Abu Dhabi has set out plans to make hotel stays in the emirate cheaper in an attempt to boost tourism.
The emirate's Department of Culture and Tourism announced on Friday that government fees paid by hotels and customers would be reduced to support growth in the hospitality and tourism sector.
The measures include the reduction of a tourism fee issued to guests from 6 per cent to 4 per cent, the removal of a municipality fee of Dh15 a room per night and the lifting a 6 per cent tourism fee and a 4 per cent municipality fee applied to hotel restaurants.
The changes will come into effect from September 1.
The municipality fee for 4 per cent of the value of the invoice issued to the customer will continue, the authority said.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office said the move – made under the directives of Abu Dhabi Executive Council – was aimed at “enhancing Abu Dhabi as a leading global leisure and tourism destination”.
“As part of its mandate, DCT Abu Dhabi continuously elevates the standards of the emirate’s tourism, culture, and hospitality offerings in the emirate,” the media office said.
Abu Dhabi visitor numbers surge
The UAE capital welcomed 18 million visitors last year, official figures released this week showed.
The three most visited cultural sites in the capital were Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Cultural Foundation and Qasr Al Hosn.
Overnight visitors reached 4.1 million, a 24 per cent increase from the previous year.
Travellers are staying in the capital for an average of three nights, with hotel occupancy rates averaging 70 per cent, higher than the average across the Middle East.
According to data analytics company STR, the region averaged 63.6 per cent occupancy last year.
Abu Dhabi has sought to cement its status as a leading visitor attraction in recent years, with a focus on culture, sports and family life.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi, which opened in 2017, remains the crown jewel of the Saadiyat Cultural District.
It was joined earlier this year by the Abrahamic Family House, a multi-faith place of worship celebrating harmony and tolerance.
The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and Zayed National Museum will also form part of the cultural centre.
Abu Dhabi plays host to the season-ending race in the Formula One calendar, has staged high-profile UFC cards and has welcomed some of the biggest NBA basketball stars to the court.
The city has also increased its presence on a global stage through the launch of Experience Abu Dhabi, the emirate’s destination brand.
Concerts and events including Disney on Ice, which welcomed 29,000 visitors, and The Lion King, with nearly 50,000, have also enhanced the emirate’s appeal.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
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.
Tesalam Aleik
Abdullah Al Ruwaished
(Rotana)
DSC Eagles 23 Dubai Hurricanes 36
Eagles
Tries: Bright, O’Driscoll
Cons: Carey 2
Pens: Carey 3
Hurricanes
Tries: Knight 2, Lewis, Finck, Powell, Perry
Cons: Powell 3
Other IPL batting records
Most sixes: 292 – Chris Gayle
Most fours: 491 – Gautam Gambhir
Highest individual score: 175 not out – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Highest strike-rate: 177.29 – Andre Russell
Highest strike-rate in an innings: 422.22 – Chris Morris (for Delhi Daredevils against Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017)
Highest average: 52.16 – Vijay Shankar
Most centuries: 6 – Chris Gayle
Most fifties: 36 – Gautam Gambhir
Fastest hundred (balls faced): 30 – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Fastest fifty (balls faced): 14 – Lokesh Rahul (for Kings XI Punjab against Delhi Daredevils in 2018)
Alan%20Wake%20Remastered%20
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