The UAE's race to 'make it' here
From machine parts to pasta, there is one goal: Make it in the Emirates.
That also happens to be the name of an event taking place in Abu Dhabi this week, showing what UAE manufacturing has to offer.
It's part of a larger push by the country to be less reliant on international trade, aiming to expand and diversify the UAE economy and make manufacturing as one of its strongest pillars.
On this episode of Business Extra, we're hearing from an expert and an innovator to learn more about the UAE's national push, what it offers and how entrepreneurs can benefit from it.
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The National
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- The National
Saudi Arabia is hedging against a future where oil may lose value
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The National
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Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
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'Luxury cruises have smaller ships which allow them to visit destinations that larger cruise ships may not be able to navigate. They are very boutique and the travellers are pampered. There are some cruises that offer very unique experience.' In this year's State of the Cruise Industry report by Cruise Lines International Association, the luxury cruise travel market has tripled globally since 2010. Saleh Mohamed from Elevate Cruises explained why people prefer luxury cruises. 'They come in smaller sizes with lesser number of people and all amenities inclusive,' he said. 'Last year, we handled the Tauck cruise which was like a small yacht of 160 passengers but with a crew of almost 200 people to give personalised care for passengers. There were about 15 travel experts to accompany people during their excursions. So luxury cruise liners do out-of-the-box, unique experiences with an incredible level of service.' Earlier this year, Saud Hareb Almheiri, Cruise Tourism & Yachting Lead, Dubai Department of Economy, and Tourism (DET) told Khaleej Times during the Arabian Travel Mart that luxury cruises were 'a growing trend' both globally and locally. 'People are realising that if they go on a luxury cruise, it gives them a way to experience unique onshore excursions or different ports,' he said. 'On a normal cruise ship, there are sometimes more than 6,000 guests which means that people have to queue up to use the amenities. On luxury cruises, people wouldn't have to wait in queues.' Value for money According to Saud, value for money has been the 'foundation' of cruising. 'People are able to visit so many destinations within a short period of time without having to get on a plane and without having to unpack and pack multiple times,' he said. 'People will pay a premium for just that experience.' Lakshmi added that cruises are more affordable as compared to land holidays. 'The cruise package has a lot of inclusions,' she said. 'WiFi, all meals, entertainment on board, unique destinations and more. If you break it down to a per night rate, a similar land vacation will cost much more than a cruise. That is one of the reasons why it is becoming more popular.' Experiential cruises One cruise that has seen a lot of interest from the region is the Hurtigruten experiential cruise in Norway — a 130-year-old delivery service that used to get produce and post to the north of the country. Hurtigruten was converted into a cruise experience and has become popular for the experience it offers. 'We have small ships accommodating up to 500 people that run along the coast of Norway throughout the year,' said Carla Hines. 'We work with local suppliers, pick up fresh fish and vegetables from certain ports and engage with the local community. The food on the cruise is completely Norwegian and freshly cooked and the waste on the ship is composted. We are very sustainable. Depending on the season, we have different activities like hustle sledging, kayaking and hiking.' Lakshmi added that other popular experience cruises included cruises to the Arctic circle and Antartica. 'Some of these are ice breaker cruises that sail into poles,' she said. 'Roughly about 100 people are on these cruises, and they have expedition experts on the ship who take the guests out into the poles to explore.' Saleh added that the newly launched Aroya Cruise from Saudi Arabia was also gaining popularity. With halal food, prayer rooms and shisha decks, he explained that the cruise targeted a wide Muslim audience.
