Dubai Airports says it expects to see a 13.6 per cent increase in international passenger traffic next year, driven by the opening of its new airport, expansion of Dubai's airlines and improved economic conditions.
Total passenger traffic is expected to reach 40.5 million this year, according to Dubai Airports. Next year, it is set to top 46 million at Dubai International Airport and Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International, which is scheduled to open in June.
"Improving economic conditions, state-of-the-art infrastructure, strong expansion by Emirates Airline and emerging low-cost carrier flydubai and an open skies policy that promotes market access to other international airlines are driving this growth," said Paul Griffiths, the chief executive of Dubai Airports.
More than 125 carriers serve 210 destinations from Dubai International Airport.
"Dubai is located four hours' flying time from one third of the world's population and 12 hours from 80 per cent of the population," Mr Griffths said. "Dubai International has seen traffic triple in just eight years."
In the first seven months of this year, Dubai International handled 23.1 million passengers. Last year's total was 37.4 million. Abu Dhabi International Airport reported 4.6 million passengers for the first half of this year.
About a million passengers are to pass through Dubai World Central next year after it opens its first phase in June, with the new airport set to eventually become the world's largest airport, with a capacity of 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo per year, Dubai Airports said.
The first phase of the airport, valued at US$820 million (Dh3.01 billion), will have a single A380 compatible runway and a passenger terminal with a capacity of 5 million passengers a year and can be expanded to receive 7 million passengers annually. There will be a cargo terminal capable of handling 250,000 tonnes a year, which could be expanded to 600,000 tonnes and a dedicated road link to the region's port in Jebel Ali.
The next major phases of the development will incorporate up to four passenger terminals. The project is to be completed by the end of the next decade, Dubai Airports said.
The latest monthly traffic figures from UAE airports for July showed strength. Abu Dhabi airport said passenger numbers increased 10.3 per cent in July compared with the same period a year earlier, while Dubai Airports reported a 12.6 per cent rise.
Despite the economic downturn, Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways are investing heavily to compete with carriers such as British Airways to win a larger share of international air travel demand.
Emirates operates 14 daily non-stop flights from Dubai to the UK. The airline flies non-stop to six continents from its international hub in Dubai, and will launch new services to Durban in South Africa on October 1 and Luanda, Angola, on October 25. The airline plans additional flights to India by November.
In addition to increasing services, Dubai airlines have also had to cut fares, like many carriers globally, to prop up ticket sales. The airlines have lowered fares an average of 20 per cent.
"Aviation is big business in Dubai, contributing at least 25 per cent of Dubai's GDP," Mr Griffiths said. "That will only get bigger as the growth in this sector continues."
rbundhun@thenational.ae
Company Profile
Name: HyveGeo
Started: 2023
Founders: Abdulaziz bin Redha, Dr Samsurin Welch, Eva Morales and Dr Harjit Singh
Based: Cambridge and Dubai
Number of employees: 8
Industry: Sustainability & Environment
Funding: $200,000 plus undisclosed grant
Investors: Venture capital and government
Company profile
Company name: Fasset
Started: 2019
Founders: Mohammad Raafi Hossain, Daniel Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $2.45 million
Current number of staff: 86
Investment stage: Pre-series B
Investors: Investcorp, Liberty City Ventures, Fatima Gobi Ventures, Primal Capital, Wealthwell Ventures, FHS Capital, VN2 Capital, local family offices
Company Profile
Name: Direct Debit System
Started: Sept 2017
Based: UAE with a subsidiary in the UK
Industry: FinTech
Funding: Undisclosed
Investors: Elaine Jones
Number of employees: 8
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.
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
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TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
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Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
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Story of 2017-18 so far and schedule to come
Roll of Honour
Who has won what so far in the West Asia rugby season?
Western Clubs Champions League
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Jebel Ali Dragons
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Jebel Ali Dragons
Runners up: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Premiership Cup
Winners: Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Runners up: Dubai Exiles
Fixtures
Friday
West Asia Cup final
5pm, Bahrain (6pm UAE time), Bahrain v Dubai Exiles
West Asia Trophy final
3pm, The Sevens, Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Sports City Eagles
Friday, April 13
UAE Premiership final
5pm, Al Ain, Dubai Exiles v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Sebastian Stefan, Sebastian Morar and Claudia Pacurar
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2014
Number of employees: 36
Sector: Logistics
Raised: $2.5 million
Investors: DP World, Prime Venture Partners and family offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Honeymoonish
Director: Elie El Samaan
Starring: Nour Al Ghandour, Mahmoud Boushahri
Rating: 3/5
'Nightmare Alley'
Director:Guillermo del Toro
Stars:Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara
Rating: 3/5
Draw:
Group A: Egypt, DR Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Group B: Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar, Burundi
Group C: Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania
Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Angola
Group F: Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Sav
Started: 2021
Founder: Purvi Munot
Based: Dubai
Industry: FinTech
Funding: $750,000 as of March 2023
Investors: Angel investors
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
ROUTE TO TITLE
Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books