Dubai Lifestyle News
Dubai ‘is the destination of choice for cruisers’
Dubai is the holiday destination of choice for people embarking on a cruise tour, it has been claimed.Ahmad Belhoul, chief executive officer of strategy and tourism sector development at the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing in Dubai (DTCM), said the city was inundated with cruise passengers in 2012.”We received 105 ship calls carrying almost 408,000 visitors and expect this figure to increase to more than 420,000 from 110 ship calls this year,” he remarked.”This will continue to increase in 2014 and 2015 with an annual growth rate that is in line with the projected global cruise tourist growth of three per cent.”By 2015, Mr Belhoul expects the emirate to be accommodating more than 450,000 passengers.Dubai is already the home port for four luxury cruise liners and it features heavily in the itinerary of 20 of the world's leading companies, which reiterates just how high cruise companies rate the city.Mr Belhoul's comments came shortly after the renovated luxury liner Mariner of the Seas made its first call into Dubai.The DTCM had put on a special welcome party to mark the appearance of the Royal Caribbean International-owned vessel.But why is Dubai such a popular stop-off for cruise passengers?Mr Belhoul thinks this is down to a combination of factors. He suggested that shrewd investment, meticulous planning and Dubai's world-class infrastructure stand it in very good stead.He also stressed how the city's reputation as a holiday hotspot has given the cruise industry a significant boost.Dubai attracts millions of holidaymakers every year and you only have to look at the amazing rise of Dubai International Airport to see how busy the sheikhdom has become.Some 66 million people are expected to fly into the aviation facility at some point this year and many of these passengers will spend a number of days relaxing on one of Dubai's stunning beaches and making the most of the city's seven-star hotels and resorts. Continue reading
Why glamorous Dubai is the place to be
Dubai is undoubtedly the jewel in the UAE's crown and you only have to look at the stunning array of wonderful hotels to see why so many people are visiting this part of the world every year.New resorts are springing up across the city all the time and they all offer glamour and luxury in equal measure.Just by reading through the results of the recent World Travel Awards – the Oscars of the tourism industry – you get a good idea of why Dubai is so special.A multitude of Dubai-based hotels reigned supreme in the Middle Eastern section of the prestigious awards ceremony, which was held at the spectacular Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa.The Rixos The Palm Dubai was one of many hotels to leave the event with an accolade, having scooped the Middle East's Leading Lifestyle Resort prize.Without doubt, Rixos benefits from being located in one of the most exclusive addresses in the UAE and it is no surprise that tourism industry professionals from across the globe rate it so highly.The Turkish-owned resort has everything that holidaymakers could wish for and the demand for rooms is always high.Manager of the hotel Mouhamad Hadla said: “This is a huge achievement for the entire team of Rixos The Palm Dubai who strive to provide exceptional service and inspiring Turkish hospitality to all of our guests.”We look forward to welcoming many more savvy travellers to enjoy the renowned Rixos Experience.”In a way, Rixos epitomises what Dubai is all about and it is accustomed to hosting A-list celebrities.Last year, singing sensation Jennifer Lopez held an after-party at the resort, which followed her live performance at Dubai Media City.JLO was clearly impressed by what she found in the hotel's White X Beach and Lounge and she was also treated to some sumptuous Turkish cuisine during her visit.It goes without saying that Dubai's hospitality sector is booming at the moment, with recent studies suggesting that room rates are rising all the time. With this in mind, investors have an ideal opportunity to get a piece of the action by snapping up hotels, apartments and villas in the most popular parts of the emirate. Continue reading
Dubai to host postponed Davis Cup ties
Dubai will host a number of Davis Cup matches that were originally meant to take place in troubled Myanmar.The emirate has an array of world-class sporting facilities and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) clearly has no qualms about holding the Group III and Group IV fixtures in the city.According to Gulf News, an ITF representative recently visited Dubai in order to assess the sheikhdom's ability to stage such an important event and they were obviously happy with what they saw.The UAE will have a team in the tournament and they will be joined by a host of countries for the week-long event, including Cambodia, Iran, Malaysia, Oman, Vietnam, Hong Kong and a team from the Pacific-Oceania region.These matches were supposed to have been completed in Myanmar in April, but were rescheduled because of the political upheaval in this part of the world.Senior figures at Tennis Emirates said it would be an honour to host such a prestigious competition.Vice president Abdul Rahman Falaknaz told the news provider he is realistic about the UAE's chances in the competition, but he has high hopes for the future of tennis in the country.”The future is looking bright and all the board members are comfortable working with each other. The challenges are many but we are willing and excited to work,” he was quoted as saying.Countries from all over the world take part in the Davis Cup and it is a lengthy tournament.At the moment, the Czech Republic top the rankings after 13 games, but Spain, Serbia, Argentina and France are all close behind.The fact that Dubai has been selected to put on these important matches not only reflects well on its facilities, but also highlights the benefits of having a stable government.Of course, the city has proven time and again it is capable of putting on a well organised tournament and current world number one Novak Djokovic recently said he is always impressed with how professional the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships are. Continue reading
