Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Set To Open In Dubai In 2015

US luxury Beach club brand Nikki Beach will open a new property in Dubai in partnership with Meraas holding in autumn 2015.

The Operator was meant to originally launch The Pearl, Nikki Beach Resort & Spa in Qatar in Feb 2012. This announcement comes weeks after the brand had confirmed that it had cancelled plans to open its first property in Middle East on Doha’s The Pearl Qatar.

This will be the brand’s first property to open in the Middle East. The $100-million (Dh367 million) 5-star resort will be located on Palm Jumeirah.

The Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai will include 400 metres of white sandy beachfront, 61 branded residences, 132 units including 117 rooms and suites, 14 beach villas, one 1,350 sqm 3-bedroom ultimate beach villa, three restaurants, a VIP lounge, Nikki Spa by ESPA, Tone Fitness Centre and the brand's famous Beach Club.

The villas will feature private gardens and pools while all hotel rooms & suites will offer stunning views of the Persian Gulf and Dubai cityscape. The resort will also include 61 exclusive branded residences with a mix of 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom residences and townhouses and a breathtaking 850 square meters penthouse.

Nikki Beach Worldwide founder & owner Jack Penrod said “We have been waiting for the right time, location and partners to expand our brand in Dubai and after 10 years of waiting, I am happy to announce that we have finally found the perfect location and the perfect partners to open Nikki Beach in Dubai,”

Meeras Holding chief hospitality Officer Cherif Hosny commented: “In line with Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2020, Dubai needs to have close to 160,000 hotel rooms to host the targeted numbers of visitors anticipated by the year 2020. With this as a key driver, Meraas is expanding its portfolio in the hospitality industry, developing projects that will not only add to the number of rooms in Dubai but also bring in a new dimension of luxury and experience to the hospitality industry in the country.

Katara Plans Extravagant $1.6 Billion Hotel in Qatar

A New York based architectural firm has unveiled plans for a 1000 room stunning hotel rising out of sea and ready for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Silver Pearl Hotel will be developed by Katara Hospitality and will have more than 1000 rooms. It will be located 1.5 km off the coast of Doha and the project is set to cost $1.6 Billion.

The Hotel has been designed by the Architectural firm M Castedo architects and the unique look of the hotel is meant to showcase the culture of seafaring and pearl diving history.

The design, still pending approval, will envision a building consisting of two 30-story semicircle towers connected by a vaulted climate controlled atrium over the gardens with an ocean view. All rooms will face outwards onto the ocean with the common areas furnished and decorated in the spirit of Arabian Tradition. A conference and exhibition center will be contained adjacent to the main building, while a recreational roof deck will be located above a multi-storey parking facility.

The Silver Pearl Hotel will be one of several “icons” constructed in the country for the upcoming international football tournament. The visitors to the hotel would access the hotel through a four lane elevated causeway, by private yacht or helicopter.

The number of hotels planned and under construction in Qatar is growing rapidly as hospitality operators prepare for the spike in demand driven by the World Cup.

Official figures show the volume of visitors to the Gulf country is also quickly increasing. The country attracted a record 1.5 million guests in the first half of the year, a 7-percent jump.

Qatar’s hospitality industry is currently dominated by high-end, luxury offerings. The country’s hotel room inventory has grown by an average of 13.4 percent annually and reached approximately 13,600 rooms by the middle of the year, according to professional services Deloitte.

Middle East/Africa Hotel Pipeline Grows in October

The Middle East/Africa region has reported 646 Hotels under contract totaling 151579 rooms, according to the October 2014 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report.

The report indicates an increase of nine hotels from the September Global Construction Pipeline Report, which reported that 637 hotels were under contract totaling 151,205 rooms.

The under contract data includes projects in construction, final planning and planning stages but it doesn’t include projects in the unconfirmed stage.

Among the chain scale segments, the upper upper scale segment accounted for the largest portion of rooms under contract (36.4 per cent) with 55,172 rooms.

Three other segments each account for more than 10 percent of rooms under contract: Luxury segment (18.9 with 28,628 rooms); the upscale segment (18.4% with 27,833 rooms); and the unaffiliated segment (14.1 % with 21,327 rooms)

The upper upper scale segment accounted for the largest portion of rooms in construction (37.4 percent) with 27,503 rooms, followed by the luxury segment (21.7 percent with 15,952 rooms) and the upscale segment (19.6 percent with 14,429 rooms)

Photo courtesy: wikimedia.org

Accor Targets Over 30000 Rooms In Middle East By 2020

Accor HotelServices Middle East, one of the world's leading hospitality groups, announced its intention to double the size of its operations in the Middle East to over 30,000 rooms by 2020.

Sébastien Bazin, The Group's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer revealed the ambitious new target as the company celebrated reaching the major milestone of 100 hotels in operation (16,000 rooms) and approximately 9,000 rooms under development in the Middle East.

Mr. Bazin said, that "Our presence in the Middle East, which stretches back 35 years, has expanded significantly in response to the dynamic growth taking place in the region and reaching 100 hotels is a significant achievement.”

“Our commitment to double in size by 2020 is a bold statement of our confidence in the future of the region, the support of our partners who work closely with our experienced and localized teams here in our three offices in Dubai, Jeddah and Cairo, and the strength of our portfolio of brands that continue to deliver operational excellence and compelling returns."

He also explained the growth potential in the region by pointing out that there are on average only two rooms per 1000 inhabitants in the Middle East, compared to 10 and above in more matured markets.

Accor is seeing a rising demand for development of hotels across all segments, from luxury to economy, and that is why they have launched three new brands in the region, including Adagio serviced apartments, Majlis Grand Mercure and ibis Styles. Bazin also mentioned that they expect the growth to increase with improvement in infrastructure and delivery of key events in the region, Dubai’s Vision 2020 and 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and Saudi Arabia’s target to attract 20 million visitors to holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. 

Photo credit:  www.wikimedia.org

Rotana Hotels to Increase Its Presence In Middle East And Turkey

Rotana, the Middle East’s leading hotel brand said that it plans to add 3,360 rooms to its portfolio, creating more than 10,000 jobs over the next five years.

The Company has released details of it 12 new properties some of which are due to open before the end of 2014. Omer Kaddouri, president and CEO, highlighted that the company’s construction pipeline focuses on countries outside its traditional market, including countries like Jordan, Turkey and Bahrain.

Rotana, which has a vision of operating 100 hotels by 2020, said that the new properties will also create a significant amount of employment opportunities with plans to hire approx 10500 new staff in the next five years.

Omer Kaddouri mentioned that, openings in Jordan and Turkey represent a key milestone for Rotana Hotels and important achievement for the group. The development pipeline includes new properties in Amman, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Istanbul, Turkey, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia.

Properties opening in Q4, 2014:

• Boulevard Arjaan by Rotana, Amman, Jordan, will feature 391 suites.
• Sedra Residences by Rotana, Qatar, will offer 250 rooms and suites.
• ART Rotana, Bahrain, will boast 311 luxurious rooms and suites.

Properties opening in Q2 2015:

• Banader Rotana, Bahrain will offer 251 rooms.
• Burgu Arjaan by Rotana, Istanbul, Turkey will have a total 0f 222 hotel apartments.
• Tango Arjaan by Rotana, Istanbul, Turkey will offer 188 hotel apartments.
• City Centre Rotana, Doha, Qatar will include 287 rooms.
• Centro Doha, Qatar will be complete with 229 rooms.
• Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana, Abu Dhabi will feature 259 studio rooms and suites.
• Rosh Reyhaan by Rotana, Saudi Arabia will be complete with 236 modern rooms.

Properties opening in Q3, 2015:

• Capital Centre Rotana, Abu Dhabi, with 315 luxurious rooms.
• Amman Rotana, Jordan will feature 412 contemporary rooms and suites.

Region’s first Hard Rock Hotel to Open in Dubai Marina

The first Hard Rock Hotel in the Middle East is expected to open in Dubai Marina in Mid 2015. The hotel will be located in Dubai’s 2^nd tallest tower, Marina 101 tower, will be the first Hard Rock branded Hotel in the Middle East, with a second hotel, scheduled to open in Abu Dhabi in 2017.

The 281 room Hard Rock hotel will occupy the first 33 floors of the Marina 101 tower, which is developed by Sheffield holdings. The club lounge and dining venue will be located on the 101^st floor of the second tallest tower in Dubai.

The Hard Rock hotel will include a Rock Spa, featuring the new body and rhythm, spa menu. The property will also feature pre-meeting and events space, including a outdoor terrace at lobby level and a lounge area on 101st floor with a rock shop for selling Hard Rocks’ merchandise and The Sound of your Stay – an exclusive music program for the Hotel guests.

Hard Rock has partnered with Abu Dhabi Financial Group to launch the Hotel in the region. Hamish Dodds, Chief Executive of Hard Rock Group said that they chose to open the hotel in Dubai Marina as it is centrally located in the New Dubai with an urban proximity of Dubai Media City, which is the hub of entertainment and business.

Hard Rock has 21 hotels, 145 cafes and 10 casino’s worldwide. Regionally, Hard Rock plans to open hotels in Egypt, Morocco and Doha in the next two years. In the UAE, it is considering opening a hotel in Ras Al Khaimah.

The hotel property was previously intended to be operated by Hampshire Hotels Management in association with Wyndham Hotel Group, but Sheffield Holdings confirmed in July 2014 that the companies were no longer involved with the project.

Accor Reaches 100 Hotels Milestone In Middle East

Accor Hotel Services Middle East has reached a major milestone of 100 Hotels in the Middle East with 66 operational Hotels and 34 more properties under development across 10 Middle Eastern countries ahead of its schedule of 2015. The Hotel group's regional network covers all segments of the hospitality market including luxury, upscale, mid-scale, economy with a total of approximately 24,500 keys. The Hotel group is one of the largest operators in the Middle East.

To mark the occasion, Accor has launched the ‘100 Unsung Heroes’ initiative to identify and recognize 100 employees from its regional operations who have made a significant contribution to the group’s success.

The 100 employees will each receive a cash prize, and the group will host a ceremony to donate 10,000 to the Red Crescent Society.

Sofitel, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai

Christophe Landais, COO for Accor Hotel Services Middle East, said: “We are delighted to reach our target of 100 hotels in the Middle East. It is a great achievement made possible by the strength of our relationships with our regional partners and the fantastic commitment of our employees. I would like to thank them all for playing an important role in our shared success, and I’m especially proud of the fact that we achieved this major milestone ahead of our scheduled target date of 2015.”

As the regional market leader in economy and midscale segments, Accor is helping to meet the growing demand for 3 stars and 4 star Hotels in the Middle East region. Accor already has a number of properties under the Sofitel, Pullman and McGallery brands in the region and many more under development.

The COO, Christopher Landais, said that “the strategy of expanding aggressively through select development tailored to each market location, in partnership with leading regional investors has delivered outstanding results so far. He also added that “This success has been underpinned by the establishment of the Académie Accor Middle East in 2003, the first training academy of its kind in the region, which ensures the development of skills and advancement opportunities for our employees. Looking ahead, we see exciting opportunities to expand our portfolio of hotels across the region in the years to come."

MEA Hotel Occupancy Up By 13.1% in September

The Middle East/Africa region reported positive performance during September with a 13.1 per cent increase in occupancy to 65.5 per cent, a 1.3% increase in ADR (Average Daily Rate) to $145.12 and a 14.5% increase in RevPAR to $94.99, according to STR Global Data.

Elizabeth Winkle, managing director of STR Global said that “It is positive to see consistency in performance in spite of instability leading to uncertainty in certain countries.”

“Amongst the high performers, Saudi Arabia is one of the region's strongest in September as the country was gearing up for Hajj, which took place the first week in October”, said Winkle. “Cairo, whilst still in recovery mode, achieved occupancy levels of 51.8 percent with significant year-over-year growth of 107.5 percent”.

Some of the key trends from the regional key markets for September 2014 include:

• Egypt recorded 138.3% increase in occupancy to 60.8 %, and a 15.6% increase in ADR to EGP 523.76 and a whopping 175.4% increase in RevPAR to EGP 318.49.

• Saudi Arabia reported an increase of 26.7 % in Occupancy to 66.3%, a 28.1 per cent increase in ADR to SAR 858.62, and a notable increase of 62.3% in RevPAR to SAR569.12

• In UAE, Occupancy decrease by 0.1% to 72.9 %, ADR was down by 3.3% to AED 575.83, and RevPAR decreased by 3.4% to AED 419.85.

Four markets achieved double-digit or more RevPAR growth: Cairo (+133.9% to $55.82); Beirut (+68% to $82.99); Jeddah (+21.9% to $216.34); and Doha, Qatar (+12.2% to $127.50). 

Photo credit: www.evolo.us

637 Hotels Under Contract in MENA

The Middle East and Africa has 637 hotels under contract, with 151,205 rooms, according to STR Global’s September construction pipeline report.

139 hotels opened year to date, with 33,232 rooms in the region, according to the global research firm. It expects 82 hotels, with 18,538 hotels to open in the remainder of 2014.

The most rooms are planned to be added in the upper scale segment (5419 in 18 hotels), followed by the unaffiliated segment (4626 rooms in 22 hotels), the upscale segment (3,531 rooms in 13 hotels) and the luxury segment (3480 rooms in 150 hotels).

By 2015, 145 hotels, with 32,271 rooms are due to open in the region. The upper upscale segment is expecting to add the largest addition of rooms. i.e. 38 hotels with 12,516 rooms, followed by the luxury segment (26 hotels with 5,318 hotels) and the upper segment (31 hotels, with 5,024 rooms)

A number of hotels have opened in the UAE, in 2014, such as the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel and Residences in Al Barsha-Dubai, Sofitel Downtown and Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi downtown.

According to the data provided by the Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, more than 7000 rooms were added in Dubai since June last year bringing the total to number to 88,680 rooms across 634 properties.

Photo credit: http://steigan.no/

What’s Trending In The Hospitality Industry In UAE

Technology, Cuisine and Sustainability are the three areas when it comes to trends driving hospitality in the UAE.

Technology: According to the research made available by The Hotel Show (Dubai), the online travel agency bookings from the Middle East region will reach $3 billion (Dh 11 billion) in 2014 and they represent 17 per cent of the total sales but only 12 percent of the potential market. These numbers will grow year on year with the increase in the number of room nights in the region. Hotels are investing in technology to increase direct bookings and also to manage guest expectations.

According to Kai Schukowski, Hotel Manager at Hotel Kempinski Ajman, technology is very important in today’s market in order to stay competitive and being on par with the latest technological sis extremely important. While, Annamarie Lambri, Associate professor of Architecture and Interior design at American University believes that today’s guests demand to receive updates and information in real time, including the use of social media, use of mobile applications and platforms to facilitate connections.

Cuisine: They say that Food is the way to a consumer’s heart. Friday brunches are very popular and considered as a social tradition for expat in UAE. According to Kai Schukowski, Hotel Manager at Hotel Kempinski Ajman, there is a variety of F&B concepts available but the guests are still hungry to explore unique experiences and it could be one of the deciding factors for a guest stay. Schukowski ties this trend to mass affluent, as sixty per cent of the hotels are five stars in Dubai compared to 30 per cent in London. People visit restaurants in hotels frequently in the region on a regular basis.

Sustainability: Hotels in the region are turning towards more sustainable initiatives as it brings along tremendous savings. It is also based on the guests’ demands and the government’s policy to encourage more greener hotels. According to Amelie Zegmout, Hopitality Program Ambassador, Emirates Green Building council, local deployment of sustainable hotel specific certification bodies like Green Key and Green Globe is certainly helpful. Most of the hotels build their own green initiative policies and reporting. While Annamarie Lambri, Associate Professor of Architecture and Interior design at American University, said that sustainability is one of the key trends in the industry as all hotels in the region need to follow criteria and regulations to respect energy efficiency.

A study conducted by professors at Cornell University to understand if there is an advantage to operate environment friendly hotels over traditional hotel, reveals that while guests are not willing to pay more to stay at a hotel that practices the green initiative, hotels that receive certificates such as Leadership in Energy and Environment al Design (LEED) by the US Green Building Council, are cheaper to operate and highly profitable.

'The Hotel Show' - MENA region's Number One Hospitality Event Opens in Dubai

The 15^th edition of the Hotel Show, the premiere event for the trade and hospitality industry opens in Dubai on 28^th Sept 2014.

The three day event will attract over 600 participants suppliers of the latest products and leading global brands. The show brings together industry players from a range of services, including hospitality and leisure, design and restaurants, etc.

In 2013, 16,700 hotel and hospitality partners visited the show where deals worth almost $4 billion of business were sanctioned for the following 12 months.

The Hotel Show will feature conferences, awards, and unique networking opportunities for industry professionals.

“The Middle East is recognized as having some of the fastest growing economies in the world - with forecasts of up to 3 per cent growth before 2016 — and we are delighted to be able to offer real business opportunities to all who participate”, stated Christine Davidson, Event Director at The Hotel Show.”

The key highlight of the show is the Vision conference, where Issam Kazim, The Chief Executive of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Marketing (DCTCM) will deliver a key note speech. Other sessions of the conference will cover trends in the hospitality and leisure sector, the development and growth of mid market hotels, and interior designing trends.

Another feature of the show is International Village, where more than 300 international companies will be represented from more than 45 countries, including Austria, Belgium, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam and the UK.

Top 5 Must See Middle East Destinations During Eid Holidays

With Eid around the corner, residents have already started planning a short getaway to make the best of their Eid Break. Travel agents and tour companies have started advertising their all inclusive packages and flight deals on offer for the long weekend. Short haul regional destinations like Salalah are very popular during the Eid break but the availability of three airport terminals, wide range of flights, and Dubai’s global strategic location makes any destination  just a flight away for residents. Residents will be spoilt for choice during the long weekend with various options that suit all budgets from value holiday destinations to ultra luxury.   

Below are the top 5 regional destinations where residents can travel during Eid:

Amman, Jordan:

Amman is one of the fastest growing cities in the world with a unique blend of modern and ancient culture

• Flights: Fly Dubai, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Royal Jordanian, Qatar Airways, Air Arabia
• Weather:  Max - 27 degrees; Min - 19 degrees
• Flight time: 3 hours
• Budget: Ibis Amman 
• Luxury: Four Seasons Amman
• Sightseeing: Roman Theater, Cultural district, The Nymphaeum, Citadel with its Roman Temple of Herakles, 5^th Century Byzantine Church,  Ummayad Palace, Cantaloupe, Balad District, Nightlife, Shopping, and Souk Jara. 

Beirut, Lebanon:

Beirut is often referred to as the Paris of the Middle East. Its famous for its Nightlife, history and scenery.

• Flights: Fly Dubai, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Middle East Airlines, Air Arabia
• Weather:  Max - 30 degrees; Min - 23 degrees
• Flight time: 3 hours 20 mints
• Budget: Gefinor Rotana 
• Luxury: Phoenicia Hotel
• Sightseeing: Jumayzeh district - Famous for its nightlife, Zaytouna Bay, Ashrafeey eh, Riviera Beach Club, The Corniche, West Beirut, Solidere, Beirut Souks, Roman Baths, and Bliss Street.

Salalah, Oman:

Head to Oman’s second city to escape the summer heat and experience the cool temperature, lush green plant life, mountains, Leopards and Hyenas.

• Flights: Oman Air
• Weather:  Max - 29 degrees; Min - 25 degrees
• Flight time: 2 hours
• Budget: SalalahPlaza Hotel 
• Luxury: SalalahRotana Resort
• Sightseeing: Al Husn Souk, Museum of Franckincense Land, Marneef Cave, Salalah0 Gardens Mall, Wadi Darbat, Al Mughasyl beach, Water Springs at AinSahnawat, Greenery, Beaches, Waterfalls and wildlife.

Muscat, Oman:

The capital city of Oman with rich history, ancient forts, souks, and wadi’s all set against the mountain backdrop.

• Flights: Oman Air, Emirates, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Etihad Airways
• Weather:  Max – 33 degrees; Min – 29 degrees
• Flight time: 1 hour; or 6 hours by car.
• Budget: Samara Hotel  
• Luxury: The Chedi Muscat
• Sightseeing and activities: Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Royal Opera House, Bayt Al Zubair, Sultan’s Armed Forces Museum, Ancient Mutrah Souk, Scuba diving, Snorkeling, Natural History Museum, Wadi Al Arbaeieen, Planetarium

Musandam, Oman:

Musandam is a picturesque region separated from the rest of Oman with its scenery being quite attractive to tourists.

• Travel:  2 hours by car
• Weather: Max - 43 deg. ; Min - 31 deg.
• Budget: Atana Khasab
• Luxury: Six Senses Zighy Bay 
• Sightseeing and activities: Oman Fjords, diving, Dolphin experience, Bimmah Sink hole, Dhow cruises, Snorkeling, Kayaking, and Water sport.

Picture credit: Creative Commons - http://nomadic-me.com,  Imbabah22 (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported), Jerash Jordan. Author Jan Smith. Licensed under the creative commons Attribution, http://www.omantripper.com, austinevans.

Dubai ranked 5th most popular destination in the World

Dubai has been recognized as the 5th most popular city in the World according to Master Card Global Destination Cities Index released on 9th July 2014. London retained its position on number one for the third time in four years followed by Bangkok, Paris, Singapore and Dubai. Dubai was ranked ahead of New York and Istanbul - both of which were ranked higher last year. This index provides a ranking of the 132 most travelled cities from around the world.

The increasing popularity of Dubai is due to the increasing international travel due to the expanding middle class income, the innovation in travel and the availability of Dubai international airport as the Middle East airline hub. The Real Estate boom in the region has opened up the gateway for companies to set up their MENA headquarters in the emirate, which in turn has facilitated increasing business travel. Dubai’s global strategic location, investment friendly economy and rising infrastructure will play a great role in driving visitors to the emirate. Dubai is doing its best to attract both leisure and business tourists which has fuelled the need for more hotel rooms in the country.

According to the study, Dubai is projected to receive 12.47 million visitors, an increase of 7.5 percent since 2013. Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and is expected to overtake Paris and Singapore within 5 years. Dubai also generates more international visitor expenditure per resident than any other city. It was also ranked as the fourth air hub in the world by international connectivity. In fact, Dubai is only city among from Middle East and Africa to be ranked among the top ten air hubs lists.

The MasterCard index ranks cities based on the total international visitor’s arrivals and cross-border spending by a visitor in each of the 132 destination cities using custom made algorithms.

Picture credit: Copyright Jan Michael Pfeiffer (Creative Commons)

Travel tips during Ramadan

If you are planning on travelling to Middle East during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan then here are some tips for all visitors.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting, one of the five pillars of Islam. During this month Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking and refrain from other behavior which could be perceived as sinful. The Muslims fast for 15 hours that starts from dawn and ends at sunset. At Sunset, families gather for Iftar (A sumptuous meal that breaks the fast) followed by a meal, Suhoor (Pre fast meal). The working hours are reduced and everything slows down during the day. That being said, Ramadan is the time for generosity, kindness, Charity and extending a helping hand to the needy. 

Customs and culture:

It is illegal to eat, drink and smoke in public during the fasting hours, the daylight hours during Ramadan. There are serious implications (hefty fines and jail time) if someone is caught eating, drinking or smoking in public during the fasting hours. This law also applies to people travelling in cars, busses and public transport. The visitors are expected to dress moderately in malls and in public places. It’s simply a courtesy extended to fasting Muslims. For a list of do’s and dont’s during Ramadan please visit the SMCCU website for Ramadan Etiquette.  

Food and Drink:

Plan your day time meals in advance as Restaurants and cafes are closed during the day but Malls and Supermarkets operate during the regular day time hours with extended night time hours. Four and five star hotels have some facilities for the non-fasting guests. So, you can always order a take away meal but must find a private place to eat it. All eateries open up a few hours before Iftar and offer great deals on an all-inclusive buffet in Ramadan Tents.  The Ramadan tents in UAE are very popular places to spend time snacking, smoking shisha and playing games.  Non-Muslims are welcome to join Iftar and hang out in tents until wee hours. 

Bars and clubs:

During the holy month of Ramadan all live music performance will stop and bars will serve alcohol after 8 PM. Some Restaurants don’t serve alcohol in any of their outlets during Ramadan while most night clubs will remain closed until the end of the month.

Hotels, Tours and Transportation:

As working hours are reduced during the month of Ramadan, many venues operate with limited hours so book your tours and accommodation in advance to avoid disappointment. Ramadan can be a challenge for many visitors but it is also an opportunity to visit this region as Hotels drop their prices during this month. Various packages are available through tour operators and travel agents during Ramadan.

Shopping Malls:

Most of the shopping malls in UAE are open during the day with extended night time hours. To attract tourists, there are price reductions and discounts during Ramadan. So, don’t miss out on the deals and head to the Shopping malls after a good breakfast in the morning.