Tag Archives: exclusive
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
Dubai set to stage charity bouts
A number of renowned sporting stars will take part in a series of amateur boxing matches in Dubai on Friday (May 24th).Former rugby and cricket players will square off against each other at Dubai Sports City, with the proceeds from the event going to the Fighting Chance Dubai charity.The bouts will pit athletes from the northern hemisphere against contenders from the southern hemisphere and it is likely to be a memorable occasion.Former England cricketer Adam Hollioake is set to take part in the fight night and he will be faced by ex-New Zealand rugby player Carlos Spencer.Hollioake told the National that he is looking forward to the charitable event.”I know [Spencer] is a big strong boy, there is no doubt about that. If it was a beauty competition, he would definitely beat me,” he was quoted as saying.”He has got the body, hasn't he? But I'm a pretty tough dude myself, so we'll just have to see what happens.”Hollioake is no stranger to competitive bouts, as he made the unlikely transition into cage fighting when he retired from cricket.Former Wales winger Shane Williams is also on the card and he will step into the ring with ex-South Africa scrum-half Bolla Conradie.Not only is this event being held for a good cause, but it also highlights Dubai's status as a sporting hub.The city is accustomed to staging high-profile competitions and more and more sports are considering the emirate when organising future tournaments. There is a certain glamour about Dubai that promoters seem to love.Rumours have been circulating that Dubai could be in line to host one of the most highly anticipated boxing matches of the year.Manny Pacquiao revealed earlier in 2013 that he is looking for locations outside the US to stage his next big fight and his team suggested that Dubai is a possibility.While it is not clear exactly who the Filipino ace will face, the fact that Dubai is even being mooted as a potential destination for the encounter emphasises just how far the emirate has come. Continue reading
Dubai businesses are predicting growth
The majority of businesses in Dubai believe their profits will have increased by the end of the second quarter of 2013.A new study conducted by the Department of Economic Development (DED) showed that confidence is riding high among the city's corporations, with 91 per cent expecting bumper revenues during the three-month period.This is great news for people who are looking to move to Dubai on a permanent basis, as more job opportunities are likely to crop up as companies expand.Indeed, the DED study indicated that 75 per cent of firms are planning to maintain their current headcount, while 23 per cent said they would be hiring new workers in the second quarter.Like many other parts of the world, the UAE was hit hard by the global economic downturn, but His Excellency Sami Al Qamzi – director general of the DED – said the outlook is now far brighter.”Economic activity in Dubai is on a firmer ground, especially with key sectors such as tourism, logistics and aviation flourishing and real estate on a recovery path,” he remarked.”The services and retail sectors are also signalling strong growth, which reaffirms Dubai's reputation as a resilient and vibrant economy.”According to the DED research, confidence levels are particularly high among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at the moment.The government is always stressing how important start-up firms are to the nation's economy and Dubai has become a rich breeding ground for SMEs in recent years.A separate study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) showed that 83 per cent of small businesses based in the Middle East reported an upturn in sales in 2012, which was much higher than the global average of 65 per cent.Leaders at PwC said family enterprises in the Gulf are less fazed by the stuttering global economy and so this has given them more scope to grow.The report also revealed that women are having greater influence on how Middle Eastern companies are run. Continue reading
