A raft of measures to support the hospitality sector were set out at Dubai's Arabian Travel Market 2021, including a one-month trial to ease Covid-19 rules for bars, restaurants and live venues. Antonie Robertson / The National
The 2021 Arabian Travel Market exhibition opened at the World Trade Centre in Dubai on May 16. Antonie Robertson / The National
Top industry leaders, ministers, airline executives and hoteliers will meet during the four-day event. Antonie Robertson / The National
Organisers say it is the first in-person travel and tourism event in the world since the onset of the pandemic. Antonie Robertson / The National
This year's event comes at a crucial time as the global aviation and tourism industry battles the Covid-19 pandemic. Antonie Robertson / The National
A man makes handicrafts at the Saudi Arabia stand at Arabian Travel Market exhibition. Antonie Robertson / The National
Coffee is served at the Saudi Arabia stand at Arabian Travel Market. Antonie Robertson / The National
The Emirates Airlines stand at Arabian Travel Market. Antonie Robertson / The National
The Saudi Arabia stand at Arabian Travel Market. Antonie Robertson / The National
This year's exhibition is being held under the theme "A new dawn for travel and tourism". Antonie Robertson / The National
The Morocco stand at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National
Visitors at the Expo 2020 Dubai stand at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National
Visitors tour some of the exhibition stands at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National
This year's event will focus on the current state of the industry, progress on vaccines and future trends. Pawan Singh / The National
Visitors at the Abu Dhabi stand look at a model of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National
Visitors tour the Dubai exhibit at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National
An artisan makes handicrafts at the Saudi Arabia stand at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National
Visitors at the Saudi Arabia stand. Pawan Singh / The National
The Egypt stand at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National.
The Dubai stand, with a model of Burj Khalifa in the foreground, at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National.
The Expo 2020 Dubai stand at the Arabian Travel Market. Delayed from last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Expo 2020 Dubai opens on October 1. Pawan Singh / The National.
Visitors explore the Expo 2020 Dubai stand at Arabian Travel Market. Pawan Singh / The National.
Abu Dhabi plans to remove Covid-19 quarantine restrictions for international travellers from July 1, except for visitors from India, and expand its green travel list to boost tourism in the emirate.
"How we are going to move forward in 2021 … Abu Dhabi will be open for everyone with no quarantine protocol starting from July 1," Ali Al Shaiba, executive director of tourism and marketing at the emirate's Department of Culture and Tourism, told The National on the sidelines of Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.
“We are going to welcome everybody to Abu Dhabi with a different [travelling] protocol but no quarantine.”
There are 22 countries on the emirate’s green list, which allows quarantine-free travel for passengers from those destinations.
The list will be expanded until the beginning of the third quarter, he said.
A few more countries could be added this week, Mr Al Shaiba said.
Abu Dhabi also plans to ease restrictions on a number of tourism activities.
The move is expected to positively affect the sector as it will increase the capacity of “many of activities and attractions”, said Mr Al Shaiba, without providing further details.
The emirate will have different testing protocols for visitors from low-risk and high-risk countries.
Those coming from countries with higher infection rates will have to undergo two tests – one before they travel and another upon arrival.
“People who will come from low-risk countries will take just one test, either before or after they land in Abu Dhabi,” he said.
Abu Dhabi will announce details of travel protocols later when it unveils its summer tourism promotion campaign, said Mr Al Shaiba.
Travellers from India, the emirate’s second-biggest source market after the UK and the world’s second-highest population, will still need to quarantine.
As of yesterday, India had about 24.7 million Covid-19 infections, second only to the US.
Given the current situation in India, the UAE capital will not be able to allow quarantine-free travel by July but may consider changing India’s status in September, said Mr Al Shaiba.
“It also depends on India itself, if they will allow their people to travel,” he said.
The temporary closure of the Indian market poses a challenge for Abu Dhabi and the department is closely monitoring the situation.
“We will see when India recovers, either partially or fully. We will definitely reactivate that market when the time will come,” he said.
“We will see when India recovers, either partially or fully. We will definitely reactivate that market when the time will come,” said Mr Al Shaiba.
To offset the impact, the emirate is exploring opportunities in other markets, said Mr Al Shaiba.
“Africa might be another opportunity for us and also some of the eastern European countries,” he said.
Abu Dhabi will also look at some smaller markets in Asia to boost tourist numbers.
The offer of quarantine-free travel will give people in different source markets a safe destination to visit.
Mr Al Shaiba said there had already been some encouraging indicators, especially from Russia.
From both an infrastructure and safety perspective, the emirate is ready to welcome visitors after its rapid vaccination campaign helped to build confidence, he said.
While the global tourism industry has been the hardest hit by the pandemic, Abu Dhabi responded well to the crisis and performed better than some of its peers last year.
It is adapting to the changed landscape but it will take another two years before inbound traveller numbers return to the 11.35 million visitors recorded before the pandemic, said Mr Al Shaiba.
“Today, let us be realistic ... we are going back to the base of 2019 maybe by 2023,” he said.
The department’s focus will also be on increasing the length of overnight stays to two or 2.6 nights on average over the next three years.
The emirate’s long-term goal is to attract 23 million visitors a year and generate 4 per cent of gross domestic product from tourism by 2030.
Abu Dhabi has about 33,000 hotel rooms, which is more than enough to accommodate the expected rise in tourist numbers when quarantine-free travel begins.
The emirate is also investing in ecological sites as it repositions itself to tap into the eco-tourism market.
A pipeline of more eco-friendly destinations is already being drawn up, said Mr Al Shaiba.
“We will make this part very strong. We will announce a lot of projects very soon.”
2020 Oscars winners: in numbers
Parasite – 4
1917– 3
Ford v Ferrari – 2
Joker – 2
Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood – 2
American Factory – 1
Bombshell – 1
Hair Love – 1
Jojo Rabbit – 1
Judy – 1
Little Women – 1
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) – 1
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
December 2014: Former UK finance minister George Osbourne reforms stamp duty, replacing the slab system with a blended rate scheme, with the top rate increasing to 12 per cent from 10 per cent:
Up to £125,000 - 0%; £125,000 to £250,000 – 2%; £250,000 to £925,000 – 5%; £925,000 to £1.5m: 10%; Over £1.5m – 12%
April 2016: New 3% surcharge applied to any buy-to-let properties or additional homes purchased.
July 2020: Rishi Sunak unveils SDLT holiday, with no tax to pay on the first £500,000, with buyers saving up to £15,000.
March 2021: Mr Sunak decides the fate of SDLT holiday at his March 3 budget, with expectations he will extend the perk unti June.
April 2021: 2% SDLT surcharge added to property transactions made by overseas buyers.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.
She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.
She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.
The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.
• 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.
