Welcome To Dubai...On behalf of Dubai’s travel and tourism industry, we would like to welcome you to our website.
Hospitality has been our tradition for centuries. Today, Dubai extends this welcome to holiday makers as well as business visitors, offering facilities of the highest international standards combined with the charm and adventure of Arabia - an exceptional blend of modern city and timeless desert.
With a perfect winter climate, top class hotels, superb facilities for a variety of sports and leisure activities and excellent shopping, Dubai has something to offer everyone. Moreover, the emirate is friendly, safe and virtually crime-free.
If you have any comments about this website, please share them with us. We value your feedback and feel it is vital for us in our constant drive to improve the services we offer.
We hope you find the information you are looking for. If you require any further assistance or information please feel free to request the same and our team will be happy to assist you.
We look forward to welcoming you in Dubai for business or leisure and we do hope you take back with you cherished and lasting memories of a unique experience.
Tourist Tips & Advisory
Geography, Climate and Local Time
Geography
The second largest of the seven emirates which make up the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is located on the southern shore of the Arabian Gulf. It has an area of some 3,900 square kilometres. Outside the city itself, the emirate is sparsely inhabited and characterised by desert vegetation.
Climate
Dubai has a sub-tropical, arid climate. Sunny, blue skies can be expected most of the year. Rainfall is infrequent and irregular, falling mainly in winter.
Temperatures range from a low of about 10.5°C/50°F to a high of 48°C/118°F. The mean daily maximum is 24°C/75.2°F in January rising to 41°C/105.8°F in July.
Local Time
The UAE is four+4 hours ahead of GMT.
Economy
Oil contributes just 20 per cent of economic production. Trading, manufacturing and services - including tourism - now dominate the economy.
Population
The population of Dubai was estimated at 1,478,000 in 2007. (Source: Ministry of Planning).
Entering Dubai: Visa and Health Requirements
Dubai’s location at the cross-roads of Europe, Asia and Africa makes for easy accessibility. London is seven hours away, Frankfurt six, Hong Kong eight and Nairobi four. Most European capitals and other major cities have direct flights to Dubai, many with a choice of operator.
More than 80 airlines take advantage of Dubai’s open skies policy, and operate to and from Dubai International Airport to more than 130 destinations, making it one of the world’s busiest.
Dubai is the home base of Emirates, the award-winning international airline of the UAE, which operates scheduled services to more than 45 destinations.
Dubai International Airport has comprehensive facilities for people with physical disabilities. Visas: Please click here for detailed information about visa regulations.Health requirements:
No health certificates are required for entry to Dubai, but it is always wise to check before departure, as health restrictions may vary depending upon the situation at the time.
Customs Duty-free allowances:
1) 4 liters Spirits (any kind of alcohol) (1000 ml each liter) In case that a passenger wants to buy beer it will be 24 cans (every 6 cans equivalent to 1 liter spirit)
2) 400 pieces of cigarettes (which is equivalent to 2 boxes)
3) 2 Kilos of Tobacco (any kind of snuffing or chewing tobacco is not allowed)
4) Cigars which is equivalent to Dhs. 3000 (Three Thousands Dirhams) maximum which is for personal use.
5) Perfumes or any other gifts which is equivalent to 3000 (Three Thousands Dirhams) maximum which is for personal use.
6) Currency below 40,000 Dhs. or equivalent of this amount in other currencies.
Clothing
Lightweight summer clothing is suitable for most of the year, but sweaters or jackets may be needed for the winter months, especially in the evenings.
Compared with certain parts of the Middle East, Dubai has a very relaxed dress code. However, care should be taken not to give offence by wearing clothing which may be considered revealing.
At the pool or on the beaches, trunks, swim-suits and bikinis are quite acceptable.
Good quality sunglasses are advised, and photo- chromatic lenses for those who wear spectacles. Hats or some protection for the head are advisable when in direct sunlight.
Language
The official language is Arabic but English is widely spoken and understood. Both languages are commonly used in business and commerce.
Religion
Islam is the official religion of the UAE and there are a large number of mosques throughout the city. Other religions are respected and Dubai has Christian churches, St Mary’s (Roman Catholic) and Holy Trinity (Inter-denominational) among others.
Alcohol
Alcohol is available in hotel and club restaurants and bars. However, restaurants outside the hotels are not permitted to serve alcoholic beverages.
Useful Tips
In Ramadan, never eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours.
Do not take photographs of military installations or national women.
Never drink alcohol in public.
Photography
Normal tourist photography is acceptable but it is considered offensive to photograph Muslim women. It is also courteous to ask permission before photographing men. In general, photographs of government buildings or military installations should not be taken.
Getting Around
Taxis:
Taxis are the most common way of getting around. Metered cabs from Dubai Transport Corporation, recognised by their cream colour, are efficient and have well-trained and courteous drivers. For fares please visit the Road Transports Authority website www.rta.ae. Dubai Transport taxis also operate a service from the airport. Most hotels operate transport for their guests. There are also several radio taxi companies which have cars on call and whose numbers are available at all hotels.
Tourist Tips & Advisory
Car-hire:
Self-drive cars are available from car rental companies for visitors who have an international driving licence. Customers must produce their passport along with the valid licence.
Visitors without an international driving licence may obtain a temporary local driving licence as long as they hold a valid national licence from one of the following countries: Germany, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Netherlands, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, UK, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. The passport, valid national licence and two photographs are also required.
Driving in the UAE is on the right-hand side.
Roads and highways:
Over the past two decades, Dubai has built an impressive network of first-class roads connecting all parts of the city and surrounding areas.Roads to all major towns and villages are excellent and a multi-lane highway heads southwards from the city to Abu Dhabi.
Water taxis:
An interesting way to travel between Dubai and Deira is by water taxi across the Creek. In 2007, the RTA launched fully Air Conditioned water buses to enhance Dubai's water transport.
Banks
Both the local banks and the many international banks represented by branches in Dubai provide the usual commercial banking services. Transfers can be made without difficulty as there is no exchange control and the dirham is freely convertible.Bank opening hours are 8.00am to 1.00pm, from Saturday to Wednesday, although some also open from 4.30–6.30pm. On Thursdays, banks operate only from 8.00am to noon.Exchange houses are open from 8.30am–1.00pm and 4.30–8.30pm.
Currency
The monetary unit is the dirham (Dh) which is divided into 100 fils. The dirham is linked to the Special Drawing Right of the International Monetary Fund. It has been held constant against the US dollar since the end of 1980 at a mid-rate of approximately US$1= Dh3.67.
Credit Cards
American Express, Diners Club, Visa, MasterCard, etc are generally accepted in the main hotels and larger shops but some retailers offer better bargains for cash.
Newspapers
Gulf News, Khaleej Times, The Gulf Today, 7 Days, Emirates Today and The National are daily English-language newspapers. Arabic newspapers include Al-Bayan, Al-Ittihad, Al-Khaleej, Akhbar Al Arab and Al Emarat Al Youm.
Foreign newspapers and magazines, especially British and Asian, are readily available in hotel bookshops and supermarkets.
Television
Most leading hotels receive international news and entertainment broadcast via satellite. Star TV, Orbit and Showtime are among the satellite networks which transmit a wide variety of programmes, including BBC World and CNN.
Locally, there is Dubai's One TV, Dubai TV, Sama Dubai and Dubai Sports Channel which form part of the Dubai Media Inc.
Reception from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Qatar and Bahrain is usually possible and programme details are published in the local press.
Radio
The Arabian Radio Network (ARN) is the region's fastest growing radio network addressing the interests of various audiences, communities and cultures through genre specific programming. Established in September 2001, its first launch was Al Arabiya 99FM, followed by an English-language station called Free FM on 96.7FM as well as City 101.6FM, aimed at the expatriate Indian community. The network launched Al Khaleejiya creating a new platform for Khaleeji music followed by Hit 96.7FM targeting a section of the Indian expat community.
Electricity
The electricity supply in Dubai is 220/240 volts at 50 cycles. US-made appliances may need a transformer.
Water
Tap water is quite safe to drink but visitors usually prefer locally-bottled mineral water and this is generally served in hotels and restaurants.
Medical Care & Facilities for the Handicapped
Dubai has many well-equipped hospitals. The Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services runs Dubai Hospital, Rashid Hospital, Maktoum Hospital and Al Wasl hospital.Dubai Hospital is one of the best medical centres in the Middle East, with specialised clinics; Al Wasl Hospital is a specialised maternity and gynaecology hospital. The department also operates a number of out-patient clinics, of which one is situated in Jebel Ali.In addition, there are a number of well-equipped private hospitals with in- and out-patient facilities. Dubai also has the Dubai Healthcare City, the world's first healthcare free zone, which boasts two complementary communities, namely, the Medical Community and the Wellness Community. The Medical Community, occupying an area of 4.1 million square feet, focuses on clinical services for disease treatment and prevention, while the Wellness Community, 19 million square feet, completes DHCC’s healthcare continuum by housing hospitals, outpatient clinics, luxury spa resorts, and the entire spectrum of wellness services.
Facilities for the HandicappedAn increasing number of public areas now have access and facilities for people with disabilities.
Several of the city’s leading hotels also have specially adapted rooms and facilities for the handicapped. These are: City Centre Hotel, Crowne Plaza Dubai, Hilton International Dubai, Hyatt Regency Dubai, Jebel Ali Hotel & Golf Resort, The Jumeirah Beach Hotel, JW Marriott Hotel, Metropolitan Palace Hotel, Oasis Beach Hotel, Radisson SAS Hotel Jumeira Beach, The Ritz-Carlton Dubai and Renaissance Hotel Dubai. For more detailed information about available facilities, see each hotel’s individual entry in the section Places to Stay.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications are excellent, both within the UAE and with the outside world. There are two service providers Etisalat & Du.Telephone calls within Dubai city are free. Direct dialling is available to most countries.
Dubai The Gateway to Global Business Opportunities...
Out of the vast expanse of the Arabian desert, the emirate of Dubai has created a city that ranks as the commercial and tourist heart of the Middle East. A small trading and fishing community only four decades ago, Dubai is now a modern city where glass and steel office blocks line broad concrete roads and championship grass golf courses attract the finest players in the world.
The ruling Maktoum family has invested the emirate’s wealth from oil in infrastructure - Dubai’s sophisticated telecommunications and transport facilities are unmatched in the region, one of the many reasons it serves as the storage and distribution hub of the Middle East.
The emirate’s historical trading tradition continues, and today Dubai acts as a regional gateway, re-exporting goods from around the world to the large markets of neighbors such as Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, as well as the countries of the Indian subcontinent and East Africa - an area with a combined population of around 1.4 billion.
Liberal commercial regulations and the government’s support to business have encouraged an increasing number of international firms to choose Dubai or its Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZ) and Dubai Airport Free Zone as the base for their regional headquarters and storage and distribution centres.
Alongside Dubai’s growth as a commercial centre and increasing awareness of the opportunities it presents, the exhibition business in the city has witnessed a boom in recent years.
The city has long been established as the premier regional hub, servicing the rest of the Arabian Peninsula and the Asian sub-continent beyond. In recent years, that role has already been surpassed and the emirate is now set to play an increasingly important role as the major business and financial link between East and West.
Dubai’s success has been largely attributed to its ability to adjust to changing circumstances. The optimistic view of financial experts is based on the strongly pro-business attitude of the government and the entrepreneurial skills of the largely expatriate population but also - and increasingly - on the emergence of neighboring countries as major new markets.
Dubai’s optimism is a very difficult “commodity” to market, but is obvious to any business visitor to the city, seeing the constantly high level of business activity, continual expansion of an already impressive commerce, residential and leisure infrastructure and the large number of construction projects invariably underway. And this buoyant attitude is a major factor in Dubai’s success in attracting many of the world’s leading companies to establish, or even re-locate, regional headquarters in the emirate.
Dubai’s free zones offer an ever-growing list of advantages that has led many MNCs from around the world to move to Dubai:
No taxation on profits or income
No foreign exchange controls or restrictions on capital movement
A stable, freely convertible currency
Strategic location, bridging time zones between Europe and the Far East
Efficient and well-developed support services, telecommunications and air links
High quality, reasonably-priced office accommodation
Excellent conference and exhibition facilities
A cosmopolitan lifestyle and tolerant, virtually crime-free environment
These factors are underpinned by the government’s “hands-off” policy in the commercial sector, actively encouraging entrepreneurs and investors. Dubai’s political and economic stability and remoteness from the recession in the West also play their part in explaining the widespread optimism to be found in the business community.
And the many sophisticated international companies moving in to the emirate can learn a lot from the more established merchant community which built Dubai's trading reputation.
Although Dubai has emerged from the souks - the traditional Arabian markets - souk merchants still form the backbone of the city’s trade. Their expertise, combined with the sophistication gained through international exposure can help multinationals improve their own standards of marketing, to the benefit of themselves and Dubai.
Dubai also has several Free Zone Establishments (FZEs), the new entities further expand business opportunities for international companies seeking to operate in the region. They are expected to play an important role for many overseas corporations in their international tax planning strategy, sharing the tax exemption enjoyed by companies already established in the Zone, while having the freedom offered by 100% foreign ownership.
Another factor in Dubai's success as a regional base is its proximity and excellent links with the massive business potential of the Indian sub-continent. But it is important to remember that it is a two-way traffic. All of this means there is a sound basis for Dubai’s confident approach to the continued consolidation of its role as a major international centre for business and commerce.
Dubai Free Zones
Background
The Jebel Ali Free Zone and Dubai Airport Free Zone have been set up with the specific purpose of facilitating investment. Accordingly, the procedures for investing in the zones are relatively simple.
While the free zones are designed to complement and contribute to Dubai's growth and development, their legal status is quite distinct. Companies operating there are treated as being offshore, or outside the UAE for legal purposes.
The option of setting up in the free zones is therefore most suitable for companies intending to use Dubai as a regional manufacturing or distribution base and where most or all of their turnover is going to be outside the UAE
Free Zone Incentives
100% foreign ownership;
Exemption from all import duties;
100% repatriation of capital and profits;
Freedom from corporate taxation, as applied throughout Dubai, with the added bonus of a renewable 15 year guarantee in the free zone;
Abundant inexpensive energy;
Simple and efficient recruitment procedures ensuring the availability of a competitive skilled and experienced workforce;
A high level of administrative support from the free zone authorities
Licenses
Companies approved for operation in Jebel Ali Free Zone or Dubai Airport Free Zone, are granted one of the following types of licences: Trading; Industrial; Service; or National Industrial. These licences are renewable annually for as long as the company holds a valid lease from either of the Free Zones.
■Trading licences will be granted to companies holding a valid licence issued by the Dubai Economic Development Department or an equivalent authority in the UAE, and to companies incorporated outside the UAE. In each case, the permitted activities on the Free Zone licence must conform to those on the existing licence. Trading licences are also issued to Free Zone Establishments (FZE).
■Industrial licences are issued to companies incorporated outside the UAE and to Free Zone Establishments.
■Service licences are only granted to companies holding a valid UAE licence.
■National Industrial licences are issued to industrial companies registered within or outside the UAE, provided they meet the conditions of having at least 51% AGCC equity and their local production accounting for at least 40% value added. Such companies must obtain provisional approval from the UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry. A National Industrial licence grants its holder the same rights as those of national and other AGCC companies, and products exported to AGCC states will be exempted from custom duties.
If a company wishes to practise more than one of the above mentioned activities, it must obtain a separate licence for each category of activity.
Companies holding a Free Zone licence are permitted to operate in the Jebel Ali or Dubai Airport Free Zones and outside the UAE. Operation within the UAE can be undertaken either by a commercial agent, representative, distributor, or the mother company licensed by the relevant UAE authority. Any company holding a Free Zone licence can itself purchase goods or services within the UAE..
Dubai means Business
The Opportunities
Dubai presents international business with a wide range of opportunities for different activities and operations, including:
Trade.
Transport and distribution.
Manufacturing and processing.
Regional offices.
The Market
As the leading regional trading hub, Dubai offers access to a market of outstanding potential for overseas companies in a wide range of sectors. Among its key characteristics are:
A large market - more than $17 billion in domestic imports annually; gateway to a $150 billion p.a., 1.4 billion population regional import market;
A growing market - Dubai's imports have more than doubled since 1989; regional economic growth and liberalisation is set to boost demand;
A prosperous market - strategic location at the heart of one of the world's richest regions;
A diversified market - wide import requirements; opportunities for suppliers of most products; An accessible market - served by more than 170 shipping lines and 86 airlines; An open market - no exchange controls, quotas or trade barriers.
The Business Environment
Dubai offers incoming business all the advantages of a highly developed economy. Its infrastructure and services match the highest international standards, facilitating efficiency, quality and service. Among the benefits are:
Free enterprise system.
Highly developed transport infrastructure.
State-of-the-art telecommunications.
Sophisticated financial and services sector.
Top international exhibition and conference venue.
High quality office and residential accommodation.
Reliable power, utilities etc.
First class hotels, hospitals, schools, shop
Cosmopolitan lifestyle.
The Costs
Overseas companies setting up in Dubai can secure cost advantages not generally available internationally. Among the reasons are:
No corporate taxes.
No income taxes.
No foreign exchange controls.
No trade barriers.
Competitive import duties (4% with many exemptions).
Competitive labour costs.
Competitive energy costs.
Competitive real estate costs.
Doing Business
Dubai offers foreign companies a wide choice of business options, including:
Direct trade - selling directly to established dealers and distributors.
Commercial agency arrangements - appointee must be a UAE national or company; agreement to be registered with Ministry of Economy and Commerce.
Branch or representative office - 100% foreign ownership permitted; local agent (sponsor) must be appointed; Economic Development Department licence required.
Limited liability company - foreign ownership restricted to 49%; Economic Development Department licence required.
Special free zone investment incentives.
Special Investment Incentives
Dubai's highly successful Jebel Ali Free Zone and new Airport Free Zone provide all the advantages available elsewhere in the emirate, with the following additional benefits:
100% foreign ownership and control.
Renewable 15-year guarantee of no taxation.
No customs duties.
Flexible investment options
Efficient transport and distribution facilities.
Full administrative and recruitmentsupport.
