The country's hospitality sector is reaping the benefit of the UAE's growing reputation as an ideal mid-season training destination for top European football teams.
With the English Premier League (EPL) champions Manchester United currently undertaking warm-weather training in Dubai, the concurrent rise in hotel occupancy rates belies the increasing awareness globally of the Emirates as a destination.
Hotels here are benefiting, with STR Global reporting a 2.9 per cent increase in occupancy to 76.3 per cent in December compared with the same month in 2012.
In the capital, hotels such as the Yas Viceroy, which recently hosted the EPL’s Newcastle United, report a surge in occupancy rates last month.
“We are proud and were delighted to have welcomed the Newcastle United Football Club at Yas Viceroy,” said Julie Audette, the director of public relations at Yas Viceroy.
“Our general occupancy rate for January has increased by 20.3 per cent from 53.8 per cent occupancy last year in January to 74.1 for the same month this year,” she said, while acknowledging that was not a direct result of the Magpies’ stay.
Alongside Manchester United, Dubai is playing host this week to the EPL’s West Ham United and Stoke City as the teams take advantage of a 10-day break in their domestic fixture list to replenish reserves and regroup for the push towards the end of the season.
And, of course, it affords them all the chance to open up potentially lucrative new markets.
Manchester United, being masters of that particluar game, last week announced adjusted profit for the three months to December 31 was £19.8 million (Dh121.7m) compared with £19m in the year-earlier period. Higher sponsorship income helped to boost total revenue 12 per cent to £122.9m, much of that driven by an ever-increasing international fan base.
But it is not just the EPL teams that find the country an attractive proposition when weather conditions at home can best be described as miserable.
The first Dubai Challenge Cup, founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in 2007, saw the Emirati and the Iranian national teams participating alongside the big German clubs Hamburg SV and Stuttgart. Since then, clubs including the Italian giants Inter Milan and the French big-hitters Paris Saint-Germain have stopped by.
In the wider region, too, the benefits of top-class facilities and good weather prove alluring to top-flight teams.
Qatar’s inspiring Aspire Zone and its hotels have recently entertained the Spanish giants Real Madrid and the French Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
In fact, the Parisians were welcomed to their temporary home, the Torch Hotel in Doha, with a light show draping it in the team’s colours of red and blue for the occasion. The PSG manager Laurent Blanc was impressed.
“It’s my first visit to Qatar and I must say the infrastructure is wonderful here, while the excellent weather is a big plus.
“We couldn’t have hoped for more to prepare for what will be a very busy second half of the season.”
Back in the UAE, Manchester City proved last month that the vagaries of the beautiful game can scupper even the best-laid plans.
Abu Dhabi-backed City were initially scheduled to visit the capital to play a high-profile friendly against Al Ain commemorating the opening of the impressive Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. City were due to travel to Al Ain to take on the Arabian Gulf League champions in a January 14 friendly to mark the opening of the new 25,000-seater stadium. Unfortunately, just before they were due to arrive, City were held to a draw in the FA Cup by lowly Blackburn Rovers.
And the third-round draw meant the replay with Blackburn was set to take place on January 15, cancelling the Al Ain party.
It was, perhaps, something of an own-goal from the Blues.
business@thenational.ae
* With additional reporting by Shuaib Ahmed
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Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
England v West Indies
England squad for the first Test Cook, Stoneman, Westley, Root (captain), Malan, Stokes, Bairstow, Moeen, Roland-Jones, Broad, Anderson, Woakes, Crane
Fixtures
1st Test Aug 17-21, Edgbaston
2nd Test Aug 25-29, Headingley
3rd Test Sep 7-11, Lord's
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Tales of Yusuf Tadros
Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)
Hoopoe
ELECTION%20RESULTS
%3Cp%3EMacron%E2%80%99s%20Ensemble%20group%20won%20245%20seats.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20second-largest%20group%20in%20parliament%20is%20Nupes%2C%20a%20leftist%20coalition%20led%20by%20Jean-Luc%20Melenchon%2C%20which%20gets%20131%20lawmakers.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20far-right%20National%20Rally%20fared%20much%20better%20than%20expected%20with%2089%20seats.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20centre-right%20Republicans%20and%20their%20allies%20took%2061.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
Five expert hiking tips
- Always check the weather forecast before setting off
- Make sure you have plenty of water
- Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
- Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
- Take your litter home with you
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
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How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
More on animal trafficking
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company profile
Name: Fruitful Day
Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2015
Number of employees: 30
Sector: F&B
Funding so far: Dh3 million
Future funding plans: None at present
Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries
Match info
Huddersfield Town 0
Chelsea 3
Kante (34'), Jorginho (45' pen), Pedro (80')
The winners
Fiction
- ‘Amreekiya’ by Lena Mahmoud
- ‘As Good As True’ by Cheryl Reid
The Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award
- ‘Syrian and Lebanese Patricios in Sao Paulo’ by Oswaldo Truzzi; translated by Ramon J Stern
- ‘The Sound of Listening’ by Philip Metres
The George Ellenbogen Poetry Award
- ‘Footnotes in the Order of Disappearance’ by Fady Joudah
Children/Young Adult
- ‘I’ve Loved You Since Forever’ by Hoda Kotb
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
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