It used to be that people in search of an exotic holiday would travel to remote destinations - Kenya, Singapore, Egypt - in search of natural beauty, hoping to immerse themselves deeply in a cultural experience.
Once there, they would stay in hotels that provided certain comforts of home as well as accommodation, entertainment and meals. Today, that concept has been turned on its head, as hoteliers aim to transform their properties into the sort of all-encompassing destination that guests will see no need to leave.
Back in the 1930s, Raffles in Singapore and the Treetops Hotel in Kenya provided a unique location for their rich and famous guests to have an alternative experience.
Treetops, near the township of Nyeri, started out as a tiny two-room dwelling in a fig tree. Situated 1,966 metres above sea level on the Aberdare Range, from its humble beginnings in 1932 it offered guests a view of Mount Kenya and a chance to get up close and personal with the local wildlife.
The hotel was initially designed to provide a relatively safe and comfortable tree-top hunting platform. But that humble two-room treehouse has grown into a 50-room hotel, one including elevated observation lounges and ground-level photographic hides, where guests can huddle to watch as wild animals stop to drink at nearby waterholes.
The hotel hit the media spotlight because it was where Princess Elizabeth was staying when she learned of the death of her father, George VI on Feb 6, 1952. Soon afterwards, Treetops's reputation quickly spread as the world's elite flocked there to experience a true Kenyan adventure.
More recently, hotels have taken an extreme turn by adding more fabricated attractions. In the process, they have morphed into elaborate, self-contained reproductions of real destinations.
Although all of Las Vegas beckons, one never really needs to leave the Bellagio, which is famous for its fountains show - set to classical music on a mini-lake - and also offers the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, serene pools and courtyards, five-star restaurants, nightclubs, a full shopping mall, vast gambling facilities and a theatre housing Cirque de Soleil's O performance.
And when Sol Kerzner, the billionaire owner of Kerzner International - the company behind the US$1.5 billion (Dh5.5bn) Atlantis The Palm resort - first introduced Sun City in South Africa, the company's trademark corporate motto "blow away the customer" transformed the definition of "destination hotel".
The mould-breaking fantasy hotel and resort offered guests the chance to engage in exotic activities such as elephant riding, archery and clay pigeon shooting, all within the same complex. The hotel also focused on attracting families by offering special packages and a wide range of activities for children.
But where Las Vegas, Sun City and Disneyland have led the way, Dubai is now following. As Gerhard Hardick, the chief operating officer of Roya International, a regional hospitality consultancy, sees it, the city has to up the ante.
"Unlike Egypt, where there are other attractions for tourists like the pyramids and artefacts," said Mr Hardick, "Dubai has no choice but to focus its attention on building extraordinary hotels which will have tourists travelling here just to see them."
Dubai has already set an ambitious target of attracting 15 million tourists by 2015, so reinventing itself is crucial.
"Hotels are a major part of our business," said a spokesman from the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). "And making sure that we have a variety of unique hotels with interesting concepts will further boost tourism business."
And even though the self-contained concept of destination hotels has been around since the 19th century, developers in Dubai are going one step further.
"In order for Dubai to attract tourists from the GCC and Asian markets, our studies show that the novelty factor plays a very important role in luring them in," said Rohit Talwar, the chief executive of Fast Future, a UK-based tourism consultancy. "So that's why it's very important to kept the wow factor alive."
One major example is the indoor Ski Dubai slope inside the Mall of the Emirates, which is proving to be a major draw for tourists.
"One of the reasons I decided to visit Dubai is to see this ski slope inside a mall. The idea was very new to me and I also thought it was practical to ski and then shop," said Shady Ezzat, 26, an engineer from Egypt.
Ski Dubai is the kind of over-the-top attraction that destination hotels are seeking to pack the tourists in. Kerzner International, which is bringing its successful Bahamas Atlantis concept to Dubai, is to feature a huge water park, shark lagoon and dolphinarium - in addition to 1,539 rooms and 17 restaurants, including the famed Japanese eatery, Nobu - across more than half of the 114-hectare Atlantis project on the man-made Palm Jumeirah.
"Like the Burj Al Arab hotel, this is another icon for Dubai," said Alan Leibman, Kerzner International's president and managing director. "We are planning to become one of the landmarks in the emirate that people from all over the world would come to see."
Room rates at the new facility are being quoted from about $450 a night for a standard to $25,000 for the 924 square metre Bridge Suite. The project is a 50-50 joint venture between Kerzner International and Istithmar, a subsidiary of Dubai World.
Without giving specifics, Kerzner International reports year-round occupancy rates at the Bahama Atlantis are "high". Such massive projects worked for Dubai, said the DTCM spokesman, because they delivered better returns and had the potential to help reach the emirate's lofty tourism targets.
Destination hotels in places such as Las Vegas and the Caribbean rely on gaming and casino revenues, something Dubai must do without. But gaming revenue at the Atlantis in the Bahamas has never been significant, Mr Leibman said.
"We never planned to have one; it's not a major part of our business," he said. "Our market research really came from our presence in Dubai at the Royal Mirage. From that, we had a pretty good idea about what the market here demands."
Another major project pioneering the way for destination hotels is Dubailand, a spread of 45 gigantic mixed-used projects totalling an investment of Dh235bn. The project's master developer, Tatweer, believes Dubailand will attract 40,000 visitors a day.
Dubailand's largest project will be Bawadi, which is to include one of the world's largest hotels, the Asia Asia, with 6,500 rooms covering more than 55 hectares.
"The hotel will have an Asian theme, which means there will be Asian shops, a floating market like the one in Thailand, and a 'Great Wall of China' roller-coaster ride," said Arif Mubarak, the chief executive of Bawadi, a member of Tatweer Group based in Dubai.
Although Mr Mubarak declined to reveal the name of the hotel operator, he said the selection had already been made. He added Asia Asia would employ about 12,000 people, compared to a standard 250-room hotel that employs about 400 staff.
The Bawadi masterplan for the surrounding area aims to make it the longest hospitality and retail strip in the world, a 10km stretch that will add 51 hotels, 60,000 rooms and 370 hectares of retail space to Dubai at a total investment of Dh200bn.
"A year ago, the investment figure for the project was Dh100bn and we have now doubled it because we want this project to stand out from any other," said Mr Mubarak.
The hotel will feature an extravagant twice-daily theatre production that has not yet been made public, as well as a theme park area, a tram system and a man-made river where guests can ride in Chinese junks.
"The hotel will also be divided into a five-star and four-star section, so we can reach both segments of the market," said Mr Mubarak, adding that rates had not yet been fixed.
He declined to give details about investment in the hotel itself, or the returns it would generate.
"With a project on such a large scale the returns will not come instantly," said Mr Mubarak. "By targeting people from the GCC, North Africa and Asia, [the project] will be successful because we are providing them with all the fun family holiday activities in one convenient, well-planned area."
Such projects are a far cry from a mere treehouse in a fig tree. But for developers, Dubai's newest destination hotels are on the cutting edge.
Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Dunki
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The bio
Academics: Phd in strategic management in University of Wales
Number one caps: His best-seller caps are in shades of grey, blue, black and yellow
Reading: Is immersed in books on colours to understand more about the usage of different shades
Sport: Started playing polo two years ago. Helps him relax, plus he enjoys the speed and focus
Cars: Loves exotic cars and currently drives a Bentley Bentayga
Holiday: Favourite travel destinations are London and St Tropez
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
The biog
From: Upper Egypt
Age: 78
Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila
Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace
Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
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How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
