Tag Archives: exclusive
Dubai residents crave new technology, study shows
Dubai is one of the most forward-thinking cities on the planet and it seems that locals are desperate to make use of the very latest technological innovations.A new study by Gemalto showed that 80 per cent of people in the emirate want to utilise near field communication (NFC) systems on a regular basis.NFC is a contactless technology that is being integrated into bank cards and mobile phones. The encrypted development allows consumers to pay for goods simply by flashing their mobile handset or card against a point-of-sale machine in a shop or when using public transport.With Dubai boasting the largest malls on the planet, it is no surprise to find the demand for NFC solutions is particularly high in this part of the world.According to Gemalto, 87 per cent of survey respondents felt the technology would help to reduce queues and the majority of 18 to 24-year-olds said they would relish the opportunity to have one card that can perform multiple tasks, thus removing the need to carry lots of cards and cash around with them.Eric Claudel, senior vice president of telecommunication at Gemalto Middle East, highlighted a recent study by ABI Research, which suggested 85 per cent of payment terminals will be contactless-ready by 2016.”The feedback suggests that the momentum behind contactless payment technologies in the Middle East is reaching a tipping point, and it is no longer an 'if', but rather 'when', it will become a part of everyday life,” he remarked.Dubai has become a global technology hub in recent years, with a stream of influential IT companies setting up new headquarters in the city.Like many other countries, the UAE is increasingly reliant on the internet and there have been suggestions that a major outdoor Wi-Fi network will be launched across the city in the near future.Leaders at Cisco Middle East told Emirates 24/7 that web services are set for rapid growth in Dubai and free wireless connections could soon replace 3G and newer 4G networks. Continue reading
Emirates adds A380 aircrafts to Brisbane route
Emirates has announced that Brisbane will be the third Australian destination to be served by its doubledecker A380 planes.The airline already operates such services to Sydney and Melbourne and this latest announcement will ensure even more people can travel between Dubai and Australia.It will open up an extra 135 seats per flight – the equivalent of 1,890 a week – and the service will also go on to Auckland in New Zealand.Salem Obaidalla, Emirates' senior vice president of commercial operations in the Far East and Australasia, said the firm is the first to bring this revolutionary aircraft to the Queensland-based airport.He added that the decision to enhance services on this particular route was made on the back of rising demand for travel between Australia/New Zealand and the UAE.”The Dubai-Brisbane-Auckland route is a popular choice among business and leisure travellers alike and the new Emirates A380 service will be instrumental in helping Emirates meet its passenger demand as well as deliver considerable economic benefits through inbound seats and travel connections,” he remarked.Mr Obaidalla said Australia is an important market for Emirates and the country is in the top three countries on the carrier's international network.The new A380 offering will launch in October 2013 and by then the company will be providing six daily A380 services between Dubai and Australia.Emirates only started to offer A380 flights in 2008, but since then it has carried 14 million passengers on 35,000 trips around the world.The firm recently secured a deal with prominent Australian airline Qantas, which will further help to connect the two countries.Earlier this week (May 13th), the pair announced that New Zealand's minister for transport had approved the agreement. This is important, as Emirates is keen to increase its presence in New Zealand.President of Emirates Tim Clark labelled the organisation's relationship with Qantas as a “game-changing partnership” that brings together two of the world's leading carriers. Continue reading
Dates confirmed for inaugural Dubai Tour
Organisers of the highly anticipated Dubai Tour have confirmed the four-day cycling race will take place between February 5th and 8th 2014.Dubai Sports Council (DSC) has joined forces with Italian firm RCS Sport to stage the competition and it will be the first event of its kind to be held in the UAE.Although the plans still need to be approved by the International Cycling Union, it is fair to assume that some of the world's finest cyclists will be competing in the Gulf next year.RCS Sport certainly has a fantastic pedigree when it comes to laying on prestigious races, as it is the brains behind the Giro d'Italia – cycling's second biggest race (after the Tour de France).Michele Acquarone – chief executive officer at the company – thanked the DSC for its support.”We are proud and pleased with the agreement reached with the DSC for organising the Dubai Tour. This milestone is in line with the strategy of RCS Sport to extend more and more its scope of operations into new international markets,” he remarked.Although it is the youngest race on the world circuit, Mr Acquarone is confident that it will quickly establish itself as the best in the region. Cycling has become increasingly popular across the globe, with events like the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia attracting millions of TV viewers.This is the latest example of how Dubai is steadily attracting more and more world-class sporting events.The city is set to host part of the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in October and November 2013 and the emirate has also staged a leg of golf's European Tour.In addition to this, some of the world's finest tennis players head to the Gulf each year to take part in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.World number one Novak Djokovic emerged victorious in this year's event – overcoming Tomas Berdych in the final – and he was full of praise for the excellent organisation that goes into the tournament. Continue reading
