The United Arab Emirates is a place well known for it’s surge in business recently and the implications for it’s economy are endless. The first few meteorites of cash have seen entertainment complexes spring up out of the desert sand, sports arenas playing host to tournaments and academies, shopping centres filling to the brim and streets weighing heavy under the pounding of hundreds upon thousands of tourists. Money follows money, and there’s no question that hard-hitters in any business will be finding a reason to make their way to the Middle East in the short term if they haven’t done so already.
One of the most interesting changes that has occurred since the boom took on serious motion is that of the travel industry. What began as a humble pedestrian became a motorist trundling along the 120km stretch of tarmac between Abu Dhabi and Dubai – the two thumping organs at the centre of the commotion – a number of flights have redirected straight into the heart of the trading and the docks are filling with wave-crunching yachts, but that’s an awfully vanilla version of what’s actually happening.
The most obvious change in the travel industry in the UAE is air-travel. Many people had no idea where or even what it was a matter of years ago, so flights were few and far between; now that the National Airline of UAE has taken the bit between its teeth you’ll find it hard to come across an airport that won’t provide flights to Abu Dhabi.
The increase in popularity for flights to Abu Dhabi in particular are making other countries and business stand up and take note.
[...] the alliance with Virgin Blue — expected to see about 66,000 passengers per year feeding from Etihad’s network to and from V Australia flights — will also help by boosting yields on Australian routes.
Etihad chief executive James Hogan said the airline’s partnership with Virgin Blue would give the airlines a double-daily frequency on the Sydney-Abu Dhabi route and their combined frequent flyer offering would be attractive to corporate customers.
From theaustralian.com.au here
Although it’s true that businessmen are flying in their droves from New York, Zurich, London and other business capitals across the world – connections like Virgin Blue allow Etihad to continue splashing around in the entertainment world – flights to sydney from dubai is just one of hundreds of routes now covered by Etihad – not all of which make their way to the UAE. Let’s not forget this is the national airline.
Next time.. a look at the boats and floats off the coast of Dubai.
Following my recent post about car hire here I have kept my eyes open for anything else that I can suggest to the unwitting car hirers out there. I’m not saying it’s a regular occurrence, but it is possible to get stung by car rental companies if you don’t make practical decisions. It’s worth considering that the veil between you and the company is something that will affect them just as much. If you were to have an accident with the car that left no visible marks they can be left second guessing. An early remedy for this is to cut out the middle man and go straight to a company that you can trust.
It’s very easy to accept a full package from a travel broker, but it’s very rare that you’ll end up being handled with any sort of care when you end up on your holiday. The friendly, well dressed assistant in the shop is literally thousands of miles away when you land in a strange new world, and the cohesion between companies (airlines, taxis, car rental, hotels, activity agents) is rarely as smooth as your itinerary would have you believe.
So we’ve covered the basics – plan ahead, check your numbers, read the small print and try to make sensible decisions. If you know where you’re going try to stay specific with the area you’re dealing with. If you’re going to Portugal then go to a page that deals specifically with car hire Portugal. One thing you MUST avoid is generic numbers. Any quote you get for an “area” can change without a seconds notice. Make clear your location, get a reference number, and stick to your guns.
Comparecarhire.co.uk released a small article this morning outlining one particular danger of renting a car: damages. If there are any bumps or scrapes on the bodywork of the car this is something that should be made note of in the paperwork. The article suggests that in one case a customer was charged 450euros for damages that he had not caused himself. In this particular case he was able to recover the money that was charged to his credit card, but the advice is to get photographic documentation of the vehicle before taking it back to the broker. This way you’re all on the same page.
Don’t be afraid of car rental. It’s one of the most effective ways of travelling in a place you’re unfamiliar with especially if you’re only there for a short period of time (the two factors that tend to make us think of a place as a holiday destination). You can avoid the hustle and bustle of public travel: which is difficult enough to get on with when you DO understand the procedures involved, and you can travel to your own timetable. Just be careful with your money, and be sensible with your decisions.
Source.
London is the epicentre of “the new” in England. Slang comes quicker and faster than the rain, trends go out of fashion before they know they’re trending, and the news reports on itself. It’s a very strange place, by all accounts, but it has it’s upsides.
If you spend a night out in London you’re likely to hear some of the music that will be coming your way over the coming months. I remember “No Speak Americano” suddenly appearing in the bars of the South country – when I visited London the same week I was taken apart for singing such an over-played song. Apparently we were about a year behind! The prices are absolutely out of this world as well, so unless you’re on a London wage it’s all about wealth management and convincing yourself that you’re paying for a top notch lifestyle (albeit temporarily).
The fashion scene is an absolutely massive market in London: it’s a similar state of affairs in that it usually marks the world of tomorrow for everywhere else in the country. If you’re interested in following it in England I’m afraid it looks as though you’ve arrived a little too late. In true London style the arrangement for the next year has already happened – we’re barely into October and the 2011 spring/summer collection has already been shared.
The wagon has rolled across to Paris for this month – it all ends tomorrow, but you can follow all the latest at the official Fashion Week page. There are preview pictures here but try not to get it wrong. As I’ve already mentioned – London moves faster than most. If I can get ribbed for getting a song that’s out-dated you really need to watch your step when it comes to fashion!
Amazingly, in the race to prove just how much the race to France is hotting up, Siemens have just won out on a contract to produce 800million euros worth of speed train.
The statement said the Siemens trains, which run on electricity, consumed the equivalent of 0.33 litres (0.7 US liquid pints) of petrol per passenger per 100 kilometers (62.5 miles), or “just enough to fill a can of coke.”
It’s a big money game in our fair Capital. High rise, fast paced and full of juice. From music to travel there’s not a second to stand still!