Sports tourists heading to the UAE this winter are expected to boost the local hospitality and events economy by millions of dirhams, analysts said.
The UAE topped a list of preferred destinations for those travelling to the region to catch some of the biggest global sporting events, such as the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and European Tour golf’s Race to Dubai finals.
A recent report by online travel agency Musafir found travellers opted for the UAE because of its proximity to major sporting events as well as family-orientated activities, personal safety, security, room availability, shopping, adventure sports and seamless connectivity.
We have had several enquires about taking a yacht from Dubai to Qatar, but unfortunately that is not possible owing to certain regulations
Ahlam Mohammed,
Book Yachts, Dubai
Meanwhile, hospitality companies in Dubai reported “considerably” higher demand for hotel rooms, events, brunches and yacht hire resulting from the high-profile sports events in the final quarter of the year.
The football World Cup in Qatar is the main draw, with a deluge of arrivals imminent from South America ― a relatively new tourism market for the Emirates.
“This is the usual high leisure season for international source markets, but we are certainly seeing a rise in demand this year in arrivals from particular destinations, including Argentina and Brazil,” said Mohanad Malhas, general manager at Arabian Adventures, which operates desert safaris, overnight camping and dune buggy hire.
“We are witnessing strong demand for our services during the winter months of 2022.
“This is across our entire range of services, from planning, hotel stays, transfers, arrivals and in-resort organising excursions, managing events and cruises, alongside our award-winning desert safari and city tour products.
“For groups and individual travellers, clients are choosing Dubai as a hub during the months of highly anticipated mega events coming to the region this winter.”
Sports tourism destination
According to the World Trade Organisation, the Middle East is becoming the world’s fastest-growing sports tourism destination valued at an estimated $600 billion (Dh2.2 trillion).
Aloki Batra, chief executive of Five Hospitality — operator of Five Hotels on The Palm Jumeirah and in Jumeirah Village Circle — said Dubai was likely to hit peak popularity this winter.
“We have already seen a surge in advance bookings from celebrities, locals and visitors alike with a 25 per cent increase over last year,” he said.
“This is mainly from our key markets such as the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Germany and France.”
It is not only hotel providers who will benefit from the boom, with ancillary tourism services also reporting a significant rise in demand.
One of those industries is the pleasure yacht business.
Ahlam Mohammed, sales and marketing manager at Book Yachts in Dubai, said bookings were well up on recent years, with many people asking about sailing yachts directly to Qatar for the World Cup.
“October is usually busy, but we are seeing a lot more bookings than usual,” he said.
“We have many guests from India and America, but there are a lot more now coming in from Europe.
“People want birthdays, to hang out or just to enjoy a family holiday while they are here for the World Cup.
“We have had several enquires about taking a yacht from Dubai to Qatar, but unfortunately that is not possible owing to certain regulations, and it would take anything from 12 to 18 hours.
“Most people we speak with are travelling to Qatar by road from Dubai.”
Inbound flights to the UAE are expected to soar by up to 20 per cent compared with the same time last year, the Musafir report said.
Apart from attending sporting events, fans will want to explore thrill-seeking activities as an add-on for a comprehensive travel experience encapsulating all that the country has to offer.
The Musafir report said the average spend by travellers to Dubai would be about $5,000 (Dh18,300) for a hotel stay, transport, shopping and to explore the city.
Findings from the report showed UAE hotels will record an up to 40 per cent increase in demand for accommodation and price inflation with occupancy rates likely to hit 100 per cent during the tournament.
Data also showed an 80 per cent growth in advance bookings for travel between Dubai and Doha.
That has been encouraged by the joint multiple-entry tourist visa for the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman to holders of the Hayya Fan ID.
“Sports events act as a catalyst and can have a tremendous impact on the economy ― as we will see millions of fans gather to not only watch their favourite sport but also to have an unforgettable experience during their stay in the region,” said Sachin Gadoya, chief executive and co-founder of Musafir Business.
“We are anticipating an exponential growth in the tourism sector, as arrivals and occupancy will be even more than pre-pandemic times, which is a much-needed boost for the travel and hospitality sector.”
The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
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Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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Specs
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
Palestine and Israel - live updates
MATCH INFO
FA Cup final
Chelsea 1
Hazard (22' pen)
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
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Results
2pm: Al Sahel Contracting Company – Maiden (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: AF Mutakafel, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
2.30pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: El Baareq, Antonio Fresu, Rashed Bouresly
3pm: Shadwell – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Lost Eden, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
3.30pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,000m; Winner: Alkaraama, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
4pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Lady Snazz, Saif Al Balushi, Bhupat Seemar
4.30pm: Hive – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
5pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – (TB) Handicap Dh64,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
