Forget about Lewis Hamilton, the broadest smiles at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi grand prix were on the taxi drivers’ faces.
“All Abu Dhabi is money,” said one driver as he grinned at the 20Dh ($5) starting fee on the taxi, five times the usual fare. For those who had managed to sneak into the main area, they could negotiate up to 50Dh for a short journey.
The cabbies were among those able to directly benefit from the annual event that is part of Abu Dhabi’s long-term plan to diversify its economy. Hotels across the city also hummed with visitors as three events coincided in the United Arab Emirates’ capital – although the the Festival of Thinkers (a gathering of Nobel prize winners) and the Abu Dhabi art fair may have attracted a different kind of crowd.
No comments:
Post a Comment