Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara on Sir Bani Yas Island is offering a complimentary voucher worth Dh300 (US$82) for midweek stays booked on weekdays (between Saturday and Wednesday) in a deluxe room, suite or villa.
This Summer Spectacular offer also includes two outdoor activities per day. Guests can choose from a range of options that includes mountain biking (available for all levels), hiking on the island's rugged salt domes, kayaking in mangroves, which are home to more than 60 species of migratory birds, snorkelling in the marine life-rich waters off the island, or exploring the Arabian Wildlife Park.
The hotel also has plenty of cool summer activities to keep the little ones busy, from face painting to early-morning swimming lessons.
The complimentary voucher can be used at any of the hotel's restaurants and pool bars or at Anantara Spa. Alternatively, register for an Arabic cooking class hosted by the resort's master chef, or learn traditional Thai massage from expert therapists.
Anantara's special Breeze rates start at $410 (Dh1,507) for a deluxe room per night, including breakfast and taxes. Valid until September 8.
For reservations call 02 801 5400 or visit desertislands.anantara.com
With the Indian government in the middle of a debate on whether to put an end to tiger tourism, Undiscovered Destinations is offering what might be your last chance to catch a glimpse of the elusive and endangered Bengal tiger. The 12-day Tribes and Tigers tour combines game rides in a tiger reserve with treks into the tribal areas of Bastar and much more.
The first leg of the tour starts in Mumbai with an overnight flight to Tadoba, Nagpur, home to the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, a haven for tigers, sloth bears and hyena.
The next few days will include morning and evening visits to the reserve for plenty of wildlife spotting and tracking, as well as short trips to important historic sites such as Raipur, the famous palace of Kawardha - a village surrounded by the green Maikal hill range - and an overnight stay at the Maharaja's Palace in Kanker, then on to Jagdalpur to explore the tribal villages of Bastar. Jagdalpur is in the heart of forest country, so expect precarious treks, hikes deep into jungle terrain and lots of amazing sights, including the nearly 30-metre-high Chitrakoot waterfalls, known as the Niagara of India, formed where the river Indravati abruptly collapses into a deep cavern.
Later, watch traditional artisans practise age-old skills in the nearby towns of Bhelvapadar and Kondagaon. The trip ends with a flight from Raipur back to Mumbai.
From $2,615 (Dh9,605), based on two people sharing. To book and for more information, visit www.undiscovered-destinations.com
Take advantage of the summer rates at Le Gray Hotel Beirut for a relaxing holiday in this exciting, sophisticated city.
Recently refurbished, the hotel boasts a chlorine-free heated roof-top swimming pool and great dining options, including Indigo on the Roof, which offers panoramic views of Beirut.
The hotel is located in the centre of the city, ideal for shopping expeditions and a quick tour or two. Double rooms cost from $380 (Dh1,396) including taxes.
For more information, call 00 961 196 2828 or email reservations@legray.com.
Take advantage of Hilton Worldwide's Great Getaway summer offer to travel to new destinations in more than 80 countries.
Choose from more than 2,800 participating hotels in cities all over the globe and enjoy discounts of up to 30 per cent on hotel stays completed between May 28 and September 6.
The participating hotels include the five-star Rome Cavalieri, which overlooks the city's beautiful skyline and is part of the Waldorf Astoria Collection, and the Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort in Mexico, a beachfront hotel and the recipient of the AAA Four Diamond Award.
All reservations must be booked by July 15. Purchases must be made a week in advance, with full payment at the time of booking. Discounts may vary by hotel brand. Includes daily breakfast. Visit www.hhonors.com/thegreatgetaway
travel@thenational.ae
Abdul Jabar Qahraman was meeting supporters in his campaign office in the southern Afghan province of Helmand when a bomb hidden under a sofa exploded on Wednesday.
The blast in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah killed the Afghan election candidate and at least another three people, Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak told reporters. Another three were wounded, while three suspects were detained, he said.
The Taliban – which controls much of Helmand and has vowed to disrupt the October 20 parliamentary elections – claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mr Qahraman was at least the 10th candidate killed so far during the campaign season, and the second from Lashkar Gah this month. Another candidate, Saleh Mohammad Asikzai, was among eight people killed in a suicide attack last week. Most of the slain candidates were murdered in targeted assassinations, including Avtar Singh Khalsa, the first Afghan Sikh to run for the lower house of the parliament.
The same week the Taliban warned candidates to withdraw from the elections. On Wednesday the group issued fresh warnings, calling on educational workers to stop schools from being used as polling centres.
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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
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
