldwide. The company benefitted from the UAE’s support systems for entrepreneurs, including an integrated environment that encourages startups and backs projects linked to long-term economic and sustainable development goals.
Product innovation, safety standards and UAE heritage tourism
Danat’s product range includes spice blends, flavour mixes, seasonings, baked goods, desserts and coffee. Many items are ready-made mixtures that need only water before cooking. This approach allows families to prepare dishes that taste similar to those once made at home, while saving time and keeping flavours consistent across different kitchens.
The company keeps close control over production, preparation and distribution processes. Danat invests in packaging that protects freshness and presents products in convenient formats. These methods helped the company secure international certifications, including ISO 2200 and HACCP, which confirm compliance with strict food safety and quality rules recognised across global food industries.
Beyond selling products, Danat regularly publishes detailed recipe guides on its website. The instructions show how to prepare traditional Emirati dishes step by step. This content turns the brand into an educational source, allowing people inside and outside the UAE to learn cooking methods that might otherwise remain limited to older generations in family homes.
Highlander hiking event and UAE heritage tourism in the mountains
Heritage-themed tourism in the UAE is not limited to cities and kitchens. In Ras Al Khaimah, the Highlander challenge has grown into the Middle East’s leading long-distance hiking event. It takes place on the slopes of Jebel Jais, the UAE’s highest peak, and uses a network of trails that cut through the Hajar Mountains.
The Highlander challenge is organised by Adventurati Outdoor, with direct backing from Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. The event first launched in the emirate in 2021, and will stage its fifth edition from 6th to 8th February. Participants come to test their physical endurance and to spend several days in close contact with mountain landscapes.
Hikers cover parts of a 94-kilometre trail network that is among the largest dedicated hiking systems in the country. Routes pass through inhabited mountain areas shaped by centuries of local history and customs. Along the way, participants learn how mountain communities adapted to harsh conditions, managed scarce resources and developed distinct food traditions based on what the terrain allowed.
Camping forms an important part of the experience, giving hikers time to observe the environment after dark and at dawn. Programmes often include wildlife study sessions, where guides explain species found in the region and their behaviour. This mix of physical challenge, cultural learning and environmental awareness links adventure tourism with heritage education.
Route options for Highlander and UAE heritage tourism
The 2026 Highlander Ras Al Khaimah event will provide three main routes with different difficulty levels. Each option has set distances and time frames, allowing participants to choose according to experience and fitness. The designs aim to open mountain hiking to both seasoned trekkers and those new to multi-day outdoor activities in the UAE.
The Highlander Pegasus covers 37 kilometres over three days and includes some of Jebel Jais’ most challenging and well-known trails, such as Wadi Taybah and Wadi Ghalilah. The Highlander Orion route spans 25 kilometres across two days and requires hikers to carry full backpacks with camping, hiking and cooking equipment throughout the journey.
The Highlander Lyra route runs for 13 kilometres and is designed to be more accessible. Participants do not need camping or cooking gear, making it suitable for newcomers who still want a structured mountain experience. Lyra also helps new hikers connect with the wider Highlander community, which shares knowledge about responsible trekking and respect for local environments.
| Route | Distance (km) | Duration | Key Features | Highlander Pegasus | 37 | 3 days | Challenging trails, Wadi Taybah, Wadi Ghalilah, Jebel Jais sections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highlander Orion | 25 | 2 days | Full backpack required with camping, hiking, cooking gear |
| Highlander Lyra | 13 | Day route | Accessible entry-level hike, no camping or cooking gear needed |
Together, initiatives such as Al Khayma, Danat and the Highlander challenge show how the UAE links tourism with heritage protection. By turning traditional recipes, historic districts and mountain lifestyles into structured visitor experiences, these projects help maintain Emirati identity. They also support national efforts to build a diverse, sustainable tourism sector that values both culture and nature.
With inputs from WAM
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