Etihad Airways has introduced a Dh49 deposit scheme as part of a new flash sale. Courtesy Etihad
Etihad Airways has introduced a Dh49 deposit scheme as part of a new flash sale. Courtesy Etihad

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Visa-free travel between UAE and Israel is great progress

Our readers have their say on flying to Tel Aviv, shopping habits during Covid-19 and Dubai as a fitness hub

Letters to the editor

October 21, 2020

UAE and Israel agree to visa-free travel and $3bn Abraham Fund (October 20): Such peace-building, peace-keeping, bilateral businesses and science collaborations will create a better future for all stakeholders. I can't wait to travel to Israel to meet my friends. God bless the UAE and our leaders who have shown great vision and heart.

Sabine Balve, Abu Dhabi

Great news. I have always wanted to travel to Israel and be able to return to the UAE. This is progress.

Gary Hazel, Dubai

Fantastic. I would like to visit some day.

Randall Mohammed, Dubai

Bravo, an example of how progressive and civilised nations should work together for peace and prosperity.

Klodin Suntova Jovanovska, Dubai

After the recent historic agreement between UAE and Israel this is another step forward. The visa-free travel will have a wonderful affect on the relationship between the two countries.

K Ragavan, Bengaluru, India

Dubai as a fitness hub is no pipe dream

With reference to Sophie Prideaux's story Dubai Fitness Challenge: Sheikh Hamdan wants to make the UAE the 'world's most active country' (October 20): sounds like a great plan. Immense respect for this society, even if so culturally different from mine.

Marco Piccinini, Sant'Angelo in Pontano, Italy

Making it easier to kite surf on the lovely long coastal stretches would be awesome.

Kirin Hilliar, Dubai

Covid-19 has altered people's shopping patterns

With reference to Deepthi Nair's report UAE and Saudi Arabia consumers most optimistic about Covid-19 economic recovery (October 21): As the report says, Covid-19 is changing shopping habits in fundamental ways.

The first priority of people who have lost jobs or had their salaries cut will be to find employment. People's savings have eroded. So for some time they will buy just the essentials and not spend on luxuries. Consumers will prefer to shop in sanitised malls, which could lead to a lowering of rents on the high streets. Larger retailers might reduce the sizes of their shops, because of lower footfalls and sales per square foot. Quite simply, retail therapy might be on hold till the trauma of Covid-19 starts to wear off.

Rajendra Aneja, Dubai

Not the best tactic with November 3 looming

Regarding the report Trump calls Fauci an 'idiot who got the coronavirus response wrong' (October 20): it appears that Donald Trump thinks that attacking the man who has been providing the US with calm and rational medical expertise during such trying times is the way to win an election.

Paul Hudson, Sharjah

A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books 

While you're here
Generational responses to the pandemic

Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:

Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.

Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.

Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.

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.

The specs

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Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm

Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km

Price: Dh380,000

On sale: now