Abu Dhabi has launched a new fund aimed at further increasing corporate events and incentive travel in the emirate, as the UAE capital seeks to expand business tourism.
The fund will leverage public-private partnerships to boost business-to-business events, providing financial support and incentives to event organisers, agencies and companies to host their meetings in the emirate, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a statement on Monday.
Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau (ADCEB), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), signed an initial agreement with Adnec Group, owner and operator of Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, to jointly form the fund.
The partnership is “a tremendous step in further solidifying our position as a leading global destination for business events of all kinds”, said Saleh Al Geziry, director general of the tourism sector at DCT Abu Dhabi.
“Together we can create the ultimate destination package that showcases the best of the emirate and attracts ever greater numbers of large-scale and high-profile events to Abu Dhabi.”
The emirate has increased efforts to attract global business events that gather top investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, company executives and start-ups.
Abu Dhabi will host the Annual Investment Meeting next month as it focuses on attracting more foreign direct investment and diversifying its economy away from oil. It will also host the UN Conference on Trade and Development's eighth World Investment Forum in October.
Abu Dhabi’s meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) industry is “growing very fast” on the back of government policies, as well as the availability of good infrastructure for hosting business events, Mubarak Al Shamsi, director of ADCEB at DCT Abu Dhabi, told The National in September last year.
“We have a 10-year strategy that focuses on growing and positioning Abu Dhabi as a Mice international hub,” he said at the time.
The new joint fund is aimed at organisers of international corporate meetings and events who are interested in holding their events at Adnec.
“This comes as part of our efforts to strengthen the business tourism in Abu Dhabi and the UAE, and attract more companies to choose Abu Dhabi as an ideal destination for hosting any meetings, conferences, exhibitions, or events,” Humaid Al Dhaheri, managing director and group chief executive of Adnec Group, said.
For events planned between May 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024, applicants can submit their inquiry or request for proposal to either ADCEB or Adnec Group for eligibility of support towards their events through the joint fund, according to the statement.
ADCEB’s existing initiatives that target the growth of the Mice sector include the Advantage Abu Dhabi Meetings & Incentives 2.0, an upgraded programme that stimulates Mice activities in the region.
“The ADCEB and Adnec Group joint fund is an added tool for international and domestic agencies to promote Abu Dhabi and fills a gap in Advantage Abu Dhabi’s support for groups of over 500 delegates,” the statement said.
Passenger traffic across Abu Dhabi's five airports exceeded annual forecasts and tripled in 2022 from the previous year, amid a broad recovery in leisure and business travel from the coronavirus pandemic.
A total of 15.9 million passengers used Abu Dhabi International, Al Ain International, Al Bateen Executive, Delma Island and Sir Bani Yas Island airports last year, up 202 per cent from the 5.26 million passengers in 2021, according to Abu Dhabi Airports.
“We are working towards readiness to accommodate even greater passenger traffic in 2023, which, we anticipate, as higher numbers of international visitors come to the UAE for key events, including the coming Cop28 [climate conference],” Jamal Al Dhaheri, managing director and chief executive of Abu Dhabi Airports, said in February.
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Company%20profile
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
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Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
TOURNAMENT INFO
Fixtures
Sunday January 5 - Oman v UAE
Monday January 6 - UAE v Namibia
Wednesday January 8 - Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 - Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid, Darius D’Silva, Karthik Meiyappan, Jonathan Figy, Vriitya Aravind, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Chirag Suri
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
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Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
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On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
The Intruder
Director: Deon Taylor
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good
One star
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
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