Friday 8 January 2021

Party city #Dubai becomes escape hatch as Europe locks down | Financial Times

Party city Dubai becomes escape hatch as Europe locks down | Financial Times

Fireworks explode from the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, during New Year’s Eve celebrations 
in Dubai © Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters

Soccer stars, actors and television personalities from Cristiano Ronaldo to Maya Jama were among those who enjoyed the holiday period in Dubai, working and playing in the Gulf tourist hotspot as Europe suffers under a strict coronavirus lockdown. 

As 2021 began with barely a pop elsewhere, the airport in the United Arab Emirates’ trade hub has been rammed as British, French and Russian tourists flooded into what has recently become the world’s most open city, where visitors can enjoy restaurants, bars and even socially distanced raves. 

After a tough lockdown, the city started opened up its economy gradually in May. With the UAE rolling out a fast vaccination programme, bookings for the city’s hotels are buoyant and a moribund property market is resurgent. 

“Dubai has taken away impediments — people see somewhere relatively safe and so they are prepared to travel,” said Simon Casson, president of hotel operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa at the Four Seasons group. “There are few hotels in the world today that are enjoying the levels of demand that Four Seasons Dubai is.”


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