Every corner of Mleiha National Park tells a story

In the heart of Sharjah's desert, an extraordinary transformation is unfolding. What was once a quiet, sandy landscape is now one of the world's most important heritage destinations - Mleiha National Park, developed and operated by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq).

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Here, under open skies, visitors can walk in the footsteps of early humans who lived over 210,000 years ago, explore Neolithic settlements, Bronze Age tombs, and discover one of the oldest forts in the Arabian Peninsula.

Today, Mleiha is no longer just a local treasure; it has officially been recognised as part of the Faya Palaeolandscape, the newly inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This milestone not only puts Sharjah on the global cultural map, but it also places Mleiha at the centre of an important shift: showing how archaeological preservation can power tourism, economy, and education in the 21st century.

CULTURE THAT PAYS:

According to a report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), cultural tourism now accounts for 40% of all global tourism. Another landmark study by UNESCO and the OECD confirms that for every $I invested in cultural heritage, the return is $2.5 to the local economy, thanks to visitor spending, job creation, and infrastructure development.