Millions of pounds is set to be spent by an Irish business consortium to create Northern Ireland’s most famous natural landmark the Giant’s Causeway, in Dubai.

The multi-million project, created by Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum aims to reproduce most of the countries in the world in around 300 islands in the Persian Gulf.

Dublin-based property company Larionovo Developers have bought ‘Ireland’ for 19 million euro. It is understood a lifesize replica of the Giant’s Causeway’s 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns will be an “irresistible draw” for tourists.

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Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph newspaper, developers Andrew Brett and Raymond Norton said: “The Giant’s Causeway is a massive tourist attraction in Ireland anyway, so anyone who comes to this island is going to go and have a look at it,” Mr Norton said.

“The important thing is that when they (tourists) get here they need to really see it – not something that looks like it.”

“We need to recreate that,” he concluded.

A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Tourist Board said that while it was a “great endorsement of our tourism product that the concept can be exported so far afield” he stressed that there “is nothing quite like the experience of seeing the real Giant’s Causeway on the beautiful Antrim Coast.”

The group of islands in Dubai, called ‘The World’ is regarded as one of the most challenging construction projects ever undertaken.

It is estimated luxury suites on ‘Ireland’ could cost between 750,000 euro to 2.8m euro.

(JM)