Latest: Indian airline says UAE flight ban extended until July 6
As vaccination programmes around the world start to bear fruit, Dubai tourist chiefs hope the emirate will be the beneficiary of a new travel boom.
Flight bookings from the UK to Dubai have already more than doubled for the last week of August, according to travel analyst ForwardKeys.
Holidays have got a lot more complicated thanks to Covid-19, so what do you need to remember if you're travelling to Dubai for a summer break?
The National found out.
1. Before you book your ticket to Dubai
Make sure you will be allowed into the country. Dubai is open for tourists, but travel from some countries is still restricted because they have high levels of Covid-19 or new variants of the coronavirus.
The Emirates airline website is regularly updated, so before you book it is worth checking for the last-minute changes.
At the time of writing, Emirates said all passengers who had travelled from or transited through India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the last 14 days would not be accepted for travel to Dubai, or allowed to transfer through Dubai.
Emirates has suspended flights from India until at least June 30.
Passenger services from Sao Paulo in Brazil also remain suspended until further notice.
The rules are different for UAE nationals, Golden Visa holders and members of diplomatic missions.
2. Do I need a visa?
It might have been a while since you last took a flight, so double check the validity of your travel documents, in particular if you are travelling with children.
As a visitor your passport should be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of entry into the UAE.
If you're transiting the UAE (and not passing through Immigration) your passport needs to have a minimum of three months validity from the date of transit.
Emirates has a useful tool you can use to check your passport requirements.
Most passport holders are eligible for a visa on arrival at no cost. However, others may need to apply for a visit visa from Dubai Immigration before travelling.
Check your status on the Visit Dubai website.
3. Covid-19 medical insurance?
Think about travel insurance as you book your ticket, so you can be sure you are covered if you fall ill in Dubai.
Airlines such as Emirates or Etihad Airways offer passengers free travel insurance that covers Covid-19 treatment, but many do not.
Global insurers such as Axa and major US providers including Cat 70 and John Hancock, have specific Covid-19 packages to cover all eventualities.
Insurance packages can be found for as little as $25 and cover tens of thousands of dollars worth of treatment.
4. Testing, testing ... PCR requirements
All passengers travelling to Dubai from any point of origin, including GCC countries, must hold a negative Covid‑19 PCR test certificate for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure.
Children aged under 12 and passengers who have a moderate or severe disability are exempt from taking a Covid‑19 PCR test.
The certificate must be a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test, and it must come from either a UAE government designated laboratory, or a trusted and certified laboratory in your country of origin.
Other test certificates including antibody tests and home testing kits are not accepted in Dubai.
Travellers must bring an official, printed certificate in English or Arabic to check in. text message and digital certificates are not accepted by Emirates check-in staff.
PCR certificates in other languages are only acceptable if they can be validated at the originating station.
For passengers arriving from certain countries, the Covid‑19 PCR report must include a QR code linked to the original report for verification purposes.
These countries are Bangladesh, India, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Sudan, Lebanon, Egypt and Ethiopia.
Furthermore, passengers flying from India, Pakistan, Nigeria or Bangladesh, must get a certificate from one of the labs listed in the designated laboratories to be accepted on the flight.
4. Testing on arrival
Some passengers arriving in Dubai are required to take another Covid‑19 PCR test on arrival at Dubai International airport.
These tests are free of charge, and the result is usually sent via text message to your mobile phone within 24 hours.
The list of countries can be found on the Emirates website, and includes Cyprus, Israel, the Philippines, Russia and Turkey.
If you take a test at the airport, you must remain in your hotel or residence until you receive the test result.
If the test is positive, you will be required to undergo isolation and follow the Dubai Health Authority guidelines.
You must also download the Covid – DXB Smart App, which is available on Google Play and the Apple store, free of charge.
5. Al Hosn tracing and vaccine app
Once you arrive in Dubai you are advised to download the Al Hosn app, which will warn you if you come into close contact with someone who has tested positive.
Vaccinated tourists can also use it to prove they have been inoculated in their home country.
You can do this by registering the "unified number" (UID) listed on your visa.
If you do not do this, you can still prove your vaccinated status by showing an electronic certificate on your smartphone.
Under a month-long trial which started on May 26, vaccinated tourists are allowed to attend live events like concerts and sports events, and weddings of up to 100 people in Dubai. They can also go to certain areas of bars, pubs and nightclubs.
Paper copies of vaccination certificates will not be accepted.
6. On holiday in Dubai
Nearly every hotel, restaurant and attraction is now open in Dubai, but there are still some Covid-19 restrictions designed to prevent the transmission of the virus.
Masks must be warn at all times, apart from when people are sitting down at a table to eat, or when they are undertaking strenuous exercise.
People are required to maintain physical distance of two metres from others, and there are heavy fines of Dh3,000 ($816) for those caught not wearing a mask or failing to socially distance.
The number of people who can sit at one table is 10 at restaurants and cafes, and four at shisha cafes.
Parties and weddings held in private homes are capped at 30 guests.
7. Before you leave
Passengers leaving Dubai only need to do a Covid‑19 PCR test if it is mandated by the country they are travelling to, so check the requirements carefully.
Usually, such tests have to be taken no more than 72 hours before your flight, so make sure you plan ahead.
In Dubai it is cheap and easy to book a test at an authorised laboratory, and you should receive the test results in 24 hours, but it can take longer.
Research your travel destination, as the authorities might require a certificate printed out, or for you to download a local tracing app.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
