When Expo 2020 opens in October, it is going to be a beginning that for many will feel like the end of a long and difficult road. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the international gathering is taking place 12 months later than originally scheduled. Inevitably, there will be a widespread feeling of relief that we finally made it.
But soon after that, those of us who are part of the Expo 2020 economy will buckle down and get back to work. It is a welcome opportunity for us in the hospitality industry and elsewhere to bustle with activity again, after the trying times of Covid-19.
The hospitality sector is just one part of the Expo 2020 economy, helping a wide range of workers, from foreign delegates to construction crews, IT specialists to entertainers. But the lift that Expo 2020 is giving us, I believe, is indicative of the event’s wider benefits for the economy of the UAE.
According to the latest forecast from hospitality industry data provider STR, Dubai hotel occupancy is set to rise by an astonishing 77 per cent year-on-year, with revenue per available room rising by an even stronger 86 per cent. These are heartening numbers after so many hard months.
This is not just confined to hotels near the Expo 2020 site. Even those further afield, such as those on Yas Island Abu Dhabi, are expected to do good business.
This new optimism is reflected in a measurement called the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), which surveys executives to see if their businesses are contracting or expanding. A PMI score less than 50 means that the signs indicate an upcoming to contraction, while a score more than 50 means expansion is expected. As early as the first quarter of this year, the average UAE PMI was up 7.5 per cent year-on-year, and was settling comfortably into the expansion zone with a score of more than 50 in March. That surge has sped up as Expo 2020 draws nearer. The score for July was 54, the best since January 2019. The Central Bank of the UAE has cited Expo 2020 as one of the reasons for the rally, and expects the effect to endure into the first quarter of 2022, given the fact that the event will continue until the end of March 2022.
Economic statistics can seem dry, but at the same time they tell us about what is happening in people’s lives as workers. An economy is the sum of many moving parts. But each of those parts, after a hard day’s work, needs a place to rest for the night and muster energy for the day ahead. This is the essence of how hotels serve the economy. If we do our job properly, people feel cared for and refreshed and are better able to keep pushing the economy forward, day after day. We are part of a collective effort to advance the nation.
Hotels are holding “Expo ready” education sessions for their teams. We will have special menus for the event, shuttle buses, Expo 2020 passports for kids and even specialised catering such as kosher food for Israeli tour groups.
As The National observed in an editorial almost exactly a year ago today: “In 2021, the UAE can showcase itself as a bulwark of stability in a fluctuating world, while providing people from all countries safe and secure environs to meet, exchange ideas and strike partnerships with the sole purpose of building a better world.”
The hospitality industry is united in working towards the success of Expo 2020, not only to benefit the nation but to inspire the world. We can show a path forward to better days, much as the Tokyo Olympics did recently. The Games had their difficult moments and there was much trepidation ahead of time, but in the end they brought happiness to people worldwide. As the German Paralympic long jumper Vanessa Low observed: “You can make all these plans and you can have a game plan for the next couple of years, but things change. And sometimes those changes aren't bad. Sometimes those changes are your biggest opportunities.”
Expo 2020 is our opportunity to dazzle the world with amazing moments and inspiring efforts. This is our Olympics.
FIXTURES
UAE’s remaining fixtures in World Cup qualification R2
Oct 8: Malaysia (h)
Oct 13: Indonesia (a)
Nov 12: Thailand (h)
Nov 17: Vietnam (h)
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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Text the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.4-litre%2C%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeight-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E617hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E750Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh630%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 171 points
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP) 151
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP) 136
4. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing) 107
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 83
6. Sergio Perez (Force India) 50
7. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) 45
8. Esteban Ocon (Force India) 39
9. Carlos Sainz (Torro Rosso) 29
10. Felipe Massa (Williams) 22
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Scoreline
UAE 2-1 Saudi Arabia
UAE Mabkhout 21’, Khalil 59’
Saudi Al Abed (pen) 20’
Man of the match Ahmed Khalil (UAE)
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
