DUBAI// With the credit crunch squeezing finances, some families are having to face up to the fact that expensive foreign holidays are an impossibility this year.
But while for those who want to find out what is on their own doorstep, the good news of the economic downturn is that there are more bargains than ever.
Even with a relatively modest budget of Dh1,000 a day, The National discovered that a family of four could "staycation" in the UAE for a weekend and still enjoy a good time.
Hotel rooms, meals in restaurants, visits to popular attractions and even a spot of shopping are still possible while spending an average each day of just Dh250 for each member of the family.
The best deals include big name hotels offering rooms for well under Dh500 a night, substantial discounts on eating out and the chance for the children to enjoy some of the most popular attractions free of charge.
The result, tourist officials in Abu Dhabi say, is that many hotels and resorts are enjoying brisk business, with some even posting "no vacancy" signs.
Events such as Summer in Abu Dhabi and the Liwa Dates Festival were proving particularly attractive to families, WAM, the state news agency, reported yesterday.
A survey by Bayt.com, a website that covers careers in the Middle East, found that 47 per cent of 1,841 UAE residents questioned had cut back on their holiday spending because of the recession. Only 19 per cent said it had remained the same. Overall, the hotel occupancy rate in Abu Dhabi had passed 75 per cent for the first time as families from the GCC region took advantage of lower prices.
The surge in interest has come as hotels and attractions slash charges, in some cases by more than 90 per cent, and add free incentives to entice local holidaymakers.
It means families can now save thousands of dirhams, by not spending money on air fare and choosing from a host of promotions aimed at drumming up business during the quieter summer months.
Sharon Garrett, of the UAE branch of TravMedia, a news website for the travel industry, said: "Even people who have managed to stay untouched by the economic downturn are conscious of what they are spending and not being away for too long.
"About a decade ago, it was not unusual to stay in a luxury five-star hotel in Dubai, even if you were a resident. That petered out as accommodation options changed and more luxury apartments became available, but now the trend is coming back.
"People like to check out what is new on the local market and, while traditionally the summer has always had good rates, now there are far more incentives and very competitive room rates."
Barbara Saunders, of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, said: "People in Dubai should holiday in Abu Dhabi, and vice versa. They are such different entities and we are trying to expand the offering. Where else in the GCC can you get the likes of Sir Bani Yas island?
"We want to engage the market on our doorstep as it is substantial. It is characterised by a tendency to travel locally in times of uncertainty, whether it is health-related or financial, so there is great potential."
A couple with two children can find plenty in the way of accommodation, meals and entertainment.
Most hotels in the UAE are offering deals at under Dh1,000 a night. People who shop around will find that dozens have cut their prices further to less than Dh500 a night.
And there are numerous free or discounted activities being offered to the budget-conscious at resorts and theme parks.
If it's top of the range that you are after, you could blow most of the Dh1,000 daily budget at Atlantis, leaving only small change for a Dh4 shawarma in Bur Dubai.
But the Dh960-a-night room rate, reduced from a normal rate of Dh2,900, includes enough entertainment to keep the young ones busy, from free entry to the hotel's Kids' Club and Rush club for teenagers to one free massage as well as access to the Aquaventure water park, usually Dh200 a ticket, and the Lost Chambers labyrinth of underground tunnels.
Equally, there would not be much left from a Dh960 room at the InterContinental hotel in Festival City, down from Dh1,500, but it offers a taste of the luxury that Paris Hilton enjoyed when she stayed in Dubai recently.
The four-star Le Méridien Fairway, near Dubai Airport, has reduced its prices from Dh1,800 a night to a walk-in rate of Dh420. Canny holidaymakers can save even more by booking a Dh300 rate online.
Its more upmarket sister hotel, Le Méridien Dubai, set in 38 acres and boasting 18 restaurants, quoted Dh660 for a family room (reduced to Dh600 on its website), down from a standard Dh2,160.
Elsewhere, there are also bargains aplenty. Rooms in Fujairah could be booked for as little Dh240 online.
Even the ultimate luxury, a stay in the seven-star Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, is within reach for many budgets, with a Dh3,944 room now priced at Dh1,044 for Gulf residents, a saving of nearly 75 per cent.
Plan cleverly and families can take advantage of big reductions at restaurants and value-for-money deals.
Weekday buffets at under Dh100 a head are on offer, some costing as little as Dh59 per person. Other eateries are serving two meals for the price of one.
Da Vinci's, in the Millennium Airport hotel, was allowing diners to roll a dice at the end of their meal with the number that came up determining the discount off their meal, from 10 per cent for a one to 60 per cent for a six.
That promotion has been replaced by a scratchcard game offering the same discounts.
Keeping the youngsters occupied can be a problem as the cost of entrance tickets adds up, but the cut-price deals have been extended to attractions. Aquaventure in Dubai has reduced its entry price from Dh285 for adults and Dh220 for children to Dh200 and Dh165 respectively. Nearby, Wild Wadi water park has a Dh195 adult rate and Dh165 for youngsters.
Up to four children can ski free at Ski Dubai with two paying adults, a saving of Dh600.
A cheap option in Dubai is a "dive-in movie" at The Montgomerie, the Desert Palm Resort and Hotel or the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, where films can be watched from inflatables in the pool. Prices range from Dh30 to Dh45 for adults and sometimes children can go free.
Just Dh10 will get a child into Modhesh World in Dubai where there are free games and rides until August 14.
And while the youngsters are playing, parents can have a free haircut from students at the Formul'A French Hairdressing Academy in Knowledge Village or a bargain Dh60 cut for men at The Lounge in Karama.
tyaqoob@thenational.ae
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
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
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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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 PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
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Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch
Power: 710bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 340km/h
Price: Dh1,000,885
On sale: now
What is an ETF?
An exchange traded fund is a type of investment fund that can be traded quickly and easily, just like stocks and shares. They come with no upfront costs aside from your brokerage's dealing charges and annual fees, which are far lower than on traditional mutual investment funds. Charges are as low as 0.03 per cent on one of the very cheapest (and most popular), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, with the maximum around 0.75 per cent.
There is no fund manager deciding which stocks and other assets to invest in, instead they passively track their chosen index, country, region or commodity, regardless of whether it goes up or down.
The first ETF was launched as recently as 1993, but the sector boasted $5.78 billion in assets under management at the end of September as inflows hit record highs, according to the latest figures from ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five largest providers BlackRock’s iShares, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisers, Deutsche Bank X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
While the best-known track major indices such as MSCI World, the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, you can also invest in specific countries or regions, large, medium or small companies, government bonds, gold, crude oil, cocoa, water, carbon, cattle, corn futures, currency shifts or even a stock market crash.
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court (4pm UAE/12pm GMT)
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) v Heather Watson (GBR)
Rafael Nadal (ESP x4) v Karen Khachanov (RUS x30)
Andy Murray (GBR x1) v Fabio Fognini (ITA x28)
Court 1 (4pm UAE)
Steve Johnson (USA x26) v Marin Cilic (CRO x7)
Johanna Konta (GBR x6) v Maria Sakkari (GRE)
Naomi Osaka (JPN) v Venus Williams (USA x10)
Court 2 (2.30pm UAE)
Aljaz Bedene (GBR) v Gilles Muller (LUX x16)
Peng Shuai (CHN) v Simona Halep (ROM x2)
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x13) v Camila Giorgi (ITA)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x12) v Sam Querrey (USA x24)
Court 3 (2.30pm UAE)
Kei Nishikori (JPN x9) v Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x18)
Carina Witthoeft (GER) v Elina Svitolina (UKR x4)
Court 12 (2.30pm UAE)
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x8) v Ana Konjuh (CRO x27)
Kevin Anderson (RSA) v Ruben Bemelmans (BEL)
Court 18 (2.30pm UAE)
Caroline Garcia (FRA x21) v Madison Brengle (USA)
Benoit Paire (FRA) v Jerzy Janowicz (POL)
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
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
