Dubai Informer
Information about Dubai in all aspects
Saturday, October 28, 2006
When it was announced in September 2005 that a new, high-tech family entertainment complex was to be built in the centre of Dubai, you might have been forgiven for thinking it would contain innovative features and stunning aesthetics. This is Dubai after all, where simplicity is scorned and the complicated welcomed.
And to that extent, you would be right – for the Stargate development, located slap bang in the middle of Zabeel Park will contain some novel and enterprising activities to entertain and tax the minds of Dubai’s younger population.
But for this to happen it is also going to tax the minds of those responsible for building it. For the concept of this development is created around two animated characters who crash-land their spaceship in the middle of the park. Therefore, a significant proportion of the site will need to be below the ground.
Designed by Germany-based Kling Consult, with ECC as main contractor and due to be finished in May 2007, the centre is designed to be a mixture of education and family entertainment catering for children between four and 14 years old. Dubai-based Osus will build, operate and transfer (BOT) the project on behalf of, and in partnership with, Stargate owners Dubai Municipality.
In fact, according to Justin Larsen, construction manager at ECC, between 60 and 70% of the structure will be below ground level. This necessitated the removal of 140,000m3 of earth, the first of numerous challenges faced by the team during construction.
And like many other construction projects in Dubai, the high water table in the emirate created difficulties for the groundworks. A sophisticated dewatering system was installed to ensure the site remained dry 24 hours a day, according to Larsen.
“Because the raft slab is 2.7m below sea-level, we had to install a de-watering system with approximately 140 well points around the circumference of the site, to draw down the water table to a level which enabled us to construct the raft slab and retaining walls without the presence of water,” he says. “This system will remain operational until the structure has been completed, because the hydrostatic pressure has the potential to float an incomplete building.”
Due to this permanent presence of water, a significant concern for the construction team was therefore a waterproofing system that ensured the building would not suffer any damage. For this, a loose laid system was employed that will be flexible enough to accommodate any movement once the building has been finished. The team are being so careful, that they are waterproofing the structure up to 6m above ground level.
“The waterproof membrane was chosen because the loose laid system can allow for movement and it is reinforced to withstand the hydrostatic pressure,” says Larsen.
It isn’t just below ground either that the water has to be factored in. Stargate’s design also features a 2% fall from the middle of the complex to the edge, to ensure that precipitation does not settle and place undue loading pressure on the structure. This represents a 1.1m rise from the outside to the centre.
Although Larsen considers the rest of the construction as fairly basic structurally, once these problems have been surmounted, he points out that the design of the project sees predominantly non-linear shapes with curvatures and bends featuring heavily in the structure.
“Another aspect of the design is there are a lot of curves and odd shapes, which you don’t traditionally get on building sites, there are a lot of different shapes and angles. That is quite unique,” he says.
Therefore, when it came to building the formwork for the building, where normally you would require one formwork for a high-rise tower, for example, Stargate required Larsen to construct four different formworks for various areas of the project.
With a site footprint of 19,000m2 measuring 700mm thick, the total amount of concrete used for the raft slab is 14,000m3 with 2,500 tonnes of reinforcing. The waterproof membrane occupies 26,000m2 while the total amount of concrete used totals 30,000m3. The total reinforcing steel is 4,000 tonnes. Larsen hopes to have most of the concrete work finished by the middle of January, although he is aware the supply of raw material could be a factor before the end of construction.
“The materials are pretty common in this area, but because so much construction is going on, lead times have changed, as have prices. We haven’t experienced any delays yet but we were discussing it with regards to aluminium cladding – pretty much every building in Dubai has it,” Larsen says.
Stargate’s main attractions are spread across five domes: Saturn, Moon, UFO, Earth and Mars will each offer a unique experience. Inside one dome is ‘D3D’ high-tech ‘edutainment’ theatre offering laser shows, 2D immersive video, 3D shows, 3D interactive games and corporate events, whilst the ‘Lunar Show’ will enable children to cavort in snow all year round.
Five corridors – or ‘wings’ of the spaceship – provide exhibition and retail spaces on various themes and there will also feature a 500m ‘Foot Coaster’, which will be Dubai’s first completely indoor walking and cycling track in a climate-controlled environment, that runs the entire outer perimeter of the Stargate on the mezzanine level below ground.
The ground floor slab for the earth and lunar sectors are already in place and construction on the first dome is imminent. Each of the five segments should take about a month to finish and Larsen has scheduled 70 construction days to complete all the domes, the completion of which is paramount as it then allows lighting to be fitted and the interior design work can begin.
The domes are all constructed in situ and vary in size depending on the sector, with the largest occupying the UFO zone, which spans 40m in diameter and rises to a height of 10m. Larsen adds that around the dome, a go-kart track would be added which presents further health and safety issues to do with live loads and dead loads placed on the slab.
Started in February 2006, and earmarked for completion in May 2007, the US $68 million (AED250 million) project currently employs 460 labourers, although this will increase over the next few months to 600.
Provided Dubai’s fluctuating water table causes no problems in the future, children should be able to enjoy the delights of high-speed electric go-karting, rock-wall climbing and family rollercoasters for years to come, oblivious to the lengths contractors must go to get the site built in the first place – just as it should be.
courtesy of ConstructionWeek, reported 21/10/2006
And to that extent, you would be right – for the Stargate development, located slap bang in the middle of Zabeel Park will contain some novel and enterprising activities to entertain and tax the minds of Dubai’s younger population.
But for this to happen it is also going to tax the minds of those responsible for building it. For the concept of this development is created around two animated characters who crash-land their spaceship in the middle of the park. Therefore, a significant proportion of the site will need to be below the ground.
Designed by Germany-based Kling Consult, with ECC as main contractor and due to be finished in May 2007, the centre is designed to be a mixture of education and family entertainment catering for children between four and 14 years old. Dubai-based Osus will build, operate and transfer (BOT) the project on behalf of, and in partnership with, Stargate owners Dubai Municipality.
In fact, according to Justin Larsen, construction manager at ECC, between 60 and 70% of the structure will be below ground level. This necessitated the removal of 140,000m3 of earth, the first of numerous challenges faced by the team during construction.
And like many other construction projects in Dubai, the high water table in the emirate created difficulties for the groundworks. A sophisticated dewatering system was installed to ensure the site remained dry 24 hours a day, according to Larsen.
“Because the raft slab is 2.7m below sea-level, we had to install a de-watering system with approximately 140 well points around the circumference of the site, to draw down the water table to a level which enabled us to construct the raft slab and retaining walls without the presence of water,” he says. “This system will remain operational until the structure has been completed, because the hydrostatic pressure has the potential to float an incomplete building.”
Due to this permanent presence of water, a significant concern for the construction team was therefore a waterproofing system that ensured the building would not suffer any damage. For this, a loose laid system was employed that will be flexible enough to accommodate any movement once the building has been finished. The team are being so careful, that they are waterproofing the structure up to 6m above ground level.
“The waterproof membrane was chosen because the loose laid system can allow for movement and it is reinforced to withstand the hydrostatic pressure,” says Larsen.
It isn’t just below ground either that the water has to be factored in. Stargate’s design also features a 2% fall from the middle of the complex to the edge, to ensure that precipitation does not settle and place undue loading pressure on the structure. This represents a 1.1m rise from the outside to the centre.
Although Larsen considers the rest of the construction as fairly basic structurally, once these problems have been surmounted, he points out that the design of the project sees predominantly non-linear shapes with curvatures and bends featuring heavily in the structure.
“Another aspect of the design is there are a lot of curves and odd shapes, which you don’t traditionally get on building sites, there are a lot of different shapes and angles. That is quite unique,” he says.
Therefore, when it came to building the formwork for the building, where normally you would require one formwork for a high-rise tower, for example, Stargate required Larsen to construct four different formworks for various areas of the project.
With a site footprint of 19,000m2 measuring 700mm thick, the total amount of concrete used for the raft slab is 14,000m3 with 2,500 tonnes of reinforcing. The waterproof membrane occupies 26,000m2 while the total amount of concrete used totals 30,000m3. The total reinforcing steel is 4,000 tonnes. Larsen hopes to have most of the concrete work finished by the middle of January, although he is aware the supply of raw material could be a factor before the end of construction.
“The materials are pretty common in this area, but because so much construction is going on, lead times have changed, as have prices. We haven’t experienced any delays yet but we were discussing it with regards to aluminium cladding – pretty much every building in Dubai has it,” Larsen says.
Stargate’s main attractions are spread across five domes: Saturn, Moon, UFO, Earth and Mars will each offer a unique experience. Inside one dome is ‘D3D’ high-tech ‘edutainment’ theatre offering laser shows, 2D immersive video, 3D shows, 3D interactive games and corporate events, whilst the ‘Lunar Show’ will enable children to cavort in snow all year round.
Five corridors – or ‘wings’ of the spaceship – provide exhibition and retail spaces on various themes and there will also feature a 500m ‘Foot Coaster’, which will be Dubai’s first completely indoor walking and cycling track in a climate-controlled environment, that runs the entire outer perimeter of the Stargate on the mezzanine level below ground.
The ground floor slab for the earth and lunar sectors are already in place and construction on the first dome is imminent. Each of the five segments should take about a month to finish and Larsen has scheduled 70 construction days to complete all the domes, the completion of which is paramount as it then allows lighting to be fitted and the interior design work can begin.
The domes are all constructed in situ and vary in size depending on the sector, with the largest occupying the UFO zone, which spans 40m in diameter and rises to a height of 10m. Larsen adds that around the dome, a go-kart track would be added which presents further health and safety issues to do with live loads and dead loads placed on the slab.
Started in February 2006, and earmarked for completion in May 2007, the US $68 million (AED250 million) project currently employs 460 labourers, although this will increase over the next few months to 600.
Provided Dubai’s fluctuating water table causes no problems in the future, children should be able to enjoy the delights of high-speed electric go-karting, rock-wall climbing and family rollercoasters for years to come, oblivious to the lengths contractors must go to get the site built in the first place – just as it should be.
courtesy of ConstructionWeek, reported 21/10/2006
Labels: Dubai
Opening a bank account is not a lengthy or complicated procedure, provided that you present all the required documents, which are more or less standard among most UAE banks.
However, as the UAE has a large number of expatriates and tourists, strict steps are necessary for the sake of security.
Expatriate residents can open accounts in UAE banks with the correct documents, which for most major banks means the original passport containing a valid residence visa, as well as an additional piece of official identification, such as a labour card or driver's licence, and a salary certificate from your employer.
Salary transfer
Those who wish to open a salary transfer account will require a no-objection letter from the employer addressed to the appropriate branch. Most human resources departments would be aware of the requirement and have template letters.
Dependents on a husband's or father's visa who want to open accounts need their original passports which verify the sponsorship of the father or husband.
Banks will also be willing to offer accounts to those newcomers whose residence permits are under processing provided that they either provide a letter from an employer certifying their employment, or a letter of introduction or verification from a bank with which the applicant has an account in his or her home country.
You might also find advantages in banking with your employer's bank, such as fast salary transfers and quick loan approvals. Banks often offer special packages to those employed including the waiving of minimum balance requirements, special interest rates and free credit cards for the first year.
Internet banking
For security reasons, some banks will require you to visit your branch for even minor changes to your account details such as a phone number or address. Other banks, however, offer phone and internet banking.
The degree of functions of a phone or internet banking plan differ from bank to bank, so it would be wise to find out if you like processing your transactions over the phone or the internet.
Some banks only allow you to pay bills and transfer funds to other local banks or its different branches online or over the phone.
Foreign currency
Most major banks offer customers the option to open accounts in major currencies such as US dollars, British pounds, euros and even yen for some.
Expatriates who regularly send money home often prefer to have foreign currency accounts at local banks. Those who travel frequently or tend to shop on the internet tend to prefer US dollar credit card accounts.
Most UAE banks also accept cheques in major currencies, which usually has a charge starting at Dh100 and can take 30 to 45 days.
Enticing public
Those who have recently moved to the UAE might be surprised to find themselves being regularly contacted by banks offering loans and credit cards in their first months of employment.
Two of the popular types of loans are personal loans and auto loans. Personal loans can be taken out for ten to 27 times your salary, depending on how long you've been working at the company. Loans during probation periods, if approved, usually have a significantly lower maximum limit, of about ten times your salary.
Those seeking to buy a vehicle on credit can choose between an auto loan and personal loan. Auto loans, which have fewer requirements and are easier to approve, have lower interest rates, fewer requirements, and a lower maximum limit than personal loans. Vehicles purchased through auto loans are co-owned by the bank and cannot be exported until the entire loan amount is paid.
Requirements for car loans usually include a salary certificate from an employer and a blank check for insurance purposes and a security, or post-dated cheque if the applicant does not have an account at the bank.
Personal loans often require you to have an account at the bank you're applying for the loan at. Further, your employer must be 'listed' as an approved client of the bank for a personal loan application to be accepted.
courtesy of Gulfnews, reported today
However, as the UAE has a large number of expatriates and tourists, strict steps are necessary for the sake of security.
Expatriate residents can open accounts in UAE banks with the correct documents, which for most major banks means the original passport containing a valid residence visa, as well as an additional piece of official identification, such as a labour card or driver's licence, and a salary certificate from your employer.
Salary transfer
Those who wish to open a salary transfer account will require a no-objection letter from the employer addressed to the appropriate branch. Most human resources departments would be aware of the requirement and have template letters.
Dependents on a husband's or father's visa who want to open accounts need their original passports which verify the sponsorship of the father or husband.
Banks will also be willing to offer accounts to those newcomers whose residence permits are under processing provided that they either provide a letter from an employer certifying their employment, or a letter of introduction or verification from a bank with which the applicant has an account in his or her home country.
You might also find advantages in banking with your employer's bank, such as fast salary transfers and quick loan approvals. Banks often offer special packages to those employed including the waiving of minimum balance requirements, special interest rates and free credit cards for the first year.
Internet banking
For security reasons, some banks will require you to visit your branch for even minor changes to your account details such as a phone number or address. Other banks, however, offer phone and internet banking.
The degree of functions of a phone or internet banking plan differ from bank to bank, so it would be wise to find out if you like processing your transactions over the phone or the internet.
Some banks only allow you to pay bills and transfer funds to other local banks or its different branches online or over the phone.
Foreign currency
Most major banks offer customers the option to open accounts in major currencies such as US dollars, British pounds, euros and even yen for some.
Expatriates who regularly send money home often prefer to have foreign currency accounts at local banks. Those who travel frequently or tend to shop on the internet tend to prefer US dollar credit card accounts.
Most UAE banks also accept cheques in major currencies, which usually has a charge starting at Dh100 and can take 30 to 45 days.
Enticing public
Those who have recently moved to the UAE might be surprised to find themselves being regularly contacted by banks offering loans and credit cards in their first months of employment.
Two of the popular types of loans are personal loans and auto loans. Personal loans can be taken out for ten to 27 times your salary, depending on how long you've been working at the company. Loans during probation periods, if approved, usually have a significantly lower maximum limit, of about ten times your salary.
Those seeking to buy a vehicle on credit can choose between an auto loan and personal loan. Auto loans, which have fewer requirements and are easier to approve, have lower interest rates, fewer requirements, and a lower maximum limit than personal loans. Vehicles purchased through auto loans are co-owned by the bank and cannot be exported until the entire loan amount is paid.
Requirements for car loans usually include a salary certificate from an employer and a blank check for insurance purposes and a security, or post-dated cheque if the applicant does not have an account at the bank.
Personal loans often require you to have an account at the bank you're applying for the loan at. Further, your employer must be 'listed' as an approved client of the bank for a personal loan application to be accepted.
courtesy of Gulfnews, reported today
Labels: Dubai
Friday, October 27, 2006
From next year, it will be made mandatory for UAE Nationals and expatriates to hold an Identity Card. The Emirates Identity Authority has been working on the implementation of this system since 2005. They have been testing this new registration system and are so far succeeding in completing its needed testing phases.
Registering for the identity card will cost AED100 for UAE Nationals and up to AED300 for expatriates with a breakdown of AED100 per year of residence. The cost has been reportedly reduced from the initial fixed amount of AED500. Replacing lost or damaged cards will cost AED300 for both UAE Nationals and expatriates. Although this mandate is applicable for nationals and expatriates above 15 years of age, should they wish their children to have one, it will cost them AED50.
The purpose of this card is to serve as a “substitute” for labor card, health card and driving license. It is also planned that in the future, the Identity Card can be used as passports for UAE residents traveling within the GCC. The card has an electronic chip, in which the data contained can be updated. This feature eliminates the need for card re-issuance in case of changes in a bearer’s record.
One of the paybacks featured in this new system is the creation of one comprehensive database for the government. This would mean that all records shall be maintained and updated in one government body, especially in cases of amendments of details. This can save a person a lot of time in the future. This can also give the card bearer a sense of security and affiliation. This system is hoped to become a useful tool in crime fighting. Cases of forgery, falsification, and change of identity will also hopefully be reduced, if not yet eliminated.
While it is not yet clear how majority of the people mandated to register for an identity card will undergo this procedure, announcements and continuous broadcast of information will be made by the Emirates Identity Authority to ensure that the procedure of the implementation will be a successful one.
Registering for the identity card will cost AED100 for UAE Nationals and up to AED300 for expatriates with a breakdown of AED100 per year of residence. The cost has been reportedly reduced from the initial fixed amount of AED500. Replacing lost or damaged cards will cost AED300 for both UAE Nationals and expatriates. Although this mandate is applicable for nationals and expatriates above 15 years of age, should they wish their children to have one, it will cost them AED50.
The purpose of this card is to serve as a “substitute” for labor card, health card and driving license. It is also planned that in the future, the Identity Card can be used as passports for UAE residents traveling within the GCC. The card has an electronic chip, in which the data contained can be updated. This feature eliminates the need for card re-issuance in case of changes in a bearer’s record.
One of the paybacks featured in this new system is the creation of one comprehensive database for the government. This would mean that all records shall be maintained and updated in one government body, especially in cases of amendments of details. This can save a person a lot of time in the future. This can also give the card bearer a sense of security and affiliation. This system is hoped to become a useful tool in crime fighting. Cases of forgery, falsification, and change of identity will also hopefully be reduced, if not yet eliminated.
While it is not yet clear how majority of the people mandated to register for an identity card will undergo this procedure, announcements and continuous broadcast of information will be made by the Emirates Identity Authority to ensure that the procedure of the implementation will be a successful one.
Labels: Dubai
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Dubai’s probable interest to bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games has been acknowledged following the announcement of Qatar’s intention to pitch for the venue of the world’s most important sports event.
No formal announcement of the intention has been made yet, but it seems Dubai has been working on the preparation to make the city ready to host the 2016 Olympic Games. The venue in question is the Dubai Sports City, which is set for completion by 2010.
Dubai Sports City is a facility that has an approximate size of 50 million square feet. It will feature state-of-the-art stadiums and top-of-the-line sporting academies. A 60,000-seat multi-purpose outdoor stadium will exist, as well as a 25,000-capacity cricket stadium. Other features of this facility are a 10,000-seat multi-purpose indoor arena and a field hockey stadium for 5,000 audiences. Living up to a part of its title, Dubai Sports City will also have residential areas, shops, schools, restaurants, and other basic components that make up a city.
In order for the International Olympic Committee to consider a city to be the venue for the Olympics, certain basic elements should be existing such as; an existing or approved plan for a stadium that would be spacious enough to accommodate the opening and closing ceremony, and would be able to spare as space for the track and field competition; an existing or a commitment to build necessary infrastructure such as the likes of transportation; Olympic and media village venues and sufficient hotel and convention space; support from the local, state and federal governments as well as certain private sector involvement; realistic chance to win against international candidates.
While many other major cities are likely to bid such as Cape Town, Tokyo, Leipzig, Madrid, Istanbul, etc., they will have to wait for the bidding to commence in 2007. The winner shall be chosen in October 2009 at the Olympic Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark.
No formal announcement of the intention has been made yet, but it seems Dubai has been working on the preparation to make the city ready to host the 2016 Olympic Games. The venue in question is the Dubai Sports City, which is set for completion by 2010.
Dubai Sports City is a facility that has an approximate size of 50 million square feet. It will feature state-of-the-art stadiums and top-of-the-line sporting academies. A 60,000-seat multi-purpose outdoor stadium will exist, as well as a 25,000-capacity cricket stadium. Other features of this facility are a 10,000-seat multi-purpose indoor arena and a field hockey stadium for 5,000 audiences. Living up to a part of its title, Dubai Sports City will also have residential areas, shops, schools, restaurants, and other basic components that make up a city.
In order for the International Olympic Committee to consider a city to be the venue for the Olympics, certain basic elements should be existing such as; an existing or approved plan for a stadium that would be spacious enough to accommodate the opening and closing ceremony, and would be able to spare as space for the track and field competition; an existing or a commitment to build necessary infrastructure such as the likes of transportation; Olympic and media village venues and sufficient hotel and convention space; support from the local, state and federal governments as well as certain private sector involvement; realistic chance to win against international candidates.
While many other major cities are likely to bid such as Cape Town, Tokyo, Leipzig, Madrid, Istanbul, etc., they will have to wait for the bidding to commence in 2007. The winner shall be chosen in October 2009 at the Olympic Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Labels: Dubai
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Eid Al-Fitr, the celebration of the end of the Ramadan period is believed to be on 23rd October 2006, Monday. There had been some speculations that Eid will be today, Saturday, 21st October 2006. These speculations, however, had been dismissed with the explanation that it won’t be possible to view the Shawwal crescent today as it will wane an hour before the sunset.
Should Eid Al-Fitr be confirmed on Monday, the private sector will get a two-day holiday (1st and 2nd days of Shawwal). This would mean that private offices will be closed from Monday to Tuesday. Normal operations will resume on Wednesday. However, the Labor Ministry is yet to issue a formal announcement for this following the sighting of the moon, which is expected to be either on the 22nd or 23rd October.
Since most private companies have adapted to the Friday-Saturday weekend, some have decided to include Sunday in their holiday period, especially companies who are dealing with overseas clients. This was easily justified because of the reason that Sunday is a normal weekend in other major countries in the world.
The Government sector can enjoy up to a nine-day break in celebration of Eid Al-Fitr. This would mean that this coming week can be a slow period for companies conducting business with the public sector. It is safe to assume however, that by the 29th October, the business operations in the UAE, public or private, will return to its normal phase.
Should Eid Al-Fitr be confirmed on Monday, the private sector will get a two-day holiday (1st and 2nd days of Shawwal). This would mean that private offices will be closed from Monday to Tuesday. Normal operations will resume on Wednesday. However, the Labor Ministry is yet to issue a formal announcement for this following the sighting of the moon, which is expected to be either on the 22nd or 23rd October.
Since most private companies have adapted to the Friday-Saturday weekend, some have decided to include Sunday in their holiday period, especially companies who are dealing with overseas clients. This was easily justified because of the reason that Sunday is a normal weekend in other major countries in the world.
The Government sector can enjoy up to a nine-day break in celebration of Eid Al-Fitr. This would mean that this coming week can be a slow period for companies conducting business with the public sector. It is safe to assume however, that by the 29th October, the business operations in the UAE, public or private, will return to its normal phase.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) will participate in 28 overseas travel exhibitions and host 10 road shows in various parts of the world next year.
DTCM said it wants to market Dubai as a year-round business and tourism destination. Four new exhibitions have been added to the calendar of exhibitions while road shows will be held for the first time in Turkey and Korea.
"The department is maintaining its aggressive promotional and marketing drive and exploring new markets to attract visitors to Dubai. We are tapping established as well as emerging source markets for Dubai's tourism industry," DTCM director-general Khalid Bin Sulayem said.
He said the participation in travel trade exhibitions and hosting of road shows in 40 countries across five continents will help highlight Dubai's strengths and opportunities in tourism and other economic segments. These efforts will help create better awareness about Dubai as a tourism destination and popularise its appeal in key foreign markets.
The selection of exhibitions and road shows are based on the strategic plans of the department and crucial marketing inputs provided by the DTCM's network of 15 overseas representation offices. The next year's promotional drive will kick-off with the participation in Ferien-2007 show in Vienna and Reiseliv-2007 in Oslo from January 11 to 14.
This will be followed by Matka-2007 in Helsinki from January 18 to 21. Travel Turkey-2007 takes place in Istanbul from January 25 to 28 while Fespo-2007 will be hosted in Zurich during the same period.
DTCM said it wants to market Dubai as a year-round business and tourism destination. Four new exhibitions have been added to the calendar of exhibitions while road shows will be held for the first time in Turkey and Korea.
"The department is maintaining its aggressive promotional and marketing drive and exploring new markets to attract visitors to Dubai. We are tapping established as well as emerging source markets for Dubai's tourism industry," DTCM director-general Khalid Bin Sulayem said.
He said the participation in travel trade exhibitions and hosting of road shows in 40 countries across five continents will help highlight Dubai's strengths and opportunities in tourism and other economic segments. These efforts will help create better awareness about Dubai as a tourism destination and popularise its appeal in key foreign markets.
The selection of exhibitions and road shows are based on the strategic plans of the department and crucial marketing inputs provided by the DTCM's network of 15 overseas representation offices. The next year's promotional drive will kick-off with the participation in Ferien-2007 show in Vienna and Reiseliv-2007 in Oslo from January 11 to 14.
This will be followed by Matka-2007 in Helsinki from January 18 to 21. Travel Turkey-2007 takes place in Istanbul from January 25 to 28 while Fespo-2007 will be hosted in Zurich during the same period.
For the first time, Dubai will participate in SATTE-2007 in New Delhi from April 19 to 22.
Dubai's road shows in East Asia will be held from May 14 to 23 and cover cities like Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
The Benelux region road shows will be held from May 23 to 25 in Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.
The Gulf region campaign will take place from May 26 to 31 in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
The Saudi Arabia road shows will be in Al Khobar, Riyadh and Jeddah from June 2 to 6.
And the road shows in New Zealand and Australia will be from June 18 to 21 and cover Auckland, Sydney and Adelaide.
reported by Gulf News
Dubai's road shows in East Asia will be held from May 14 to 23 and cover cities like Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
The Benelux region road shows will be held from May 23 to 25 in Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam.
The Gulf region campaign will take place from May 26 to 31 in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
The Saudi Arabia road shows will be in Al Khobar, Riyadh and Jeddah from June 2 to 6.
And the road shows in New Zealand and Australia will be from June 18 to 21 and cover Auckland, Sydney and Adelaide.
reported by Gulf News
Labels: Dubai
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Emirates Airlines announced today that they might buy up to seven Boeing 777-300 aircrafts after Airbus recently announced another delay in the A380 super jumbo delivery schedule.
The government-owned Emirates Airlines has already ordered 43 of the 555-seat A380s, which makes the airline number one in the order book of the European-based company Airbus.
"[Emirates] will probably acquire five or seven more 777-300ERs in the next few days for delivery in the second half of 2008" Emirates Chief Executive Tim Clark said. Airbus mentioned problems with the installation of the 300 miles long wires as the cause of the third delay. Airbus received 159 orders so far for the world’s largest passenger jet from 16 customers. Emirates, as the largest Arab carrier, are expected to use the Airbus A380 on routes between Asia, Europe and North America.
The president of Emirates Airlines already said yesterday in Singapore that they could cancel some of the Airbus A380 orders if there were more delays.
The government-owned Emirates Airlines has already ordered 43 of the 555-seat A380s, which makes the airline number one in the order book of the European-based company Airbus.
"[Emirates] will probably acquire five or seven more 777-300ERs in the next few days for delivery in the second half of 2008" Emirates Chief Executive Tim Clark said. Airbus mentioned problems with the installation of the 300 miles long wires as the cause of the third delay. Airbus received 159 orders so far for the world’s largest passenger jet from 16 customers. Emirates, as the largest Arab carrier, are expected to use the Airbus A380 on routes between Asia, Europe and North America.
The president of Emirates Airlines already said yesterday in Singapore that they could cancel some of the Airbus A380 orders if there were more delays.
Labels: Dubai
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Dubai has a traffic problem. Everybody who lives here can see this daily, especially now during Ramadan.
Some people say this is normal in such a fast growing city like Dubai, others say it’s because of the reckless Dubai drivers. Some say the government of Dubai is responsible and there is no proper traffic planning. Whatever the cause is, it’s not going to be solved so easily. The Dubai government has a long-term plan which includes traffic planning. Part of this plan is the Dubai Metro System.
Some people say this is normal in such a fast growing city like Dubai, others say it’s because of the reckless Dubai drivers. Some say the government of Dubai is responsible and there is no proper traffic planning. Whatever the cause is, it’s not going to be solved so easily. The Dubai government has a long-term plan which includes traffic planning. Part of this plan is the Dubai Metro System.
Construction work has already started, which ironically makes the traffic worse ;-)
The Dubai Metro System will have modern trains with full air-condition and all stations will be air-conditioned too (underground an elevated stations). Each 5 car train will be 75m long. There will be standard class, women and children only sections, and of course an exclusive first class section. All sections will feature high tech passenger information systems. The Dubai Metro System will be fully integrated in the public transport network of Dubai.
No need to be scared, even if you know that the Dubai Metro will be driverless. High standard safety features will make sure that everything goes smoothly. The system would allow trains to run at every one and a half minutes without any trouble.
The Dubai Metro System will have modern trains with full air-condition and all stations will be air-conditioned too (underground an elevated stations). Each 5 car train will be 75m long. There will be standard class, women and children only sections, and of course an exclusive first class section. All sections will feature high tech passenger information systems. The Dubai Metro System will be fully integrated in the public transport network of Dubai.
No need to be scared, even if you know that the Dubai Metro will be driverless. High standard safety features will make sure that everything goes smoothly. The system would allow trains to run at every one and a half minutes without any trouble.
The cars have huge windows for the best views of our lovely city from the slightly higher perspective (hopefully the ride will take long enough to see everything). The whole system will run with electrical energy, which makes it environmentally friendly.
The Dubai Metro System will have four lines.
The red line will run from Salahuddin Road (next to Al Ghurair Center) to the American University of Dubai, passing by Burjuman Center and Sheikh Zayed Road.
This line will be extended later to Jebel Ali Port and to the intersection of Al Nahda and Damascus road.
The green line starts from Al Ittihad square (next to Dubai Municipality) to the Rashidiya bus station, passing by Deira City Center and the Airport terminals 1 to 3. Later on the green line will be extended into Deira and Bur Dubai.
The blue line runs on Emirates road and will connect the Dubai International Airport and Jebel Ali Airport.
The purple line will also connect these 2 Airports, but acts as an express line, serving new communities along Al Khail Road. All four lines will cover roughly 320 km (by 2020).
The first two lines alone will have more than 60 stations,
The green line starts from Al Ittihad square (next to Dubai Municipality) to the Rashidiya bus station, passing by Deira City Center and the Airport terminals 1 to 3. Later on the green line will be extended into Deira and Bur Dubai.
The blue line runs on Emirates road and will connect the Dubai International Airport and Jebel Ali Airport.
The purple line will also connect these 2 Airports, but acts as an express line, serving new communities along Al Khail Road. All four lines will cover roughly 320 km (by 2020).
The first two lines alone will have more than 60 stations,
18 km of tunnels, 51 km of viaduct, one major train depot and maintenance facilities site and several auxiliary stabling facilities. The total fleet size will exceed 100 trains. In the city center the lines will run underground, outside the Dubai Metro System will be elevated.
Once finished (first phase in 2009), the Dubai Metro System will be the most advanced urban rail system. Investment costs for the full Dubai Metro System will reach more than 14 billion AED. The operating costs are calculated to be approximately 570 million AED per year. And eventually we wil have no traffic problems anymore here in Dubai ;-)
Once finished (first phase in 2009), the Dubai Metro System will be the most advanced urban rail system. Investment costs for the full Dubai Metro System will reach more than 14 billion AED. The operating costs are calculated to be approximately 570 million AED per year. And eventually we wil have no traffic problems anymore here in Dubai ;-)
Labels: Construction, Dubai, Dubai Metro
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Mark November 30 (Thursday) to December 2 (Saturday) 2006 on your calendar, as the much anticipated Dubai Rugby 7s will be happening on these dates. The organizers have announced the sale of the tickets from today. If you really want to support the event from the beginning, grab the season tickets. But if you can’t call Thursday a day off, then opt for the individually sold Friday and Saturday tickets (which you shouldn’t miss)!
Dubai Rugby 7s will be held at the Dubai Exiles Rugby Club, and this year’s event will be its 37th year. Emirates Airline is a major sponsor of this event, and 7Days has been chosen to be their official paper of the event this year to carry out a comprehensive guide towards and during the event.
It is estimated that over 12,000 overseas visitors will attend this year’s Dubai Rugby 7s. The event has significantly grown in terms of television airtime, number of visitors, venue capacity and its popularity itself.
Visitors will be entertained by the Aggreko Dynamos cheerleaders with their impeccable performance. The cheerleaders are said to be flown in from Australia, with their months of practice prior to the event to make sure that they live up to the hype of the event when they perform on site.
Planning to attend for the first time? To catch up, last year’s champion is England. The team has been a consistent champion for two years, beating Fiji in both finals.
Anticipate the volume of people coming - wear comfortable clothes, especially footwear, so you can move around the arena quite easily. Remember that from time to time you’ll have to buy some food and drinks as the game goes on. Expect long queues to the restrooms and food tents.
It will also be better if visitors leave their cars at home, as the organizers have arranged for up to 8 double-decker buses to go around and bring people back in the central locations of Dubai. Hundreds of taxis will also be available during the event to cater to those who live outside the central locations of Dubai.
Dubai Rugby 7s will be held at the Dubai Exiles Rugby Club, and this year’s event will be its 37th year. Emirates Airline is a major sponsor of this event, and 7Days has been chosen to be their official paper of the event this year to carry out a comprehensive guide towards and during the event.
It is estimated that over 12,000 overseas visitors will attend this year’s Dubai Rugby 7s. The event has significantly grown in terms of television airtime, number of visitors, venue capacity and its popularity itself.
Visitors will be entertained by the Aggreko Dynamos cheerleaders with their impeccable performance. The cheerleaders are said to be flown in from Australia, with their months of practice prior to the event to make sure that they live up to the hype of the event when they perform on site.
Planning to attend for the first time? To catch up, last year’s champion is England. The team has been a consistent champion for two years, beating Fiji in both finals.
Anticipate the volume of people coming - wear comfortable clothes, especially footwear, so you can move around the arena quite easily. Remember that from time to time you’ll have to buy some food and drinks as the game goes on. Expect long queues to the restrooms and food tents.
It will also be better if visitors leave their cars at home, as the organizers have arranged for up to 8 double-decker buses to go around and bring people back in the central locations of Dubai. Hundreds of taxis will also be available during the event to cater to those who live outside the central locations of Dubai.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Dubai residents might remember the rumors every now and then about the world’s biggest observation wheel since a couple of years. Dubai Municipality now finally approved the Great Dubai Wheel project in Dubailand. The construction costs 250 million AED and will be the tallest observation wheel in the world, larger than the “London Eye” in UK.
The work on the 185 meter Great Dubai Wheel is scheduled to begin shortly and the first visitors will hopefully be able to enjoy a panoramic view of Dubai in early 2009.
The Great Dubai Wheel will be one of Dubailand’s major attractions. Once finished the Wheel will consist of 30 capsules and up to 7.5 million people yearly can observe an area of 50 km around the Great Dubai Wheel during the 30 minute ride.
The Wheel definitely adds another great way of seeing Dubai from a totally different perspective and will also bring in more tourists.
Residents of the United Arab Emirates will have another choice for entertainment in Dubai once the Great Dubai Wheel is up and running.
What do you think about the Great Dubai Wheel?
The work on the 185 meter Great Dubai Wheel is scheduled to begin shortly and the first visitors will hopefully be able to enjoy a panoramic view of Dubai in early 2009.
The Great Dubai Wheel will be one of Dubailand’s major attractions. Once finished the Wheel will consist of 30 capsules and up to 7.5 million people yearly can observe an area of 50 km around the Great Dubai Wheel during the 30 minute ride.
The Wheel definitely adds another great way of seeing Dubai from a totally different perspective and will also bring in more tourists.
Residents of the United Arab Emirates will have another choice for entertainment in Dubai once the Great Dubai Wheel is up and running.
What do you think about the Great Dubai Wheel?
Labels: Construction, Dubai
Sunday, October 01, 2006
A recent survey named Dubai within the top 25 most expensive cities in the world, climbing up nearly 50 places compared to last year’s position. The annual Mercer Human Resource Consulting Cost of Living Survey ranked Dubai between the top-most expensive cities, competing for position 25 with Helsinki (Finland). Source: Mercer + Gulf News
But the survey also showed that Dubai is still cheaper than some not so developed cities, i.e. Beijing (14), Istanbul (15) and Shanghai (20). Our next-door emirate Abu Dhabi reached place 30 (64 last year). Beirut came 32nd. The survey has 144 countries on the list and compares the costs of more than 200 factors incl. housing, food, transportation…
The Russian capital Moscow climbed from fourth to first place, bypassing Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong and London, which together mark the top five on the list. Seoul is ‘most expensive city in Asia’ and London is ‘second most expensive city in Europe’ after Moscow. New York City stays the ‘most expensive city in North America’ and is number ten worldwide.
Interestingly Dubai could not make it into the top 50 list of the Mercer survey on quality of living. Switzerland is considered the best place to live because Zurich and Geneva are named the top two cities.
What do you think about the outcome of these two surveys for Dubai?
Labels: Dubai
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