Dubai has been ranked first regionally and second globally in a new list of the top 100 city destinations.
The emirate was eighth in the economic and business section, as well as tourism performance.
It was also the fourth most popular destination for tourism policy and attractiveness, falling two places from last year and finishing behind first-placed Dublin, Paris and Madrid.
The emirate received praise for being open to tourists since the summer of 2020, despite the pandemic, in the Top 100 City Destinations Index 2021, compiled by UK market research company Euromonitor International.
Despite falling from the top spot it held last year, Dubai was singled out for its efforts to vaccinate the population against Covid-19.
Only Paris finished above Dubai, with Amsterdam, Madrid and Rome making up the rest of the top five in the report.
“The city [Dubai] has been open to international tourists since July 2020 and government efforts to mobilise and support the travel and tourism sector have been pivotal,” the report says.
“Dubai is the only city from an emerging country to feature in the top 10. Dubai ranks highest in terms of health and safety among the top 10 cities in the index.
Dubai praised for safety measures
“The vaccination process is easy, vaccination rates are high and stringent safety measures are in place for all public places and tourist spots.
“As a result, there is increasing visitor confidence among international and local tourists to the city.”
Paris took the top spot and was praised for its strong performance in terms of tourism, particularly among visitors from Asia and the US.
The report ranked cities for their performances in 2021 across a range of sectors including economic and business performance, tourism performance, tourism policy and attractiveness, tourism infrastructure, health and safety and sustainability.
Three cities in the UAE had a strong showing in the health and safety section of the report with Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi all being named in the top five.
Sharjah was in second place, just behind Singapore, with Doha taking third ahead of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
“Prominent cities from the Gulf region have significantly improved their health and safety performance,” according to the report, which praised the UAE for the high number of vaccinations.
“Abu Dhabi also implemented strict border control measures with neighbouring cities.
“Domestic visitors to Abu Dhabi were required to show proof of vaccination or negative PCR test results to enter the emirate; these restrictions were only lifted in September 2021.”
Expo and sport stars boost UAE standing
All three UAE cities showed a significant improvement from the previous year’s performance with Sharjah leaping 15 places, Dubai up by 19 and Abu Dhabi increased its ranking by 20 spots.
Dubai was the top performing country overall in the Middle East and Africa region.
Abu Dhabi took second place with Sharjah in fourth. The rest of the top five in the region were made up of Doha in third place and Tel Aviv in fifth.
“Dubai successfully initiated the long-awaited Expo, opening doors to both international and domestic visitors and boosting investment in Dubai and the wider region,” read the report.
“Abu Dhabi remains the first choice for many global events, especially sports. Its stadiums hosted the Indian Premier League as well as the ICC World Cup in 2021.
“Abu Dhabi has established a strong reputation for being the best ranking destination for health and safety. The city will also host the 2021 Fifa Club World Cup in early 2022, which was earlier scheduled to take place in Japan.”
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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The specs
Engine: 2.2-litre, turbodiesel
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Power: 160hp
Torque: 385Nm
Price: Dh116,900
On sale: now
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
Results:
First Test: New Zealand 30 British & Irish Lions 15
Second Test: New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
Third Test: New Zealand 15 British & Irish Lions 15
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Results
Final: Iran beat Spain 6-3.
Play-off 3rd: UAE beat Russia 2-1 (in extra time).
Play-off 5th: Japan beat Egypt 7-2.
Play-off 7th: Italy beat Mexico 3-2.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
