Tag Archives: dubai
Dubai Frame: A time Frame for next icon
Dubai Frame: A time Frame for next icon Staff Reporter / 10 May 2013 The Dubai Frame, Dubai’s next major iconic building, will feature a museum when it is completed by the end of 2014. The window-shaped 150-metre by 105-metre structure, projected to cost Dh120 million, will have a museum that tells the story of the development of the city, the civic body said after Director General Hussain Nassir Lootah’s visit to the project site in Zabeel Park on Wednesday. “The visit was aimed at reviewing the progress of this most awaited project which is anticipated to be a new icon of Dubai like the Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab. (The) Dubai Frame is likely to attract over two million tourists every year,” the municipality said in a statement. Lootah said the project is a complete glass, transparent structure resembling a huge window frame intended to highlight the attractions of the city so visitors can view the skyscrapers on Shaikh Zayed Road from one side — symbolising modern Dubai — while the other side of the frame will show the old Dubai landmarks of Deira, Umm Hurair and Karama. “The electrical panoramic elevators will help visitors move through its facilities as if they are moving in the sky inside the glass frame,” Lootah said in the statement. This is the first time the municipality is releasing information about the planned museum. Earlier, it had said that the proposed building would have facilities to host cultural activities, exhibitions and conferences on the ground floor. The concept model of the tower had won the ThyssenKrupp Elevator International Architecture Award in 2009. It was in July 2012 that His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai directed to implement the Al Berwaz (The Frame) Tower project. A terrace cafe on the top cross-beam and a 150-metre-high glass floor bridge are the major highlights of the project which will include an observation deck at the top of each vertical shaft. The project will include cultural facilities such as a photography exhibition of scenes from old and modern Dubai, and a library in the base of the structure and an underground car park. sajila@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Emirates profit soars 52% on record traffic
Emirates profit soars 52% on record traffic (Abdul Basit) / 10 May 2013 Emirates airline profit jumped by 52 per cent to Dh2.3 billion for the financial year 2012-13 on new routes and capacity expansion. “Our leading national corporations continue to achieve robust results, exemplifying the country’s vision and giving all citizens a source of pride and patriotic spirit,” His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said in his comments on the annual report of Emirates Group. “Such achievements allow us to aspire to higher standards of development and retain a positive outlook in order to sustain our on-going growth,” Shaikh Mohammed said. He said the UAE attaches great importance to the travel and tourism sector. It is an integral part of implementing the country’s strategy for building a sound and sustainable economy, he added. The airline’s revenue reached a record high of Dh73.1 billion growing by 17 per cent compared to 2011-12. Although the average price of jet fuel did not increase over last year, it remains high. In the 2012-13 financial year Emirates’ fuel bill increased by 15 per cent over last year to reach Dh27.9 billion. With total operating costs increasing by 16 per cent compared to a revenue increase of 17 per cent over last year. “Managing volatile exchange rates, coupled with a persistently high fuel bill accounting for 40 per cent of our total expenditures, has required continued strong resolve,” Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates airline and Group, said in a statement. “Even with these lingering challenges we continue to grow and remain profitable despite the industry norms because we continue to rely on our proven business model and understanding of the marketplace,” said Shaikh Ahmed who is also President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority. The airline continued with its growth plan and during the financial year saw the largest increase in capacity in the airline’s history receiving a staggering 34 new aircraft, the highest in any single year and an unprecedented achievement. These aircraft were funded by raising more than $7.8 billion, also a first, through a variety of financing structures. “Emirates has proven once again that despite external challenges, there is good money to be made and it has leveraged that strength through its Dubai hub — a true one-stop connection point for any two cities on Earth,” Saj Ahmad, chief analyst at London-based StrategicAero Research, told Khaleej Times. Overall capacity measured in Available Tonne Kilometres (ATKMs) increased by 5.5 billion tonne-kilometres. Other significant capacity increases include launching 10 new destinations across six continents, shipping more than 2 million tonnes of cargo for the first time and carrying an additional 5.4 million passengers over last year, the highest increase in a financial year. “Staying the course, our strategy for growth has reaped high benefits this past financial year, which has been our strongest ever in relationship to capacity growth,” Shaikh Ahmed said. Emirates seat load factor over the last three years has been 80 per cent despite increase in capacity by 44 per cent during the same period, showing the continued global demand for its product. “We move into the new financial year with confidence and a clear vision of where we are headed. We understand that succeeding in this industry requires determination and we are unapologetic about our drive to be the best,” Shaikh Ahmed said. Carrying a record 39.4 million passengers, an increase of 16 per cent, Emirates logged a robust Passenger Seat Factor, at 80 per cent, remaining consistent with last year’s results. With an increase in seat capacity-Available Seat Kilometres (ASKMs) of 18 per cent the result highlights a strong consumer desire to fly on Emirates’ state-of-the-art aircraft. Passenger yield remained steady with 30.5 fils (8.3 US cents) per Revenue Passenger Kilometre (RPKM). Revenue generated from across Emirates’ six regions continues to be well balanced, with no region contributing more than 30 per cent of overall revenues. With a further 198 aircraft on order worth over $71 billion, combined with the airline’s increasing worldwide passenger traffic, Emirates’ is set to continue to drive considerable economic growth in the countries that it serves. Forging ahead with its intricately planned expansion, Emirates received 34 new wide-body aircraft during the year including 20 Boeing 777-300ERs, 10 Airbus A380s and 4 Boeing 777LRFs compared with last year’s 22 aircraft. With an increased fleet, Emirates launched 10 new destinations in 2012-13 including Ho Chi Minh City, Barcelona, Lisbon, Erbil, Washington, DC, Adelaide, Lyon, Phuket, Warsaw and Algiers. Looking forward to 2013-14, Emirates has to date announced four new routes; Haneda, Clark in the Philippines, Stockholm and Milan to New York. New A380 destinations for the airline in 2012-13 included; Amsterdam, Melbourne, Singapore and Moscow. Bringing the total number of A380 destinations to 21. Focusing on customer touch points, Emirates opened three new dedicated airport lounges during the year including Milan and the new First Class and Business Class Concourse A facilities at Dubai Airport, which are among the largest in the world, bringing the total number of Emirates lounges to 35. abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Expo 2020 projected to bring job bonanza
Expo 2020 projected to bring job bonanza Amanda Fisher / 10 May 2013 A top global forecasting agency is predicting over 277,000 more jobs will flood the country by 2021 if it wins the Expo 2020 bid, with most coming in the travel and tourism sector. A report by Oxford Economics suggests 277,149 jobs will be created in the next eight years — with nine-tenths coming in the final three years as a result of the extra demand from the 25 million expected Expo visitors. Suhail Masri, vice-president for sales at leading Middle East recruitment website Bayt.com, said while the number of projected created jobs sounded high, it was entirely feasible as the country’s economy bounced back. “I don’t see any indications for any recession or any slowness (in the coming years), what I see is a positive trend with a high number of employers looking to hire.” Masri said a January job index survey showed 67 per cent of UAE employers were looking to take on more staff this year. An artist’s impression of Al Wasl Plaza. — Supplied photo “This high percentage actually shows the market’s recovered and is on its way to creating more jobs and becoming healthier.” Masri said the industries of most growth in the country were oil and gas, banking and finance, airline and government services and travel and tourism. Another recent Mena survey showed Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah ranked as the top three cities to live in the region, hesaid. “This (popularity) will encourage travel and tourism and create more jobs and demand on the travel and tourism.” And even if the city failed in its bid as Expo host, Masri said there would still be a big job boom in the country, with projects announced and under way that would spur recruitment activity. “Dubai being the highest city ranked in quality of life (in the Mena survey of middle eastern cities), this again will encourage travel and tourism and have a direct impact on creating more projects, hotels and entertainment.” Dubai is up against fellow candidates Sao Paulo in Brazil, Izmir in Turkey, Yekaterinburg in Russia and Ayutthaya in Thailand, with the winner to be announced in November after a vote by member states. Out of the total created jobs, the Oxford Economics report estimates 40 per cent will be within the travel and tourism sector — with a phenomenal 60 jobs expected to be created for every one Expo 2020 employee, across the Middle East-North Africa region. If the estimated 277,149 jobs did eventuate, Masri said there would be enough talented people, from here and around the globe, to fill these positions. “More than 850,000 UAE nationals are registered on our jobsite, this means there are a good number of candidates in the market.” Jobs likely to be on offer would be for managers and executives, as well as “semi-skilled and unskilled people”. Reem Al Hashemi, managing director of the UAE’s Higher Committee for Hosting the 2020 World Expo in Dubai, said the Expo would “leave a lasting legacy” in the country and region. “Dubai Expo 2020 will spur significant employment, trade and investment opportunities for the entire (Middle East-North Africa-South Asia) region, leaving lasting economic impact.” Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce marketing director general Helal Saeed Al Marri said almost three quarters of the anticipated visitors would be from outside of the UAE. “Tourism is a vital pillar of Dubai’s economy…the additional demand created by World Expo would provide real and exciting opportunities in employment (and) new attractions and incentives for the travel and tourism sector, not just for the UAE but for neighbouring countries in the region and beyond.” amanda@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
