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Dubai International Airport set for runway upgrade
The runways at Dubai International Airport will be upgraded in 2014, bosses at Dubai Airports have confirmed.An 80-day project will be launched in May next year, which will see significant improvements made to the north and south runways. Some 3,000 runway lights will also be installed as part of the programme.Although the scheme will inevitably cause disruptions, airport chiefs insist the works have been meticulously planned. Talks have been held with airlines over a possible reduction in flights during the project, while Dubai World Central Airport – which will launch passenger services in October 2013 – will also be used to ensure people can still gain access to the emirate.Chief executive officer at Dubai Airports Paul Griffiths said safety and service are his two main priorities.”While we regret any inconvenience caused to our airline customers and our passengers, these upgrades are necessary to heighten safety, boost capacity and quite literally pave the way for future expansion,” he remarked.The airport has grown considerably in recent years and the capacity currently stands at 75 million passengers a year. This is set to reach 90 million by the end of the decade and there has been talk of even more expansion work beyond this.Around 66 million people are expected to fly into Dubai International in 2013 and this figure should increase in the coming years.The runway works will be crucial if the aviation hub is to become the busiest airport on the planet. This title is currently held by London's Heathrow, but with huge new airports emerging in places like China and Turkey, competition is fierce.Dubai International is in very good shape though, as a record 5.8 million passengers passed through the complex in March 2013, which was a 20.6 per cent increase on the corresponding month in 2012.Mr Griffiths said the airport has had a very successful start to the year and it has established itself as one of the most efficient aviation hubs in the world, with an average of 208 passengers boarding each plane. Continue reading
Thousands of jobs would be created by Dubai Expo
Thousands of new employment opportunities would be created in the UAE if Dubai's bid to host the World Expo in 2020 is successful.A new study by Oxford Economics showed that more than 277,000 jobs could be made if the high-profile event is staged in the Middle East.Dubai is accustomed to holding important exhibitions and conferences and the city's leaders are confident they have a strong chance of landing the Expo, although the emirate will face stiff competition from Ayutthaya in Thailand, Brazil's Sao Paulo, Izmir in Turkey and Yekaterinburg in Russia.The gathering is predicted to attract 25 million people from all over the world, so plenty of preparation will be required if it is to go off without a hitch. Some 90 per cent of the jobs would be created between 2018 and 2021, with the majority being based in the tourism sector.Importantly, the exhibition will have a positive effect on the wider Gulf region. The report suggested that for every Expo employee, a further 60 jobs would be made in the Middle East and North Africa region.Helal Saeed Al Marri, director general of Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and chief executive officer of the Dubai World Trade Centre, said tourism is a “vital pillar of Dubai's economy”.”With the strength of Dubai's infrastructure, geographic location and global connectivity, Dubai Expo 2020 can expect to attract 25 million visitors during the six months between October 2020 and April 2021, 71 per cent of which would originate from outside the host nation for the first time in Expo history,” he remarked.The World Expo is held every five years for a period of six months and it has been known to transform the fortunes of host cities.Shanghai staged the exhibition in 2010 and it helped to turn the heavily-industrialised city centre into a vibrant, cultural area. The event has never been held in the Middle East before, so a successful bid from Dubai really would be a landmark achievement. Continue reading
Another impressive hotel lined up for Dubai Marina
Yet another impressive hotel is being built in the immensely popular Dubai Marina.A number of recent studies have shown the largest man-made marina on earth is a firm favourite among property investors and some of the world's leading hotel chains have erected towering buildings in the exclusive area.The latest firm to do so is the Wyndham Hotel Group, which has outlined plans for an attractive 33-storey building that will cover nearly 6,800 sq ft. The complex will feature 497 guest rooms, 251 luxurious suites and almost 2,500 square feet of spa and leisure facilities.Wyndham has struck a deal with Sigma III Limited – a subsidiary of The First Group – to manage the hotel and it is expected to open within the next three years.Although the organisation has an incredible 7,380 hotels around the world, this will be its first foray into the lucrative UAE market and president and chief executive officer of the company Eric Danziger is excited about the venture.”We're very excited to be bringing our namesake Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand to Dubai, following its successful introduction to the region through the spectacular Wyndham Grand Regency Doha,” he remarked.”I have no doubt that Wyndham Dubai Marina will be another superb addition to the brand, which we are already growing in key cities throughout the Middle East.”Wyndham is also set to launch two other Gulf-based hotels – the Wyndham Grand Manama and Wyndham Grand Riyadh – which should both be ready by the end of next summer.It is certainly a good time for investors to be exploring the Middle East's hospitality sector, as the number of people visiting destinations in this part of the world continues to rise sharply.Dubai is a particularly lucrative market, with TRI Hospitality Consulting recently reporting that hotel occupancy rates in the city reached 89.8 per cent in March 2013. This was a 2.3 per cent upturn on the corresponding month in 2012 and is a clear indication that the sector is heading in the right direction.The First Group can help you find properties for sale in Dubai Continue reading
