The Dubai Government's travel-services business is looking to expand during the global economic crisis by moving into countries closer to home.
Iain Andrew, a vice president of Dnata Travel Service, said people had less money to spend on holidays but would still want at least one a year.
"We have an ongoing process of adding two to three countries a year, and this year we will maybe move into two new countries and expand our operation into India," Mr Andrew said.
"However, because of the current financial climate we will have to look harder at the countries' economies to make sure any move we make is a successful move."
Mr Andrew said Dnata was looking for partners in several countries and that Vietnam could be ideal. "It's a leisure destination and a growing business destination. But at this point it is difficult to see how these countries will weather the storm, so the process is slowed down as it takes time."
Mr Andrew said the number of flights booked through Dnata had continued to increase this financial year.
"Since the world financial crisis started we have had a flurry of business travellers coming into the region. With Christmas round the corner and Eid, people would still want to travel to see their families.
"The culture of doing business is very personal here. It is always meetings, unlike other places in the world where you have conference calls. Speaking to airline operators, there is a slight drop in January bookings but it is too early to tell."
The lack of regional trains and buses was another reason people would fly, he said.
As for tourism employment growth, Mr Andrew said Dnata is hiring only specialist staff.
Raj Bhatt, the director of hospitality career website Hozpitality.com, said GCC nations were adding 240 hotels by 2011, with about 70,000 employees needed. "However, the UAE, which leads the hospitality boom in this region with 133 new hotels, will shrink its recruitment quota by 20 per cent."
The UAE expected to create about 55,000 hospitality jobs in the next four years and, although a loss of jobs is unlikely, low-paid workers would be the first to go.
"The credit crunch affects everybody, including the tourism industry, and there will be a slight correction but nothing as major as what we are witnessing with the properties sector," Mr Bhatt said. "If jobs were set to go, it would be your low-paid staff such as cleaners and maids, but senior staff would stay on to work on how to attract more visitors to your resort or hotel."
shafez@thenational.ae
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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Results
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m; Winner: Ghaiyyath, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Cliffs Of Capri, Tadhg O’Shea, Jamie Osborne.
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Zakouski, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
MATCH INFO
CAF Champions League semi-finals first-leg fixtures
Tuesday:
Primeiro Agosto (ANG) v Esperance (TUN) (8pm UAE)
Al Ahly (EGY) v Entente Setif (ALG) (11PM)
Second legs:
October 23
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
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.