Make sure your clients stay on the right side of the law
THE recent arrest of a
South African working in
Dubai and his Ukrainian
fiancée, who fell pregnant out
of wedlock, was a reminder
that visitors should familiarise
themselves with the region’s
strictly enforced laws.
Indeed, tourist visits tend
to be more fleeting and their
situation does not compare
with that of workers in the
region, but the incident serves
to focus on the fact that Gulf
countries have a distinct
value system that should
be respected for a troublefree
stay. The area, says
Annemarie Lexow, sales and
marketing manager of Travel
Vision, has very strong and old
cultural beliefs, and visitors
would do well not to offend
laws and customs.
Perhaps one of the bestknown
taboos in the region
exists around the consumption
of alcohol. In Dubai, drinking
is allowed in licensed
restaurants, pubs and clubs,
but not tolerated in nonlicensed
locations or public
areas. Tourists must be over
21 to drink legally.
Culinary customs
The Abu Dhabi Culture and
Tourism Authority, represented
in South Africa by Development
Promotions, suggests that if
alcohol is not offered in an
establishment, it is better not
to ask for it. A third emirate,
Sharjah, is almost completely
dry and there are very few
locations where alcohol is
allowed.
There are constraints to
bear in mind when it comes to
eating too. It is widely known
that Muslim tradition forbids
the consumption of pork
products, but here are some
other points of good manners
advised by Abu Dhabi Tourism:
In a hosted situation, never
refuse food or an additional
helping as it is considered
rude.
When finished eating, leave
your utensils facing upward
in the middle of your plate.
Eat with your right hand only.
If you are eating in a local
home, remove your shoes on
entry.
If the tourist is hosting the
meal, he will be expected to
tip 10% over and above the
service charge.
During the fasting month of
Ramadan, non-Muslims can
eat and drink in many hotels
and restaurants. To respect
those who are fasting, these
areas may be screened off.
Alcohol can be purchased after
sunset. An interesting event
to witness over this time is
the daily Iftar feast at sunset,
breaking the daily fast.
Public behaviour
Locals may take offence
at swearing, spitting and
aggression, and public displays
of affection will cause frowns.
“Very interesting, and I know
South Africans will find this
very hard to abide by, is the
law against jay walking,” says
Annemarie. “Be very careful
and do not try it anywhere in
the UAE; you will be fined if
you do not cross roads at the
designated areas.”
She further warns: “If you
need to carry medication
with you whilst in the UAE, be
sure to have a doctor’s letter
to support the medication,
specifying the period of travel,
your illness or condition, what
the treatment is for and its
description.”
This applies to medicines
that are named on the UAE
Ministry of Health’s restricted
and controlled list, such as
those containing codeine.
Along with the doctor’s note or
prescription, medicines should
be carried in their original
packing, and travellers should
not take a larger quantity than
they need for the duration of
the trip.
Clothing etiquette
“Be mindful how you dress in
public,” cautions Annemarie.
“Ladies do not have to cover
their hair and face when
walking in public, as long as
their shoulders and chest are
covered. You might have to
wear a scarf when visiting a
holy site or mosque.”
Says Thaybz Khan,
contemporary brand manager
at Cruises International: “A
good rule of thumb is covering
from knees to shoulders.”
Non-revealing clothing
stretches to wearing shoes
with closed toes, says
literature provided by the Abu
Dhabi Tourism and Culture
Authority. Hemlines must fall
below the knee. Dubai Tourism
says swimwear is appropriate
at the poolside or on the
beach, but not on the streets
or in malls. For men packing
a business suit, darker
colours are considered more
professional.
Business conduct
The Abu Dhabi Tourism
and Culture Authority
offers some guidance
on acceptable business
conduct.
In a meeting, acknowledge
the most senior person
first. Use the right hand
when shaking hands and
exchanging business cards.
A woman greeting a man
should wait to see if he
extends his hand first.
The first name is often
used as a form of address,
preceded by the honorific Mr,
Mrs, Ms. Status is important
and acknowledged by using
the correct terms such as
Sheikh or Sayed.
Initial meetings are usually
about building relationships
and trust, and decisionmaking
can be slow and
bureaucratic. While Middle
Easterners may arrive late,
punctuality is expected of
westerners. Refreshments
should be accepted and
complimented on. Note that
it is disrespectful to show
the bottom of your shoes in
a meeting.
Top stopover choices
Dubai is increasingly
known for its
entertainment and the
big stage names that
perform in the city.
This year has seen the
likes of Guns ‘N Roses
and Bryan Adams in
concert, and in May
it’s the turn of Justin
Bieber. It is included in
a three-night package
from Emirates Holidays,
with accommodation at
the five-star W Dubai
Al Habtoor City. Rates
start from R15 985pps,
including return airport
transfers in Dubai by
private car, regular Tier
tickets for the concert
and economy-class
flights on Emirates
with 20% bonus miles
for Emirates Skywards
members.
Etihad Airways has
introduced a ‘2-for-1
Stopover’ where the
second night comes
free at a choice of
60 hotels. It starts
at US$44 (R587) per
person and travellers
can also take advantage
of a range of ‘2-for-1’
activities. Also available
is the Premium Stopover,
where business-class
travellers get a free night
in Abu Dhabi and firstclass
passengers get
two free nights. The Abu
Dhabi Transit Stopover,
for those with six to 12
hours between flights,
offers passengers a
round of golf, including
club rental, for US$40
(R534). Alternatively,
travellers can spend the
time at the Yas Links
Golf Course swimming
pool for the same fee.
For those travelling
for Hajj or Umrah, the
Islamic City Stopover
accommodates travellers
in alcohol-free hotels in
Abu Dhabi, with access
to alcohol-free activities.
Travel Vision’s threenight
Dubai City stopover
sells from R17 440pps
and clients stay at the
four-star Vida Downtown
Dubai, a boutique
property 10 minutes’
walk from Burj Khalifa.
Breakfast is included, as
well as a desert safari
with barbecue, return
airport transfers and
a visa. The three-night
Abu Dhabi stopover is
priced from R16 925pp,
inclusive of flights, halfboard
accommodation
at the four-star Traders
Hotel Qaryat Al Beri,
return airport transfers,
a half-day city tour and
a visa. On the tour,
passengers view the
world’s largest man-made
port at Jebel Ali, the
gigantic Sheikh Zayed
Grand Mosque and Union
Square, before driving
down to the Corniche, an
impressive 8km stretch
of perfectly manicured
waterfront. From there,
it’s on to Heritage
Village, designed to
remind younger Emiratis
of their rich and colourful
past. Finally, the tour
wraps up at Abu Dhabi
Marina Mall.
Celebrity Constellation cruise options
AT THE end of the year,
the Celebrity Constellation
undertakes a series of
cruises that include a
number of Gulf ports of
call on its itineraries.
According to Thaybz
Khan, contemporary
brand manager of Cruises
International, pricing starts
from R22 300pps, including
gratuities and taxes.
15 nights, departing
November 12. Ports include
Rome (Civitavecchia), Sicily
(Messina) and Athens
(Piraeus) before the ship
sails through the Suez
Canal. It then calls at
Aqaba in Jordan, Muscat in
Oman and Abu Dhabi.
10 nights, departing
November 27. Ports on this
itinerary include Abu Dhabi,
Muscat and Khasab in
Oman, and Dubai.
12 nights, departing
December 7. Ship calls
at Abu Dhabi, followed
by the Indian ports of
New Mangalore, Goa
(Mormugao) and Mumbai.
It heads back to Abu Dhabi
via Muscat and Dubai.
14 nights, departing
December 19. Itinerary
includes Abu Dhabi,
Muscat, Cochin, New
Mangalore, Goa, Mumbai
and Dubai.
Did you know?
Abu Dhabi Tourism will be hitting the road in May. Agents are invited
to a fun-filled morning with entertainment by Barry Hilton. The venue
is Summer Place in Johannesburg on May 23, Hilton Durban on
May 24 and the One&Only Cape Town on May 25.
Abu Dhabi’s newest attraction gets pulses racing
ABU Dhabi’s newest
attraction, the Turbo Track,
has opened at Ferrari World
on Yas Island. Considered to
be the most heart-pounding
rollercoaster ride in the world,
the Turbo Track shoots a car
at 102kph along a 180-metre
steel track, catapulting guests
vertically up to 64m before
plunging them back at zero
gravity.
According to Abu Dhabi
media reports, the ride aims
to give guests a glimpse
into the world of Ferrari test
drivers. Major structural
changes had to be made to
the building to accommodate
the rollercoaster – the third to
be launched at Ferrari World
Abu Dhabi in the last 12
months.
“Today, we are celebrating
the exceptional story of how
a world-class rollercoaster
came to be. We are extremely
humbled by the passionate
drive that continues to fuel
the minds and hearts of
our team at Ferrari World
Abu Dhabi and those who
diligently worked behind the
scenes to bring this new ride
to life,” said Jesse Vargas, gm
of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi.
AccorHotels plans mega-hotel for Dubai
ACCORHOTELS has
announced a conversion
and rebranding of a
former Sheikh Zayed
Road landmark into the
1 015-room Mercure
Dubai Barsha Heights
Hotel Suites and
Apartments.
The property is
currently undergoing
the first of a twophase
comprehensive
refurbishment and is
expected to open on
May 19.
The first phase
includes the renovation
of 120 hotel rooms
to fit Mercure brand
dimensions. The secondphase
renovations will
focus on enhancing
additional guest rooms
and facilities to elevate
the hotel from a fourstar
ranking into a fivestar
property. The full
project is scheduled
for completion by the
end of 2018. Upon
opening, the 1 015-
room hotel will be the
largest Mercure property
in AccorHotels’ global
portfolio.
The hotel is close to
major business and
leisure attractions within
the city, including Dubai
Media City, Mall of
Emirates, Emirates Golf
Club, Knowledge Village
and Dubai Internet City.
Facilities will include
an all-day-dining
restaurant with a shisha
lounge, two speciality
restaurants, lobby
lounge, health club, spa
and swimming pool. As
part of the extensive
refurbishments, a new
speciality restaurant will
be incorporated into the
hotel’s offerings, along
with over 400sqm of
meeting space.
