Tag Archives: exclusive-dubai
Michael Owen makes short trip to Dubai
Newly-retired footballer Michael Owen has revealed on Twitter that he is making a short trip to Dubai.The former England international took to the social media site to tell his followers that he was heading out to the UAE to speak at an event to mark Arabian Business' Brits List.”Just boarded the plane. Dubai and back in 34 hours. Back in time for my daughters (sic) sports day Wednesday lunchtime!,” the 33-year-old wrote.He then retweeted a message from editorial director at Arabian Business Anil Bhoyrul, who said: “@themichaelowen speaking live in Dubai tomorrow night to celebrate @ArabianBusiness britslist welcome to the UAE!”The news provider has set up the list to honour the 50 most influential Britons currently residing in the UAE.Tim Clark – the president of Emirates Airline – topped the list, while chief executive officer (CEO) of the MBC Group Sam Barnett came in second.CEO of Dubai Airports – the company that runs Dubai International Airport – was third in the standings and the fourth and fifth positions were taken up by Emirates NBD CEO Rick Pudner and National Bank of Abu Dhabi chief Michael Tomalin respectively.Arabian Business editor Ed Attwood insisted that with so many talented Britons now living in the UAE, it was difficult to whittle the list down to just 50 names.The list is being officially unveiled at a glamorous event held at Dubai's JW Marriott Marquis Hotel and attendees will be looking forward to hearing from Owen, who brought the curtain down on his illustrious career at the weekend (May 19th).Owen came off the bench with 16 minutes to go in Stoke City's 1-1 draw at Southampton and he received an ovation from the entire crowd – something he later thanked supporters for via Twitter.The former Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United and Manchester United striker scored 40 goals in 89 games for England.He recently signed a deal with BT Sport, which will see him provide co-commentary during Premier League games next season. Continue reading
Metro passenger numbers increase sharply
More than 33.34 million passengers used the red and green lines on the Dubai Metro in the first quarter of 2013, which was a significant increase on the corresponding period in 2012.New figures released by the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) confirmed the light railway is going from strength to strength, with the red line carrying a staggering 21.8 million people between January and March. Meanwhile, more than 11.5 million commuters travelled on the green line.Adnan Al Hammadi, chief executive officer of the RTA's Rail Agency said he was pleased with the statistics.”This is what we seek to achieve through our annual schemes by setting a diversified package of initiatives and activities that contribute to attracting all segments of society to use the Metro as the premier means of transportation, as it is secure, safe and luxurious at the same time,” he remarked.Deira City Centre Metro station reported the highest volume of traffic during the first quarter, as 1.64 million people travelled to and from this popular part of town.The green line's Al Fahidi station was also incredibly busy, with 1.37 million passengers using the facility over the three-month period.With so many people moving to Dubai on a permanent basis, it is important that the emirate's public transport infrastructure is up to scratch.A number of significant upgrades have been slated for the Metro system and these will increase the capacity of the transport network considerably.Building developers are erecting new residential properties on the outskirts of the city and the RTA is keen to ensure people who live a little further afield are able to travel into the heart of Dubai without any stress.Last month, the RTA revealed that new bus services would be introduced and some of these would act as feeder routes for the Metro. This will ensure more people will be able to reach the busy business districts and plethora of leisure facilities in the centre of town. Continue reading
Viceroy plans to open Dubai hotel
The Viceroy Hotel Group is the latest high-profile company to announce plans to open a new resort in Dubai.Bosses at the firm hope to have a hotel up and running in the swanky Palm Jumeirah region by the fourth quarter of 2016 and the development will cost a cool $1 billion (£657 million).This is one part of town that is attracting plenty of interest from property investors, thanks mainly to the phenomenal buildings that have cropped up in recent years and the fact it is so close to popular areas like Dubai Marina. It is also a stone's throw from the International Financial Centre.Somewhat surprisingly, this will be Viceroy's first venture in Dubai, although its Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi resort has been a success.Bill Walshe, chief executive of the VHG Viceroy Hotel Group, thinks this new building will “set a new bar in beachfront luxury”.”This property marks our first foray into the Dubai market and is a milestone in our growth in the region,” he remarked.”Our market entry is perfectly timed and our partnership brings together the collaboration of two success stories in the real estate and hospitality industries.”The hotel will contain 221 “signature Viceroy Residences”, each providing beautiful views over the Arabian Sea. As you would expect from such a luxurious hotel in this exclusive part of town, guests will be treated to world-class facilities and sumptuous restaurants.It seems barely a week goes by at the moment without a top hotel chain unveiling plans to open new resorts in the UAE.Earlier this month, the Wyndham Hotel Group announced it would build a 33-storey tower that will cover nearly 6,800 sq ft, providing 497 guest rooms, 251 luxurious suites and almost 2,500 square feet of spa and leisure facilities.Construction activity had declined in the UAE during the global financial crisis, but the ball is most definitely rolling again and firms realise that hotel room rates are rising all the time in Dubai. Continue reading
