Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island, a beachfront tourism destination which includes cultural projects such as Louvre and Guggenheim museums and the only tidal and ocean golf courses, would be completed by 2020, said a report.

The project, positioned to become a flagship for Abu Dhabi, was originally projected to be completed by 2018, the National reported.

The Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), the project developer, said the first phase of the development project was on schedule and construction work on the project’s St Regis hotel was due to start in July.

The construction contract for work on the hotel would be announced in the next 10 days, the report said citing a TDIC official.

“The first phase of the development is on schedule and will see the Saadiyat Beach Golf Course open at the end of this year, the St Regis Hotel on Saadiyat Beach become operational in early 2011, and the openings of the Zayed National Museum, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi in 2012 to 2013,” said Bassem Terkawi, the public relations and events director for TDIC.

Terkawi pointed out that the $27 billion price tag that Saadiyat Island was originally projected to cost was now no longer applicable because of lower construction costs and the fact that plans had altered.

“I can assure you that figure today is not accurate at all. The project has developed a lot since then. We don’t have a figure,” he said.

“The economic situation is changing, we are reviewing what makes best sense with each project and taking decisions on an individual basis. The options for developers have increased and we are awarding contracts based on competitive tendering.”

The TDIC said it planned to bring in up to 20,000 construction labourers to work on the Saadiyat Island development over the next year.

St Regis, Park Hyatt, Rotana and Shangri-La have been confirmed as operators of hotels in the Saadiyat Beach district. Operators for a further five hotels have yet to be announced, the report added.