What connects Harry Potter, James Bond and Sherlock Holmes?
They all feature in the United Kingdom’s latest push to promote its famous film locations to drive up high-spending visitor numbers from the Arabian Gulf countries.
Attractions include a135-kilometre round trip on a Jacobite steam train that runs across the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland, as seen in Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets. GCC tourists might also be interested in visiting Glen Coe, also in the Scottish Highlands, where Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was shot.
As part of the promotion, the Windsor-based British-Emirati filmmaker Ali Mostafa, director of City of Life (2009) and ambassador for VisitBritain, has helped put together an itinerary for a competition winner who is to be announced a month from now.
“I have never shot a feature film in the UK but my dream is to direct a Bond film in Pinewood Studios,” Mostafa said. Pinewood Studios, where Bond movies are shot, are a part of the film tour itinerary.
The Gulf-wide competition can be entered at www.facebook.com/LoveGreatBritain.
The major film locations that the agency is promoting through the competition also include the Scottish Highlands, the setting of James Bond films Skyfall and The World Is Not Enough, the Warner Bros studio associated with the making of the Harry Potter series and Sherlock Holmes’s London.
While tourists from the Gulf states represent only a small number of Britain’s tourist tally, these visitors (and in particular the UAE contingent) are among the freest spenders.
Last year, 256,000 visitors from the UAE – or nearly half the total visitor numbers from the Gulf states – visited Britain. About 32 million tourists from across the world visited the country the same year.
The per person per trip (two weeks on average) spending by UAE visitors in 2012 was about £2,500 (Dh15,000), just behind the Saudis who spent £3,245 per person.
Overall, Gulf visitors to Britain spent £1.17 billion last year, an increase of 33 per cent over 2011. These travelers spent £535 million in Britain during the first half of 2013, an increase of 18 per cent over the same period in 2012, according to VisitBritain.
Globally, the UAE ranked 11th in per night spending for holiday visitors.
“The main draw for visitors from this region is shopping and sports, and the challenge is to promote aspects of Britain that are less well known,” said Sandie Dawe, chief executive of VisitBritain, the UK’s tourism agency. “The target audience from this region is those under 30 years [of age].”
While nearly half of the foreign visitors to Britain visit London, only 10 per cent make it to Scotland and less than 4 per cent to Wales, Ms Dawe said.
Inbound tourism contributed £18.6bn to the British economy last year, and this year, VisitBritain expects the figure to rise to £20bn.
ssahoo@thenational.ae
'Manmarziyaan' (Colour Yellow Productions, Phantom Films)
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
UAE%20SQUAD
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Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
ANATOMY%20OF%20A%20FALL
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Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
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Portugal 1 (Ronaldo 72' pen)
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
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