The Arabian Travel Market got under way in Dubai on Sunday, marking the world's first in-person global travel and tourism event since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. The four-day conference provides a platform for the tourism industry in the Middle East and beyond. Given the breath-taking pace at which the nature of travel has changed in the past year, the fact that ATM is taking place at all, and involves guests from more than 60 countries, is extraordinary.
According to a World Economic Forum report, nearly 90 per cent of the global population lived in countries with travel restrictions last year. An estimated 25 million aviation jobs and 100 million travel and tourism jobs were said to be at risk at the time. Airlines recorded losses of $126.4 billion in 2020, with the region’s operators set back by $7.9bn.
After a tough year, there are some indications of green shoots ahead, particularly in the Middle East. The Gulf is among the leading regions of the world making positive strides in public vaccination campaigns. This has convinced policymakers that the time has come to open up national borders and establish travel corridors – albeit gradually, with precautionary measures in place.
This month, the UAE established travel corridors with four countries, allowing vaccinated residents to visit Greece, Serbia, Seychelles and Bahrain with no quarantine requirements when they arrive. More are expected. Abu Dhabi emirate, meanwhile, announced that it will drop its own quarantine requirements for most countries from July 1.
On Monday, Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on international travel for its vaccinated residents, with about 385 international flights scheduled to depart from nine airports across the kingdom. Tourism into the kingdom, however, is still paused. It also reopened the King Fahd Causeway to Bahrain after 14 months. This year, unlike in 2020, the annual Muslim pilgrimage Hajj will include pilgrims from abroad.
Meanwhile, Egypt is aiming for tourism revenue of more than $8bn as it aims to attract more than 8 million overseas visitors in 2021. Egyptian officials are in Dubai this week as part of ATM, looking at further ways to boost tourism.
It's little wonder, then, that Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Dubai's ruler and Vice President, on Sunday said there was "light at the end of the tunnel" for global tourism.
There are constant reminders, however, that we are not in the post-pandemic era just yet. The slow pace of vaccine delivery in some parts of the world and the emergence of new strains of the virus make travel to and from several countries unpredictable. Even as Abu Dhabi, for example, prepares to open, a ban on entry from India, a severe Covid-19 hotspot, is expected to remain in place for some time.
New waves of the pandemic, such as that being experienced in India, will inevitably be accompanied by travel restrictions. This means that, as long as one part of the world is affected at any given point, travel and tourism will experience ebbs and flows for the foreseeable future. Uneven vaccine delivery has already dampened the tourism industry's projections, with airlines expected to lose $47.7bn this year.
Amid such uncertainty, global travel cannot be expected to fully rebound for some time. But with the recovery having already begun, there is indeed a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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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
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Results
6.30pm Madjani Stakes Rated Conditions (PA) I Dh160,000 I 1,900m I Winner: Mawahib, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
7.05pm Maiden Dh150,000 I 1,400m I Winner One Season, Antonio Fresu, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Maiden Dh150,000 I 2,000m I Winner Street Of Dreams, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
8.15pm Dubai Creek Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,600m I Winner Heavy Metal, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.50pm The Entisar Listed I Dh250,000 I 2,000m I Winner Etijaah, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
9.25pm The Garhoud Listed I Dh250,000 I 1,200m I Winner Muarrab, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
10pm Handicap I Dh160,000 I 1,600m I Winner Sea Skimmer, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
