Related: Ruler of Dubai hails winter tourism push as 950,000 visitors deliver Dh1 billion boost to hospitality sector
The UAE's successful "world's coolest winter" campaign will focus on international tourists once global lockdowns are lifted, a minister of state told The National.
The seasonal promotion was the first unified tourism campaign launched by all seven emirates and encouraged domestic tourists to explore the hidden gems of the UAE.
It ended this week after a 45-day run and attracted nearly a million domestic tourists and created Dh1 billion in revenue.
Ahmad Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises, and the man with responsibility for the campaign, said future promotions will aim at the lucrative international segment while also trying to attract repeat visits from residents.
The challenge for us going forward is having repeat customers
He said rising Covid-19 case numbers would not tarnish the UAE's tourism sector because of the country's vaccination programme and strong healthcare system.
"We really believe that there's potential for this national tourism identity to be used predominantly for long-haul travellers who would not travel for 12 hours to spend three days in one emirate, but would rather spend five to seven days across all emirates," Mr Al Falasi said.
He said another issue was ensuring repeat visits from domestic tourists. He said tour operators used to dealing with foreign tourists could handle more domestic trips.
"If you and I wanted to go to Hatta or to Khor Fakkan, we're not going to call a tour agent to take us there. The challenge is how can we find the right mechanism to put together a promotion with these tour operators to have them handle domestic tourists as well."
Dubai, meanwhile, updated its travel rules after a surge in coronavirus case numbers. Despite the rising daily infection rates, Mr Falasi is bullish about the UAE's future as a tourism destination.
“Things are still under control and people are able to move around freely,” he said. “As a percentage of population, the UAE today is second when it comes to vaccinations and the first when it comes to testing, and that goes a long way.
“As and when travel is eased, tourists will predominantly think of areas where they still feel safe, and I believe that travellers will want to go to a location that has great access, great infrastructure and a great healthcare system."
Mr Al Falasi said it was important that individual emirates did not compete for the same market and this unified approach would support the aim to double the UAE’s domestic tourism revenue within the next 10 years. This year there was a 17 per cent increase in the number of hotel stays compared with last year, thanks to the campaign.
In the meantime, it is hoped that the new nationwide Emirates Tourism app will encourage domestic tourists to continue to explore their home country. The platform includes 275 offers at hotels, restaurants and attractions, with more businesses set to come on board.
The next campaign starts on December 15 and Mr Falasi anticipates it will be more of a challenge as global lockdowns are lifted and residents can choose to travel abroad.
"We've seen the campaign for the launch of the Khor Fakkan amphitheatre – that was a new addition. We've seen also seen Rumailah Farm in Fujairah which was announced and was also very popular," he said, referring to new attractions in the UAE people can visit.
"I think the challenge for us ... is having repeat customers, and that requires some effort from the domestic tourism authorities to develop their offerings," he said. "They will need to be constantly updated to keep people coming back."
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The years Ramadan fell in May
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
RESULTS
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If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30, December 1-2
International Vets
Christina Noble Children’s Foundation fixtures
Thursday, November 30:
10.20am, Pitch 3, v 100 World Legends Project
1.20pm, Pitch 4, v Malta Marauders
Friday, December 1:
9am, Pitch 4, v SBA Pirates
We Weren’t Supposed to Survive But We Did
We weren’t supposed to survive but we did.
We weren’t supposed to remember but we did.
We weren’t supposed to write but we did.
We weren’t supposed to fight but we did.
We weren’t supposed to organise but we did.
We weren’t supposed to rap but we did.
We weren’t supposed to find allies but we did.
We weren’t supposed to grow communities but we did.
We weren’t supposed to return but WE ARE.
Amira Sakalla
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
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The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
THE DETAILS
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Director: Ron Howard
2/5
CHELSEA SQUAD
Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Rudiger, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Sarr, Azpilicueta, James, Kenedy, Alonso, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Pulisic, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Werner, Havertz, Lukaku.
Kandahar%20
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'Jurassic%20World%20Dominion'
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Spare
Profile
Company name: Spare
Started: March 2018
Co-founders: Dalal Alrayes and Saurabh Shah
Based: UAE
Sector: FinTech
Investment: Own savings. Going for first round of fund-raising in March 2019