Tag Archives: news-amp-updates
Is Amir Khan set to appear in Dubai?
Boxing promoters are lining up a major fight between Amir Khan and Devon Alexander in Dubai.Chief executive of Golden Boy Richard Schaefer told the Daily Mail that he will head out to the Middle East to cast his eye over potential venues for the bout between the British and American welterweights.Dubai is becoming a major player in the world of sport and securing the rights to host such a high-profile boxing match would only increase the city's stature.Khan – who competed in the Olympic Games before turning professional – is one of the hottest properties in global boxing at the moment and he hopes to eventually get a shot at the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Junior, who is widely considered to be one of the best pound-for pound fighters of all time.However, the 26-year-old must first overcome Alexander, which will be no easy task.Mr Schaefer suggested that Khan and Alexander will battle it out for the IBF world welterweight title on December 7th.”We have opened discussions with the ruling family of the [United Arab Emirates] who have made it very clear that they are keen to put on a major boxing event,” he was quoted as saying.”This is very exciting for Amir and all of us. If he defeats Devon, preferably in style, the next step for him would be against Floyd.”Dubai is also set to host its first major boxing match later this month, when Chinese star Xiong Zhao Zhong defends his WBC Straw-weight title against the Philippines' Denver Cuello.The encounter will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre on June 28th and it will be broadcast to millions of viewers around the world.This will certainly be an intriguing bout, as boxing experts have high hopes for Cuello, who has been likened to fellow countryman Manny Pacquiao.Rumours had been floating around that Pacquiao himself was being lined up for a money-spinning fight in the UAE in late 2013.Although nothing has yet been agreed, the Filipino superstar has confirmed that he is looking for venues outside the US and his team suggested that Dubai is an option. Continue reading
Dubai apartment rents rose in Q1, report shows
The incredible demand for luxurious apartments in Dubai enabled landlords in most parts of the city to increase their rents in the first quarter of 2013.A new report by Bayt.com suggested that people are falling over themselves to rent out plush apartments in exclusive areas and this is playing right into the hands of savvy property investors.Downtown Dubai is still one of the most popular regions and landlords have had no trouble finding long-term tenants who are willing to pay a premium to live in such a nice part of the sheikhdom.Indeed, the average rent on a studio apartment in Downtown Dubai rose by 2.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2013, while the asking price for one and two-bedroom properties went up by 4.2 per cent and 4.7 per cent respectively.Unsurprisingly, the Palm Jumeirah has also proven to be a hotspot for property investment in recent months and this latest report explains why this is the case.Rental prices soared by an astonishing 27 per cent year-on-year and this was mainly attributed to the strong demand coming from high-earning expatriates.The Dubai Marina is also as popular as ever, although rent increases have plateaued slightly due to the sheer number of beautiful new buildings being erected in the area. That said, demand is still robust and investors can expect to see rental rates go up again in the near future.According to Bayt.com, the villa market also performed very well in the first quarter of 2013, with sale and rental prices on the up.As such, it is no real shock that Knight Frank recently included Dubai among its top five real estate markets on the planet.It stated that only Jakarta, Bangkok and Miami could compete with the emirate when it came to property price hikes, as the value of luxurious buildings in Dubai rose by an impressive 18.3 per cent between March 2012 and the same month this year.The First Group can help you find apartments for sale in Dubai Continue reading
Dubai Festival City Mall continues to grow
The recent growth seen at the Dubai Festival City Mall is indicative of the wider expansion of the emirate's retail sector.Numerous studies have confirmed that Dubai is still one of the leading shopping hotspots on the planet and with new record-breaking malls in the pipeline, this looks certain to be a long-term trend.Dubai Festival City Mall is one of the Middle East's leading retail and lifestyle facilities and it has already opened another eight outlets so far this year.Italian concept store Cioccolatitaliani has moved into the mall and has been joined by a number of clothing retailers, including Rockport, Vince Camuto and Stadium.Plans are also in motion to add even more outlets in the centre over the coming months, with Mothercare, Boots and luxury international designer Elie Tahari all taking up residency in the complex.Viewers of hit British TV show The Apprentice saw just how diverse Dubai's retail offerings are during a special episode last night (May 28th). The 12 remaining contestants were told to buy eight obscure items from merchants in the city and the programme allowed people in the UK to see the stark differences between the emirate's wonderful, rustic souks and the ultra-modern malls.Dubai is renowned for embracing cutting edge technology and this is evident in the city's malls.Earlier this month, reports confirmed that shoppers in the Wafi mall will soon be able to take advantage of a hi-tech loyalty programme, which is designed to allow consumers to obtain points wirelessly.The scheme – which uses near field communication (NFC) and Bluetooth technology – also gives shoppers an opportunity to receive instant notification of special offers and discounts in nearby stores.”We believe the technology delivers a win-win situation for both merchants and consumers,” commented Souffiane Houti, founder and chief executive officer of ViaFone Technologies – the company behind the initiative.With so many exciting developments being unveiled, it is certainly a good time for investors to take advantage of the UAE's thriving retail industry. Continue reading
