Dubai
Escape to the Hajjar Mountains while it is still cool. About an hour's drive from Dubai, the Hatta Fort Hotel has a "Mountain Getaway" package that costs from Dh549 per person, per night, based on two sharing a double room, including all meals and drinks. The offer is available only on weekdays. Its weekend escape for two costs from Dh495 per person, per night, including breakfast and dinner. Or book the "Hata Romance" package, from Dh1,670 per person, per night, including breakfast, drinks and a three-course dinner. Call 04 809 9333 or visit www.hattafort.com.
Stay two nights in Dubai at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, from Dh975 per night, based on two sharing, including shuttle to and from the private beach, a 30 per cent discount on food and beverages in selected restaurants, complimentary Wi-Fi, access to Wild Wadi Waterpark, noon check-in and 4pm checkout, and taxes. There's also a free bus service to and from Dubai Mall. Valid all of March. Call 04 364 7555 to book.
The Burj Al Arab has two-night packages in a one-bedroom suite, from Dh5,988 per night, including his and her Hermès sets, free access to the kids' club and Wild Wadi Waterpark, and taxes. Call 04 301 7400 to book.
Cuba
Spend a week taking in the cultural sights of Cuba on this small group tour (maximum 12 people). Highlights include a visit to Vinales, a small village about three hours from Havana, with a stop for lunch in the pretty mountain town of Soroa; a day in Santa Clara, a key city in the Cuban revolution; and a journey to Trinidad via the Sierra del Escambray Mountains. Activities include forest walks, a visit to limestone caves, a leisure day on a beach and a trek to a waterfall.
The eight-day tour costs from £339 (Dh1,950) per person, including accommodation, breakfast, a walking tour of Old Havana, transport and the services of a local guide. International flights not included. Book through www.responsibletravel.com.
Dublin
Emirates Holidays has launched "stay three, pay two" travel packages to Dublin, with accommodation either in the Merrion, a restored five-star hotel in the city centre that is home to an antique gallery, a collection of vintage stamps and artwork from the 18th and 19th centuries, or St Stephen's Green hotel, housed in two refurbished Georgian manors overlooking St Stephen's Green Park.
The packages cost from Dh4,697 per person, including three nights' accommodation in a double room, based on two sharing, return economy class airfare from Dubai to Dublin, breakfast, airport transfers and taxes. Valid until March 31
Buenos Aires
Emirates Holidays is also offering packages to Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital, with accommodation in hotels that include the five-star Marriott Plaza, which overlooks the historic Plaza San Martin; and the Hilton Buenos Aires, a short walk from the city's nightlife and entertainment district
Packages cost from Dh9,518, including three nights' accommodation in a double room, based on two sharing, return Economy Class airfare from Dubai to Buenos Aires, breakfast, airport transfers and taxes. Valid for sale until March 31. Visit www.emiratesholidays.com.
travel@thenational.ae
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Results
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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.”
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
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 specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
