ABU DHABI // Tourism is expected to receive a boost during Ramadan, as growing numbers of holidaymakers seek out a taste of Emirati culture.
The majority of visitors to Abu Dhabi - 70 per cent - are currently business travellers, but the emirate is seeking to attract more people on holiday. Already, it is promoting Abu Dhabi internationally with an advertising campaign and has opened overseas tourism offices.
The summer months are traditionally the quietest months for the holiday and business segment of the tourism industry, but travel agents say leisure travellers are being lured to the emirate by special offers.
Barbara Saunders, from the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, said: "In 2006, when the holy month began on Sept 20, when the traditional business season was already well under way, the impact of Ramadan on hotel occupancy in Abu Dhabi was negligible.
"Last year, when Ramadan began on Sept 10, closer to the traditional holiday season for UAE nationals, the dip was more noticeable. This trend reflects Abu Dhabi's current tourism profile of being 70 per cent business travel - and demonstrates that when Ramadan falls in an established business period, business continues largely as usual."
Ramadan begins on Sept 1 this year, according to astronomers, who determine the start of the holy month depending on the sighting of the new moon.
However, Ms Saunders said now the capital had "embarked on a strategy of endeavouring to balance its tourism profile more evenly between the leisure and business segment, and as its brand strategy is focused towards the culture seeker, we can envisage Ramadan having significant appeal to our target segment".
"The traditions of the holy month, when our buildings are lit up, when Iftar is celebrated in special Ramadan tents with distinctive Oud music and games of backgammon, would be of interest to the culture seeker," she added.
Anwar Abu Monassar, the general manager of Net Group, a tour operator and events planner that has operated in Abu Dhabi since 1992, said Ramadan "was now a busy month".
In the past, tourists associated it with "not being able to smoke a cigarette or drink a bottle of water on the street," he said.
"But since 2004, Abu Dhabi has started to change and focus on its image abroad," he said. "There is a mix of local traditions with what is expected from outside. It is more a question of respect rather than saying 'you must not'."
Due to the high proportion of expatriate workers in the Gulf, said Mr Monassar, holidays sometimes lacked "the local touch".
"This is generally a big part of tourism. We have the luxury hotels and beaches here, but people also want to learn about the traditions," he said.
"During Ramadan, Abu Dhabi and the other emirates go back to a more traditional atmosphere. Of course, there are not so many people around during the day, but in the evening it opens up. People are in the restaurants, enjoying Ramadan festivals, there is often live entertainment with local music. Visitors will be able to experience that during this month.
"When people think of Ramadan they think of fasting, but it is about meditating on your life and your relationship with God."
Security staff at malls have been put on alert to ensure customers observe the rules of fasting during the day.
Although many restaurants will offer a takeaway service, food must be concealed in a bag and taken off the premises. In the evenings, many restaurants will be serving Iftar buffets, and feasts of Arabic and international foods.
@Email:kattwood@thenational.ae
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
MATCH INFO
Group B
Bayern Munich v Tottenham, midnight (Thursday)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Hani%20Abu%20Ghazaleh%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20with%20an%20office%20in%20Montreal%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%202018%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Virtual%20Reality%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%241.2%20million%2C%20and%20nearing%20close%20of%20%245%20million%20new%20funding%20round%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
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
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
