July/August 2005 Article                      

Why Dubai?

Some citizens of Dubai have never seen snow. And it’s no wonder with average winter temperatures in the 70s. However, that will all end this fall when one of the world’s largest indoor ski resorts is set to open in the cosmopolitan city. Zaki Badawi, director of business development, Gulf Dunes LLC, describes Dubai as “a visionary, bustling metropolis of the 21st Century, yet preserving Arabian traditions.”

Evidence of the 21st, and perhaps the 22nd, century are everywhere with the soon-to-be 25-story domed ski resort as only one example. Past and present mix with wind towers beside skyscrapers, desert dunes next to green golf courses, luxury yachts sailing the same waters as wooden dhows of a bygone era, and modern shopping centers joining a myriad of souqs, traditional marketplaces selling everything from gold to spice.

The list of Dubai’s current and future attractions reads a bit like a science fiction novel.

Burj Al Arab, a hotel designed to resemble the graceful sails of an Arabian dhow. It soars over 1,000 feet high on a manmade island connected to the mainland by a slender causeway. The all-suite hotel is said to be a 7-star property with 24-hour butler service, a helipad, a fleet of 14 Rolls Royces for guest transportation, and a restaurant suspended in mid-air. At night the hotel is surrounded by choreographed color sculptures of water and fire.

The Palm. Three palm-tree-shaped islands that are the only man-made creations other than the Great Wall of China that can be seen from space with the naked eye. The project includes residential homes, hotels, theme parks, restaurants, and retail. The first one is due to be complete in 2006.

The World. A group of 300 man-made islands that will form a map of the world when complete. Five km off the shore of the Burj Al Arab Hotel, the exclusive residential development should be fully open by 2008.

The Hydropolis, the world’s first underwater hotel. With a capacity of 220, the suites will give guests the experience of diving into another world. Shaped like a futuristic submarine, the complex includes restaurants, shops, a ballroom and meeting space and is due to open in December 2006.

Ski Dubai. This indoor ski resort will be in the Mall of the Emirates, a complex that will include hotels, restaurants, and retail shops. The longest of the five ski runs will be 1,200 feet. Daytime temperatures will be 33° F. At night the temperature will fall to 19 ° F as new snow is made for the next day.

Convenience, safety, and spectacular hotels and venues topped Zaki’s list of good reasons to visit Dubai. Since Dubai is not as well known as other meeting destinations, Zaki began with a few helpful facts:

• Direct flights go from New York to Dubai. Emirates Airline is planning more from the U.S. soon.
• Flight time to Dubai is only 14 hours from New York.
• The time difference between New York and Dubai is 9 hours. This means no international datelines to cross, less confusion and adjustment for travelers.
• The climate is like Arizona.
• The city boasts 276 hotels.
• Dubai currency is pegged to the U.S. dollar, meaning the dollar’s value never changes.
• There are no visas required to enter Dubai from the U.S. An entry permit is stamped into your passport upon arrival.

Meeting sites

Many of Dubai’s hotels offer modern facilities for meetings of 1,000 and more. The Dubai International Convention Centre can accommodate 12,000 while Airport Expo Dubai can host over 11,000. Golf clubs, marinas, galleries, and a re-creation of an Arab village are among the smaller venues that are large on atmosphere.

Activities

Visit in October and follow the Desert Challenge, an international motorsport event that draws the top rally drivers from all over the world. You can also try your hand at go-karting, motorcross, and rally driving. Water activities include diving, snorkeling, fishing, sailing, wind surfing, and powerboat racing.

Considered the pioneer of golf in the Middle East, Dubai offers six world-class grass courses plus one sand course. Shopping is abundant including at the Sharjah New Souq where 600 shops create a haven for bargain hunters. For a taste of the past you can experience a desert safari where you’ll ride a camel, climb a sand dune and dine under the stars. Or, you can take a dhow cruise and view most of Dubai’s major landmarks by day or by night.

The charm of Arabia combined with a Western lifestyle make Dubai an exceptional, unparalleled meeting choice, Zaki concludes.

This year, Gulf Dunes LLC is celebrating its 10th anniversary as the premier Destination Management Company and Professional Conference Organizer for Dubai. During the past decade, more than a thousand tailor-made meetings, incentives, conferences and events have been operated for groups from 10 up to 4,000 participants in Dubai and Oman. This year, Gulf Dunes was named Best Destination Management Company 2005 - Incentive travel category by Meetings & Incentive Travel magazine.

For more information on Gulf Dunes or Dubai, contact your Krisam or GEP representative or e-mail newsletter@theeventinsider.com.