Al Sahra, a desert resort part of the Dubai Heritage Vision project at Dubailand, hopes to attract 200,000 to 250,000 visitors a year.
Covering 40 million square feet, the resort will showcase Bedouin life and present live shows featuring Dubai's heritage and culture.
Anita Mehra Homayoun, a partner in the multi-million-dollar project, said Al Sahra will open for business after a few corporate events.
"We are holding the first corporate event on September 18. After that we will have a few more corporate events until Ramadan," she told Gulf News.
Homayoun, who is also a marketing director at Dubai's Department of Civil Aviation, said she expects the resort to attract tourists from all parts of the world.
"We did thorough market research before starting it. And the type of people who will be interested in staying at Al Sahra are Europeans, Americans, Asians, and even UAE nationals," she said.
A highlight of the project will be the Jumana cultural show. It promises to be an "extravaganza of light, laser, sound and pyrotechnics" and will be staged in an amphitheatre built in the style of an ancient Arabic settlement with a seating capacity for about 2,500 people. The entertainment element will set it apart from Dubai's Al Maha desert resort, Homayoun said.
"Al Maha does not take families. They do not allow children. It is more of a place for adults to go and switch off. We will offer more entertainment," she said. Al Sahra will have 60 residential units in December, with a plan to build 240 more next year.
The complex will houses an arts and crafts work area and a souq.