Tag Archives: exclusive
Dubai International Airport sets another new record
Dubai International Airport accommodated a record 5.8 million passengers in March, new figures have confirmed.The international aviation hub continues to grow at an incredible rate, with traffic rising by an impressive 20.6 per cent during the month when compared to the corresponding period in 2012.This was the biggest percentage increase since August 2012 and was also the fourth consecutive month where the five million passengers threshold was surpassed.Dubai has quickly become one of the most popular holiday destinations on the planet and it attracts more than its fair share of businesspeople too.The strong performance in March meant that year-to-date traffic soared to 16.48 million – up by 15.6 per cent on the first quarter of 2012.Western Europe proved to be an important market for the UAE city in March, with an extra 227,830 people taking advantage of new routes put on by Emirates and flydubai. Visitor numbers from eastern Europe also increased considerably, as Emirates launched new services to Poland and flydubai introduced a regular flight to Macedonia. The airport recorded a total of 31,713 aircraft movements in March – which was up by 8.3 per cent on the same month in 2012 – and highlights why Dubai International has quickly become the second-busiest aviation facility on the planet.Chief executive officer of Dubai Airports Paul Griffiths said the first quarter was “very successful”.”I am particularly pleased that we are now not only the world's second busiest international hub but also one of the most efficient with 208 passengers per aircraft movement thanks to our growing number of A380 operations which led the world in 2012 with 7,259 A380 flights to 28 destinations,” he remarked.The airport has already been extended this year and is currently capable of handling 75 million people a year, which is crucial as experts predict that up to 66 million visitors will land in this part of the Gulf by the end of 2013. Continue reading
Dubai’s plans for Expo 2020 revealed
Details of Dubai's campaign to host Expo 2020 have been made public for the first time, with the organisers planning an exciting programme of entertainment that explores the heritage of the United Arab Emirates.The official bid document submitted to the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) in December 2012 has now been seen by the National, which said the event is set to feature a “dazzling pageant” that will trace the region's history from ancient Bedouin civilisations to the present day.Dubai is one of five cities hoping to host the event, with the winner due to be announced by the BIE in November. The other candidates are Ayutthaya in Thailand, Brazil's Sao Paulo, Yekaterinburg in Russia and the Turkish city of Izmir. If the emirate is successful, Expo 2020 will be the first world fair to take place in the Middle East. Dubai is believed to be one of the frontrunners, having devoted considerable resources to its campaign.According to the newspaper, Dubai's bid document includes a pledge to deliver a stunning range of live entertainment that will include music concerts, firework displays, puppetry and theatrical performances.A sample schedule for a single day includes a total of 63 different events, running from 10:30 to 23:30. As the expo is due to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the UAE, many of the entries in the programme will celebrate this milestone.”Dubai knows how to put on a party and that is going to be the biggest party ever,” commented Peter Vine, who has coordinated the UAE pavilions at previous expos.”So in terms of celebrations and entertainment and fun and enjoyment it's all going to be happening, and the expo will add to it in a huge way.” Earlier this month, former US president Bill Clinton endorsed the expo bid during a visit to Dubai. He said the emirate has a good chance of winning because “Dubai's model of shared prosperity is more important today than ever and an inspiration to many countries in the Middle East”. Continue reading
Bollywood star praises Dubai as film location
Dubai is increasingly becoming the location of choice for many Indian film-makers, according to Anil Kapoor.The veteran Bollywood star spoke to 7 Days in Dubai during a promotional visit in support of forthcoming movie Shootout at Wadala, in which he stars alongside the likes of John Abraham, Kangna Ranaut and Manoj Bajpai.Kapoor, known for his roles in Slumdog Millionaire and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, said Dubai has become “the place to be” for Bollywood directors and actors, due to the city's impressive locations and futuristic architecture.”I think Dubai is a very cinema-friendly city with some great locations and structures,” said the 53-year-old actor, adding that he considers it to be “a city of the future”.Parts of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol were filmed in Dubai, with Kapoor also shooting scenes in the city for the 2007 Bollywood comedy Welcome and the 2008 suspense thriller Race.Kapoor's co-star Bajpai added that as well as simply providing a location for shooting, Dubai could itself be the subject of future films by India's leading directors.”If you put all the A-rank directors here and ask them to make a film on Dubai, believe me they will make fantastic films … like about the city, about the relationship and situations between the locals and migrants,” he explained.”Bollywood is evolving to satisfy the creative appetite of the audience.”The growing Dubai movie industry is celebrated at the annual Dubai International Film Festival, which is due to return for its tenth edition from December 6th to 14th this year. Founded in 2004, the event is now the leading film festival in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Last year's edition featured the screening of 158 movies, while numerous directors and industry figures were recognised for their achievements. Continue reading
