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Football fans snap up Dubai’s luxury short-term lets for Qatar World Cup

Realtors across Dubai have said football fans are snapping up short-term rentals in the emirate as a base to travel to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, with some boasting a price tag of more than $410,000 (AED1.5million) for the month-long football tournament.

Though Doha has invested heavily in hotel accommodation and infrastructure for the world’s largest sporting event, a shortfall remains, meaning many will stay in neighbouring Gulf countries for the tournament, due to kick-off on November 21, and travel to and from Qatar for the games.

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It will mean a bumper tourism season for the GCC, especially the UAE.

In Dubai, estate agents are already seeing a surge in demand.

Harry Tregoning, of Tregoning Property, began fielding enquiring for rentals in Dubai for the duration of the World Cup back in November 2021.

“Firstly, I hope they have booked their air tickets as one-day returns during the tournament on Qatar Air start around $1,200 (AED4,500 return). If that is booked, then staying in Dubai is going to prove to be a very popular destination for fans to stay in.

“To rent a normal five-bed villa on Palm Jumeirah they were looking at rates of nothing below $61,000 (AED225,000) a month and in Jumeirah Islands nothing less than $34,000 (AED125,000) a month.

“These rates seemed high but when you think you are dealing with a high-end clientele four double rooms in a five-star beach hotel would see you being lucky to get change from ($2,720) AED10,000 a night and this would add up to $81,690 (AED300,000) so there will be good value in a villa.

“For four bedrooms with two adults in each, Raffles The Palm is around $68,000 (AED250,000) for 27 nights (their max stay is 28) in November and the cheapest for 27 nights at present is The Retreat Palm MGallery by Sofitel for $34,000 (AED125,000).

“They also have a five-bedroom villa for rent on Frond K for $410,000 (AED1,512,000) for 27 nights and four rooms in the Burj Al Arab is marginally cheaper.

“For agents, there will be big business.”

Vinayak Mahtani, CEO of bnbme, a leading holiday homes management company in Dubai, is witnessing a similar surge of enquiries.

“The short-term rental business has been doing very well over the past 24 months as COVID-19 saw a lot of clients wanting staycations or tourists wanting a property with privacy and a little less crowded as the traditional hotels. I believe the World Cup in Qatar will also attract large numbers because simply Dubai is the place everyone is going to want to be.

“It has everything a perfect holiday destination needs to offer, as well as proximity to the World Cup.”

Qatar currently has only 130,000 or so rooms provided by hotels, cruise liners anchored off Doha and desert campsites, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia will be attractive alternative destinations for fans.

Raheesh Babu, COO, Musafir.com, one of the authorised referral agents for selling hospitality tickets to the FIFA World Cup, agreed, saying: “The initial pickup has started and we are expecting to see great demand in bookings in the coming months from the UAE.

“The FIFA 2022 world cup is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity for many. We are expecting roughly around five to seven per cent (of the UAE population alone) in bookings – for people to go see their favourite teams and players live in action.

“We are currently waiting for flight inventory from our airline partners but we’re sure that people will use other modes of transport also like charters and cruises.”

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to take place in Qatar from 21 November to 18 December 2022.

Read more:

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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