Tourism
Dubai offers a superlative quality of life for residents and visitors. Clean, safe and sunny, the emirate has capitalized on its attractions, doing the kinds of things other countries only dream of.
Dubai masters the art of living well
Dubai’s picturesque shoreline along the Gulf was limited, so the emirate created Dubai Waterfront, a man-made island that contains 250 upscale master-planned communities; Palm Jumeirah, a palm-shaped series of man-made islands with luxurious homes and services; and the World, another series of man-made islands, these in the shape of a map of the world.
In another effort to make the most of its waterside setting, Dubai launched the USD 1 billion Hydropolis resort, which has a spa, a cosmetic-surgery clinic, a shopping mall and more, all underwater. Committed to cutting-edge technologies, Dubai created Time Residences, a revolving, solar-powered, 30-story apartment building.
The USD 271 million Dubai Lifestyle City project is one of a series of luxury property developments that showcase Dubai’s commitment to living well by providing not just properties but also a range of complementary services, from an art gallery to boutiques and restaurants.
Dubailand, the world’s biggest and no doubt highest-quality leisure, entertainment and tourism project to date, will have six theme parks, including one with life-size animated models of dinosaurs, and other attractions for all ages, including a 10-million-sq-ft shopping mall. Dubailand is set to open in 2009, and the first phase alone is budgeted at AED 35 billion.
Dubai’s world-class residential properties, boutique shopping, fine restaurants, many sports and entertainment options, parks and gardens, upscale hotels and resorts, state-of-the-art education and health-care facilities, and matchless infrastructure are drawing more and more visitors each year – 6.5 million in 2006 compared to 500,000 in 1990 – and attracting people from all over the world to buy property in the emirate.
Hertz
“We are making sure Hertz is the number one choice.”
Hertz UAE won the prestigious Middle East-North Africa (MENA) Travel Award for best car-rental company in the region this year for the fourth year in a row, one more accolade for this dynamic car-rental company that continues to please customers with its outstanding service. As Bob Farrow, Hertz UAE general manager, comments, “Winning this award for a fourth time is a great honor for all our team members as it reflects their hard work and commitment to making sure that Hertz is the number one choice for both business and leisure travelers in the region.”
In fact, Hertz was also named the best car-rental company in the Middle East by Business Traveler Middle East Magazine this year, reflecting the company’s focus on providing the kinds of services international business travelers demand.
Hertz UAE, part of the Al Futtaim group, is the fastest-growing car-rental and car-leasing firm in the region and achieved 23 percent growth in revenues in 2006. In response to this success story, the company is steadily expanding its network and adding even more services. In addition, Hertz will continue to emphasize staff training and development. As Farrow explains, “Motivating and developing our staff will help to give us an edge in a region where customer service is notoriously patchy.”
Hertz UAE recently opened a new branch in the Radisson SAS Hotel in Dubai Media City, the company’s thirteenth outlet in the UAE, and plans to open new branches in Dubai Marina, Dubai Festival City, Sheikh Zayed Road and the new Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport, with a branch planned for Dubai Investment Park in 2008. Explaining the focus on Dubai, Farrow says, “We are entering an exciting phase of growth with new branches planned across Dubai to match the city’s rapid population increase as well as the projected growth in tourism over the next few years.” Hertz UAE also launched a new website this year through which customers can benefit from very advantageous last-minute online deals.
Hertz UAE is known for its quick response to market changes. According to Farrow, the local car-rental market is currently being driven by corporate clients and expatriates entering the UAE on short-term work contracts. Leasing is the most attractive option for such clients. The Dubai car-rental market is expected to expand by 20 percent this year mainly because of increased leasing business. Farrow says that around 55 percent of Hertz UAE’s business is now derived from leasing, and Hertz has recently launched a number of special offers for its leasing customers.
In future, Hertz UAE is sure to continue to lead the way in the local car-rental sector through its dynamic strategies and strong commitment to the highest international standards.
