The only hotel at the Expo 2020 Dubai site has opened for bookings.
The Rove Expo 2020 was pitched as having the best seats in the house given its commanding view of Al Wasl Plaza, one of the main attractions at the event.
The plaza's enormous trellis dome will host the opening ceremony on October 1, during which images will be beamed on to the world’s largest 360-degree projection surface.
People have been unable to travel for over 12 months. They are locking in dates for the future.
The hotel's rooftop swimming pool and most of the 300-plus rooms overlook the dome.
Rooms cost from Dh1,000 ($272) a night and include Expo 2020 tickets for the duration of stay.
Paul Bridger, chief operating officer at Rove Hotels, said staff were dealing with enquiries from more than 1,500 people even before it opened for bookings.
"We will have amazing views of the action and the event. We have had a huge response and a number of bookings already," Mr Bridger told The National.
"We had 1,500 email enquiries from people asking when can they book. There is so much anticipation for the Expo event itself and the hotel is part of that. There is a lot of pent-up demand.
“A lot of people have been unable to travel for over 12 months. They are really looking forward to the next time they can travel and are locking in their dates for the future."
With fewer than 100 days to go, tourists from the GCC, Expo support staff, artists and performers have already made reservations.
"We have seen a lot of demand from the local region and some are people connected to the event," he said.
"There is a lot of anticipation in the UAE but also overseas.”
Being the only place to stay on the 438-hectare site, the hotel has an advantage.
Other hotels are a 15-minute drive away in the surrounding Dubai South and Dubai Investments Park areas. The Dubai Marina neighbourhood is about 20 minutes away.
Visitors are planning an Expo stay as part of their trip to Dubai and the UAE.
“They want to do one or two days at the Expo and explore other areas in the city," Mr Bridger said.
“So we see a lot of people asking to spend one or two nights at the Rove Expo 2020 and then stay at a different hotel, maybe in Downtown or Marina, as part of their trip."
Mr Bridger thinks demand will continue to grow from the 5 per cent occupancy recorded in the past four days since bookings opened.
"People believe and trust that Dubai will put on such a great show that they are really looking forward to get their place," Mr Bridger said.
"We are expecting demand to be very high."
The hotel opens on October 1, the same day as the Expo. Staff are getting ready for a soft opening in September, with guests being limited to those working at the site.
Reservations for dates before October 1 will not be available to the general public.
The hotel – which has a cafe, dining outlets, co-working spaces and a 24-hour gym – is among the structures that will remain after the Expo finishes in March next year.
Those taking part in events at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, a hub for international trade shows and conferences, will continue to drive demand.
Expo organisers have also laid out plans for a residential and commercial neighbourhood called District 2020 as part of a legacy master plan to build a thriving community.
Marjan Faraidooni, chief experience officer at Expo 2020, said the hotel supported the goals of the futuristic city and would add “huge value to world-class facilities”.
“Rove 2020 Dubai will provide remarkable hospitality and fulfil the needs of visitors during and after Expo 2020 Dubai,” she said.
The World Fair in Dubai will be the first global event to be held in-person with international visitors during the coronavirus pandemic.
It is the first time the fair will take place in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region.
Expo 2020 Dubai pavilions: in pictures
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
Sam Smith
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When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
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- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
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- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
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Price, base: Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
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Director: Rupert Wyatt
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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
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Newcastle United 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2
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Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m. Winner: Rio Angie, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 1,600m. Winner: Trenchard, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m. Winner: Mulfit, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 1,200m. Winner: Waady, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 2,000m. Winner: Tried And True, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
9.25pm:Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m. Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
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Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
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(Figures in millions, approximate)
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