Gulf nations are preparing for a boom in tourism as huge numbers of football fans plan trips to watch the Qatar World Cup in November.
Qatar’s hosting of the world’s largest sporting event will lead to one of the busiest winter tourism seasons yet, particularly for Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain.
Though Doha has spent billions on hotel accommodation and infrastructure, a significant shortfall remains.
About 1.5 million visitors are expected for the month-long tournament, due to kick-off on November 21.
The World Cup is a shop window and an ideal opportunity to show what we have to offer
Nasser Al Qaedi,
Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority
But with only 130,000 or so rooms provided by hotels, cruise liners anchored off Doha and desert camp sites, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia will be attractive alternative destinations for fans - though flight tickets have already surged in price.
“The UAE as a global hub will have every opportunity to capitalise on strong visitor numbers who wish to use the emirates as their base for the tournament games,” said David Garner, Mena region commercial vice president of Minor Hotels, which owns the Anantara and Avani brands.
“Demand will be generated by the 32 countries who have qualified for the World Cup but also from many other global fans.”
Travellers from most GCC nations can reach Qatar’s Hamad International Airport in about an hour or less.
Representatives from Qatar Airways, Dnata Travel, Etihad, Hilton and Bahrain's tourism authority told The National they have witnessed a surge in interest since the first phase of tickets went on sale.
“There’s an expectation that many football fans heading to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will use Dubai either as a staging post or as a pre or post visit option due to Dubai’s excellent visitor options and attractions,” said Stuart Birkwood, general manager of Radisson Red Dubai in Silicon Oasis.
“With the more varied visitor activities available to football fans here in Dubai compared to Qatar we have heard that many fans will use Dubai as a base between, before or even after games they’ll attend in Qatar.”
The final draw for the group stages of the World Cup is not due until April.
But fans are already planning trips to the region as the first round of ticket applications for matches opened in January.
The tournament begins on Monday, November 21, with hosts Qatar playing in the first match at the 60,000-capacity Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.
Group matches will run until Friday, December 2 with the first of the knockout games beginning on Saturday, December 3.
The final will be held at the 80,000-seater Lusail Stadium on Sunday, December 18.
Dubai most preferred base for fans
Dubai is likely to be the most attractive satellite base for World Cup fans — and the Emirate has capacity for more than 100,000 hotel rooms.
Booking agents at Dnata Travel said the Emirates could provide the perfect springboard for World Cup visitors to Qatar.
“Demand from travellers heading to this part of the world is anticipated to be exceptionally high in the winter months of 2022,” said Emily Jenkins, general manager of Dnata Travel Leisure.
“With demand only set to increase, we recommend that travellers book their journeys as far in advance as possible to secure their perfect trip.”
The UAE has more than 180,000 hotel rooms at its disposal for visitors, according to the latest figures from Statista’s tourism report published in November.
Muscat and Manama set to benefit
Bahrain has more than 18,000 hotel rooms to offer, while Saudi Arabia has about 600,000, according to the report.
The nine resorts and 11 five-star hotels in nearby Kuwait, could also make it a base for supporters unable to stay in Qatar.
Although slightly further away, the football-mad nation of Oman is also likely to stoke up plenty of interest from fans hoping to join the action in Qatar.
A 90-minute flight to Doha from Muscat is currently on offer for around Dh2,300 with Oman Air.
Hotel prices for the UAE remain competitively priced, but as demand increases closer to the World Cup, they are likely to rise.
In Qatar, no hotel rooms were available to book online during the tournament on several booking apps. It was not clear whether they are sold out, or whether rooms are yet to be released for booking.
“Whenever a major sporting event comes to the Middle East, it creates a huge buzz and we’re seeing a surge in interest for our properties in Qatar and across the Middle East as football fans around the world start planning their trips,” said Stijn Bastiaens, vice president and commercial director for Hilton in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey.
We’re seeing a surge in interest for our properties in Qatar and across the Middle East as football fans around the world start planning their trips
Stijn Bastiaens,
Hilton
As many airlines plan special deals for fans with connecting flights, competition for business is likely to match the intensity on the pitch as 32 teams compete for the biggest prize in sport.
Etihad Airways is among the airlines preparing to boost services into Qatar for the month-long football festival.
“Having the Fifa World Cup on our doorstep is a great boost for the region,” said Martin Drew, Etihad’s senior vice president of global sales and cargo.
Flight operators set to increase Qatar services
To support the additional demand for travel into and around the region, Etihad Airways will increase passenger services between Abu Dhabi and Doha to six daily flights from November 21 to December 18.
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways has launched complete travel packages, inclusive of match tickets, return flights and accommodation options.
To guarantee their experience, fans can choose from seven-tiered travel packages, but at $3,800 — they come at a premium price.
Many fans are likely to book their own trip and look to cut costs by staying elsewhere in the region.
Qatar Airways said demand on many routes, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, has risen drastically for the tournament dates.
“There is already significant demand on these routes as we currently operate double-daily flights from Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, and triple-daily flights from Dubai, with high load factors,” a spokesman said.
“We continue to review our operational requirements on a regular basis, as market demand evolves, and exploring options to further boost our growing flight schedule with increased frequencies on specific routes."
Etihad is currently offering return flights to Doha on the first full weekend of action on Saturday, November 26 and returning the next day for Dh4,765.
On the same weekend, a Qatar Airways return flight from Dubai to Doha will cost around Dh5100.
The final quarter of 2020 is already a time in demand for UAE tourists, with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, HSBC Rugby Sevens in Dubai and National Day popular reasons to visit.
With a first Gulf World Cup thrown into the mix, it is likely to be a golden opportunity for tour operators and travel agents across the region to maximise revenue.
Dr Nasser Al Qaedi, chief executive of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority, said the region would be in the shop window like never before, and hopes to capitalise.
“Hotels resorts are all getting ready to welcome visitors to Bahrain during the World Cup and engaging with sporting teams who want to use the country to acclimatise to the region before those matches,” he told The National.
“It is a way to attract people to this area for the first time and take advantage of these windows of opportunity to mobilise everything so it is all in place.”
Seven new five-star hotels are due to open in Bahrain this year, to complement improved tourism attractions elsewhere, such as waterfront facilities of Bahrain Bay.
“The World Cup is a shop window and an ideal opportunity to show what we have to offer,” said Dr Al Qaedi.
“This will be a transformative year for Bahrain.
“We want to enhance our connectivity within the region to cross-fertilise traffic with Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar to benefit.”
The Gulf state’s spending spree to bring one of the most prestigious world events to a tiny country with only 3 million people has been audacious.
According to Qatar’s World Cup organising committee, about $6.5 billion was spent on building seven new stadiums, and to cover the direct costs of event hosting.
Financial experts estimate the cost of transforming Qatar’s infrastructure with improved road and rail networks to be far higher, and could top $200 billion.
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Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
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
Fixtures
Wednesday
4.15pm: Japan v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: UAE v Italy (Group A)
6.45pm: Russia v Mexico (Group B)
8pm: Iran v Egypt (Group B)
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
WISH
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FIXTURES
All games 6pm UAE on Sunday:
Arsenal v Watford
Burnley v Brighton
Chelsea v Wolves
Crystal Palace v Tottenham
Everton v Bournemouth
Leicester v Man United
Man City v Norwich
Newcastle v Liverpool
Southampton v Sheffield United
West Ham v Aston Villa
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Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Match info
Bournemouth 0
Liverpool 4 (Salah 25', 48', 76', Cook 68' OG)
Man of the match: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2
(Martial 30', McTominay 90 6')
Manchester City 0
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 1 (Cantwell 75') Manchester United 2 (Aghalo 51' 118') After extra time.
Man of the match Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 3 (Sterling 46', De Bruyne 65', Gundogan 70')
Aston Villa 0
Red card: Fernandinho (Manchester City)
Man of the Match: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
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2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
Saturday results
Qatar beat Kuwait by 26 runs
Bahrain beat Maldives by six wickets
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by seven wickets
Monday fixtures
Maldives v Qatar
Saudi Arabia v Kuwait
Bahrain v UAE
* The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
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Price, base: Dh399,999
Engine: Supercharged 6.2-litre V8
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 707hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 875Nm @ 4,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 16.8L / 100km (estimate)
Indika
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
When is VAR used?
• Goals
• Penalty decisions
• Direct red-card incidents
• Mistaken identity
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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RESULTS
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THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
