The introduction of two new budget airlines will be "a game changer" for tourism facilities on Yas Island, the chief executive of master developer Miral said.
Announcements by Etihad and Air Arabia for the formation of Air Arabia Abu Dhabi in October and by Europe's Wizz Air to set up an Abu Dhabi airline in December will encourage tourists from a broader range of cities to visit the emirate and the theme parks and other tourism attractions at Yas Island, Mohamed Al Zaabi said.
"I think Air Arabia with their experience to access second- and third-tier cities in source markets like India, KSA, Russia and having Wizz Air with access to second-tier cities in Europe, that will just improve our position as an attractive destination on Yas Island particularly and generally Abu Dhabi," he said.
We're very, very excited for this year and for what's coming
Abu Dhabi Development Holding's investment of €100 million in Germany's FTI Group — Europe's third-biggest travel agency — in December will also "help us to have more tourists coming to Yas and Abu Dhabi", Mr Al Zaabi said.
He also said it is looking to attract more customers from Africa.
Speaking at a media event at the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi theme park operated by Miral, he said the company had achieved a number of milestones last year, including the completion of infrastructure along the waterfront at the Dh12 billion Yas Bay development at the southern end of the island.
He said the company signed deals with four investors to take residential plots at Yas Island, but did not disclose where the plots were. Three more deals are "in a very advanced stage with potential investors" and discussions are taking place with both local and international investors, he said.
This year will see the opening of a new 550-room Hilton hotel at Yas Bay, with the property currently 85 per cent complete. The 18,000-seat Etihad Arena, which is 88 per cent complete, will also open this year.
The world's first Warner Bros hotel is almost 40 per cent complete and is set to open next year, while SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is "at a very advanced stage of design and we are on track to finish the construction by 2022".
Overall, Yas Island is now about 55 per cent complete. Mr Al Zaabi declined to comment on whether more theme parks would be developed, but said more development could be expected on the island overall.
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16 mega-projects and attractions set to open in 2020
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"For us as Miral, we will always look at any opportunity to bring more tourists to the island," he said.
The island's theme parks are profitable, and this "has been always the case".
"We put reasonable business plans and we work towards that. We are extremely happy with the result."
He indicated that more hotels were likely on the island, citing a 2015 study that indicated the island needed 1,500 more rooms "to cater for the current and future demand of our theme parks and entertainment". Some 800 rooms have been added via the new Hilton and Warner Bros properties, which means there is "still more to come", he said.
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi has its 10th anniversary this year, and a new 10-year licensing agreement was signed with Ferrari last year, Mr Al Zaabi said.
The attraction, which began with 24 rides, will see seven new rides added this year, bringing the total to 44. These include a new Mission Ferrari ride, which he describes as having a "very unique experience". "We call it 'tilt and drop' and that will be a surprise for the customer," he said. Other attractions will include a zip line running through the park and an ability to walk on the building's distinctive red roof.
"We're very, very excited for this year and for what's coming," he said.
A report by consultancy STR earlier this month said demand for rooms in Abu Dhabi fell marginally in December, with occupancy 0.6 per cent lower at 77.1 per cent. Revenue per available room was 5.8 per cent higher at Dh392.64 per night, but this was due partly to the fact that the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix took place on December 1, boosting room rates at the start of the month when compared to 2018 when the race took place a week earlier.
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
Du Plessis plans his retirement
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said on Friday the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in two years' time will be his last.
Du Plessis, 34, who has led his country in two World T20 campaigns, in 2014 and 2016, is keen to play a third but will then step aside.
"The T20 World Cup in 2020 is something I'm really looking forward to. I think right now that will probably be the last tournament for me," he said in Brisbane ahead of a one-off T20 against Australia on Saturday.
Sri Lanka's T20I squad
Thisara Perera (captain), Dilshan Munaweera, Danushka Gunathilaka, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Ashan Priyanjan, Mahela Udawatte, Dasun Shanaka, Sachith Pathirana, Vikum Sanjaya, Lahiru Gamage, Seekkuge Prasanna, Vishwa Fernando, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay and Chathuranga de Silva.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RACE SCHEDULE
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm
Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm
Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Fixtures
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What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Read more about the coronavirus
Recipe
Garlicky shrimp in olive oil
Gambas Al Ajillo
Preparation time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
180ml extra virgin olive oil; 4 to 5 large cloves of garlic, minced or pureed (or 3 to 4 garlic scapes, roughly chopped); 1 or 2 small hot red chillies, dried (or ¼ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes); 400g raw prawns, deveined, heads removed and tails left intact; a generous splash of sweet chilli vinegar; sea salt flakes for seasoning; a small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Method
▶ Heat the oil in a terracotta dish or frying pan. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the garlic and chilli, stirring continuously for about 10 seconds until golden and aromatic.
▶ Add a splash of sweet chilli vinegar and as it vigorously simmers, releasing perfumed aromas, add the prawns and cook, stirring a few times.
▶ Once the prawns turn pink, after 1 or 2 minutes of cooking, remove from the heat and season with sea salt flakes.
▶ Once the prawns are cool enough to eat, scatter with parsley and serve with small forks or toothpicks as the perfect sharing starter. Finish off with crusty bread to soak up all that flavour-infused olive oil.
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RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
Iraq negotiating over Iran sanctions impact
- US sanctions on Iran’s energy industry and exports took effect on Monday, November 5.
- Washington issued formal waivers to eight buyers of Iranian oil, allowing them to continue limited imports. Iraq did not receive a waiver.
- Iraq’s government is cooperating with the US to contain Iranian influence in the country, and increased Iraqi oil production is helping to make up for Iranian crude that sanctions are blocking from markets, US officials say.
- Iraq, the second-biggest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, pumped last month at a record 4.78 million barrels a day, former Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luaibi said on Oct. 20. Iraq exported 3.83 million barrels a day last month, according to tanker tracking and data from port agents.
- Iraq has been working to restore production at its northern Kirkuk oil field. Kirkuk could add 200,000 barrels a day of oil to Iraq’s total output, Hook said.
- The country stopped trucking Kirkuk oil to Iran about three weeks ago, in line with U.S. sanctions, according to four people with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified because they aren’t allowed to speak to media.
- Oil exports from Iran, OPEC’s third-largest supplier, have slumped since President Donald Trump announced in May that he’d reimpose sanctions. Iran shipped about 1.76 million barrels a day in October out of 3.42 million in total production, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
- Benchmark Brent crude fell 47 cents to $72.70 a barrel in London trading at 7:26 a.m. local time. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was 25 cents lower at $62.85 a barrel in New York. WTI held near the lowest level in seven months as concerns of a tightening market eased after the U.S. granted its waivers to buyers of Iranian crude.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Everything Now
Arcade Fire
(Columbia Records)
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