Tag Archives: exclusive-dubai
RTA plans better transport links between Dubai and Sharjah
Dubai's Road and Transport Authority (RTA) is said to be planning new water buses that will link the city with the neighbouring emirate of Sharjah.Speaking to the Khaleej Times, chief executive officer of Public Transport Agency at the RTA Dr Yousif Mohammed Al Ali said some feasibility studies are being carried out.Although Sharjah is less than 20 km away from Dubai, the main road that links the two cities can become quite congested and journey times rise significantly during peak periods.Both emirates are based on the coast, so it should be easy enough to put on boat services between the destinations, which will help to relieve some of the strain on the road network.The need for new modes of public transport has become more pressing, as experts believe that Dubai's population will continue to grow sharply in the coming years.”Currently, there are inter-city buses connecting Dubai and Sharjah and we see no reason why there would be no possibility of developing marine transport on similar lines,” Mr Al Ali was quoted as saying.”It is part of the RTA masterplan to improve the public transport network and develop the different modes of transportation. However, it would be too early to announce a date when any new routes would take effect,” he continued.The UAE's transport infrastructure has coped remarkably well with the huge number of people moving to Dubai and other parts of the country in recent years.Airports in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras al Khaimah have all been very busy and air links between different emirates have improved considerably.In Dubai itself, there have been talks of a major expansion of the already-impressive Metro network, which connects numerous important business districts and other popular points of interest with residential areas.The RTA is very ambitious and its future plans will undoubtedly make the emirate even more attractive to investors and people who are considering relocating to the Middle East on a permanent basis. Continue reading
Dubai consumers ‘are feeling good about the economy’
Consumers in Dubai are far more optimistic about the state of the economy than they were just a few months ago, a new study has shown.According to the Dubai Department of Economic Development's (DED's) latest Consumer Confidence Survey, 90 per cent of people living in the emirate in the first quarter of 2013 were happy that things were looking up.This was a significant improvement on the fourth quarter of 2012, when 74 per cent of survey respondents felt the economy was in good shape.In addition to this, around 95 per cent of citizens think that Dubai's gross domestic product will expand by the end of this year.Leaders at the DED believe that rising real estate prices and the booming tourism sector are two of the main factors behind this renewed sense of optimism.Indeed, 66 million tourists are expected to visit Dubai in 2013 and local businesses will obviously benefit from the influx of holidaymakers and business travellers.Encouragingly, the research also indicated that more people who live in Dubai are predicting better job opportunities in the near future. Some 87 per cent said they expect to see more job vacancies cropping up in the next 12 months.Meanwhile, 82 per cent of workers in the city rate their current job prospects as either “good” or “excellent”, which is up from 71 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2012.”The prevailing consumer sentiment in Dubai shows an increasing level of confidence in the emirate's ability to stimulate economic activity, create jobs and generate wealth,” commented director general of the DED Sami Al Qamzi.”Dubai's bold announcements of a strong commitment to development and pledge to make the emirate more attractive for investment and business is producing the desired results.”Another recent study – this time conducted by Friends Provident International – appeared to back up Mr Al Qamzi's suggestions, as it revealed that investors are increasingly seeing the UAE as a safe haven and Dubai-based property assets are in particularly high demand at the moment. Continue reading
Emirates secures Roland Garros sponsorship deal
Emirates Airline has secured a lucrative five-year deal that will see the carrier sponsor the Roland Garros Tennis Tournament in France.The company will endorse the next edition of the competition, which will take place from May 21st to June 9th 2013 and the agreement could have a hugely positive impact on Dubai's tourism figures.Emirates' amazing rise has been a major factor behind the unprecedented growth seen at Dubai International Airport in recent years and high-profile sponsorship arrangements such as this one will only work in the city's favour.The firm has already got a presence in France and its logo can be seen on the front of Paris Saint Germain's football strip.Jean Gachassin, president of the French Federation of Tennis, said he was proud for Roland Garros to be associated with such a high-powered brand as Emirates.As part of the deal, Emirates will have “significant branding” throughout Court Philippe-Chatrier and will also have panels on competition courts.This is the company's third tie-in with a European tennis tournament, as it has already secured deals with the Barcelona Open and Internazionali BNL d'Italia (Italian Open).President of Emirates Airline Tim Clark thinks this latest agreement is a “natural extension” of the carrier's existing tennis sponsorship portfolio.”Watched by millions around the globe, this acclaimed clay court championship is the perfect platform with which to align our brand,” he remarked.”The global following for tennis is extensive. You don't have to play tennis to be a fan of and appreciate the dedication needed to be one of the world's best players.”As well as boasting one of the fastest-growing airlines on earth, Dubai also has a reputation for staging important tennis events.Earlier this year, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships were held in the city and the tournament was a great success.It was eventually won by top seed and world number one Novak Djokovic, who had previously said that the finest players on the planet love performing in the UAE. Continue reading
