In an age when tourist trips into space can be bought for just over £100,000, it should come as no surprise that the latest innovation in travel is a state-of-the-art underwater hotel.
Crescent Hydropolis Resorts will start building the world's first underwater hotel resort off the coast of Dubai within the next few months. The company then plans to develop other underwater sites around the world.
The first underwater luxury hotel will be built 10-11 metres below the surface of the Persian Gulf. The 500-bedroom development will cost 500m (£344m) to build and will include a spa and restaurants.
Average room rates will range from 750 (£516) to 950 (£634) with the most expensive suite costing 5,000 (£3,441) a night. The hotel is due to open at the end of 2008.
Other sites being considered for future development are Las Vegas, Monaco, Dubai, Oman and China. Two of these properties will have 1,000 to 2,000 bedrooms and will cost 1.5b (£1b) each.
Funding will come from a mix of private investment and bank financing.
The future developments will be a mix of "shallow water" concepts similar to the first underwater property and "deep water" installations located 70-90 metres below sea level.
Joachim Hauser is the architect behind the project to "blend man and nature together", while Wall Street veteran Mansoor Ijaz will oversee construction.
Ijaz said: "Although the concept has been around in principle since 2000, it's only been a project in real terms since 2004. The key about Dubai is turning the vision into reality."
The project's technology partner is Siemens. The hotel will have the most advanced technology for its systems, from kitchens to fire extinguishers and oxygen supply.
Ijaz said the hotel's security system would be good enough for heads of state to stay there safely.
By Emily Manson
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