For the second time in a row, Wild Discovery Tourism and Holidays LLC was an exhibitor at the 2007 Dubai Arabian Travel Market, the world’s biggest Middle East specific ravel trade exhibition. The Lebanese Tour Operator promoted its growing network of travel agencies in Beirut, Damascus and Dubai, all offering inbound and outbound operations. As this year celebrates its ten-year anniversary, Wild Discovery would also like to announce the launching of its new summer 2007 holiday brochure, offering a great and vast selection of travel packages worldwide.

www.wilddiscovery.com.lb

www.wilddiscoverysyria.com

www.wilddiscovery.ae

In Dubai everyone can find something to do. New exciting experiences are available for the active tourist and the one seeking for a spot away from the crowds can have a relaxing break too.

A synonym with visiting the United Arab Emirates and Dubai is the duty-free shopping. All airports have their own duty-free shops but the largest and particularly famous are at Abu Dhabi. Recognized as probably one of the best duty-free in the world, Dubai might even be the best. With a spectacular design, the shopping complex in the central foyer of the new concourse has almost an infinite range of products and is a unique shopping experience. The Dubai duty-free shopping center provides a great range of cosmetics, perfumery, jewelry, electronic goods, music and tobacco goods and a lot more.

Dubai city shows a predominant modern face, the skyline is going through never ending developments. You will be impressed by glass towers and at the same time spot great modern buildings that show impressive traditional Arabian architecture, motifs and features.

There is a project to develop a theme park for the Middle East that will be similar to Disneyland, this park includes a huge water resort that will be unique in the region being very large.

The water resort is called Aqua Dubai and will add good value to Dubai land, which is the regions greatest tourism, leisure and entertainment development. Dubai land provides the best water-based facilities in the Middle East and it’s probably one of the best in the world

The theme park consists of a variety of different developments that range from aviation and motor racing to Arabian themed sites, pharaohs sites, snow world and dinosaur world.

Being in a good location, Dubai is quite an easy, accessible, destination for your holiday. About ninety airlines provide flights to Dubai from over 130 cities around the world. By airline, Dubai is seven hours away from London, six hours from Frankfurt, eleven from Seoul and eight from Hong Kong. The Dubai International Airport is one of the world’s leading transit centers, with it’s modern and efficient immigration.

Property in Dubai has witnessed robust growth over the past few years, since the Dubai government developed a strategy aimed at encouraging foreign investment, supported by the liberalisation of foreign freehold ownership of property in Dubai.

The decree was officially issued by the then Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum in 2002, and stems from the emirate’s desire to reduce its reliance on oil, and to diversify its economy into the financial services and tourism sectors.

With prices of property in Dubai generally low and payment terms rather favourable, the government sparked a wave of mass investment in property in Dubai from investors from all around the world. This in turn led to increasing levels of new developments and regeneration. In fact, the plans for the emirate are truly remarkable and the state’s pockets are seemingly bottomless.

Dubai’s awesome skyline is rapidly expanding, as it is one of the fastest growing cities in the world – a true global hub for large businesses. The volume of investments in new property in Dubai is expected to reach well in excess of £100 billion by 2020.

Capital growth
Prices of property in Dubai have appreciated significantly over the past few years, as demand has far exceeded supply. This has typically attracted a surge of speculators – many of which have traded in off-plan property in Dubai – buying and selling title deeds, long before ground has even broken on a new development, otherwise referred to as ‘flipping’. This is not uncommon in an emerging market, as it can prove to be a highly lucrative, high risk, way of making money.

Average prices of property in Dubai’s ‘Marina Terrace’, for example, constructed by Damac, have appreciated by well in excess of 200 per cent since the development was launched in 2002. Residential units in ‘The Waves’, also located in Dubai Marina, have appreciated by over 160 per cent per cent since its launch, also in 2002.

Cluttons Middle East reports that the average price of property in Dubai stood at between £90 to 100 per square foot in 2004. Today, that figure stands at close to £250 per square foot.

Alex Upson of Cluttons Middle East says: “A one-bedroom apartment in The Greens sold by the developer in 2004 for approx £75,000. Today the same unit changes hands at £250,000.”

Although capital growth has now generally slowed, average prices of property in Dubai continue to grow at an impressive rate, currently appreciating at annual rate of around 15 per cent per year, according to Middle East business provider, AME Info.
However, with so many off-plan projects now nearing completion, there is a genuine fear that there may soon be an oversupply of property in Dubai and that the phenomenal level of growth recorded in the past cannot be sustained.

Not so, according to some market experts. “Investors who enter the market now will be able to snap up a property in Dubai for far less than if they wait until a later date, says an AME spokesperson. “Furthermore, buying property in Dubai early will allow owners to enjoy considerable capital appreciation.

“Sitting on an asset that is rising in value makes obvious sense. The boom in property in Dubai is far from over, as all the drivers of growth in the market are firmly in place”

Upson supports these views, adding that the residential market remains “very active”, due to growing demand for property in Dubai from end-users. “If buyers are looking for growth then current demand appears to be exceeding supply and prices continue to rise,” he says. “However, we urge caution and always recommend thorough research into comparable property prices and developer history. Delays in delivery should be expected.”

Construction delays are one of the biggest risk factors of buying property in Dubai. Earlier this year Middle East developer Rakaa Properties estimated that 40 per cent, or $160 billion (£79.5 billion) worth of total construction projects in Dubai have so far been suspended, due to rising material costs, which in part is fuelling soaring inflation levels. Construction delays are also holding up the supply of property in Dubai, which could very well culminate in further capital growth over the coming years.

In fact, 57,000 properties in Dubai were due for completion last year, and yet only 11,000 residential units were actually delivered, according to Peter Riddoch of Damac Properties.

Nevertheless, the volume of land being purchased in the emirate is increasing – up 170 per cent in 2007 to reach $48 billion (£24billion), illustrating the fact that there are plenty more developments in the pipeline. Much of this land is being purchased by Britons, who are now the leading foreign owners of land in Dubai, according to a report compiled by the Dubai Land Department.

Major developments
Nakheel, which is currently constructing The World, among other projects, has announced that it plans to build the ‘Universe’. The project, which will be situated off the coast of Dubai, in between Palm Deira and Palm Jumeirah, will take up to 20 years to construct.

Other spectacular projects recently announced or already under construction, include the £395 million Palazzo Versace, Trump International Hotel & Tower on Palm Jumeirah, and the world’s first rotating tower, the latter scheme, an 80-storey skyscraper, will see each floor spin around a central core, offering residents an ever-shifting view of the Persian Gulf.

Buy-to-let
Anyone wishing to invest in buy-to-let property in Dubai should expect to achieve an annual rental yield of eight to ten per cent, according to Riddoch. However, investors in rental property in Dubai should avoid prime developments, as they tend to offer relatively low rental returns.

The greatest returns from rental property in Dubai can be found in The Palm Jumeirah and Old Town Burj Dubai, according to UAE estate agency Asteco. However, the largest rental increases are being recorded in the cheaper areas in and around International City. Comparable data shows that the greatest annual rental increase of property in Dubai has been recorded in International City, where average two-bedroom apartments have appreciated by 36 per cent year-on-year.

The declining cost of finance to buy a property in Dubai could yet boost the market further. This is because the UAE Dirham (AED) is fixed to the US dollar, which means that the currencies do not fluctuate against each other and remain fixed at one value. Consequently, the UAE Central Bank has to follow US interest rates, which currently stands at 2.25 per cent. This effectively devalues the local currency, it also lowers the cost of borowing money to buy property in Dubai, which can lead to higher property investment returns.

Moving forward it’s almost impossible to forecast what will happen to the market for property in Dubai. The sheer volume of new homes coming onto the market suggests that it’s not long until there is an oversupply of property in Dubai, if not already the case. However, the emirate has one of the fastest growing populations in the world.

It’s reported that up to 857 people are moving to Dubai every day, totalling some 5,000 per week. In fact, Peter Riddoch of Damac Properties estimates that around 60,000 people will be looking to purchase property in Dubai this year. He also reports that Dubai’s workforce, which currently stands at around two million will grow to around five million by 2015, undeterred by the likely introduction of VAT next year.

One thing is for sure – Dubai will keep growing.

As the owner of a condo hotel unit, you can keep your condo hotel as long as you’d like. Use it as a get-away-from-it-all vacation home if desired, all the while building equity for when you want to sell it. Marketed as a condominium located in a resort hotel, these private residences offer a practical way to own a vacation home, and offset some of the costs when you’re not there.

If you’re seriously considering buying a second home or vacation home consider a condo hotel. Condo-Hotels Statistics show that the market for homes with rental income potential is nearly twice the size of the market for vacation homes that are seldom rented. The typical condo hotel produces higher levels of income than the traditional vacation home (and less headaches), making it all the more appealing to buyers.

Here’s how it works. You purchase a condominium in price ranges from as low as $400,000 to well over $2 million that is located in a resort hotel. After purchasing it, you tell the hotel when you intend to stay in your condo and they reserve those dates for you. When you are not there, your condo goes into a rental program, managed by the hotel, and is rented out as a hotel room.
The beauty of this type of arrangement is that you get a beautiful condominium in a luxury resort, but don’t have to worry about maintenance and upkeep when you’re not there. Another plus is because the hotel is renting out your condo, your vacation home becomes an investment property. Because hotel employees handle marketing and promotion, you don’t have to, and you get the added benefit of having your condo marketed as part of a well-known and respected luxury hotel. Imagine the marketing power behind names such as Ritz-Carlton and Trump! Having your vacation condo promoted under a name like that gives you tremendous exposure.

The condo hotel buyer sees the benefit of owning a vacation property that also has the potential to produce income for them and build equity long term. This is one of the biggest appeals of condo-hotels because the rental income can offset some of the costs of owning a vacation property. With the advantages they offer over time shares, it’s easy to see why so many people looking for a vacation property investment they can also enjoy, when they want to, are now looking at condo-hotels.

These hotels are landscaped and furnished with so much imagination that just touring these hotels can be a vacation activity in itself. There are spas, restaurants, shopping and nightspots.

Another popular option is the fractional property. The original fractional format was started to formalize the sharing of a single family home within a destination resort area like Aspen or Telluride. Traditional fractions now involve condominiums and townhouses as well as single family homes. These fractional properties are usually sold in one-fourth interests, also termed Quarter-shares. Quarter-share owners receive one week of use each month for a total of 13 weeks per year. Variations of the Traditional Fractional include: Fifth-shares with a total of 10 weeks per year and an assignment of use every fifth week, and; Sixth-shares with 8 weeks of use per year and allocation of time every sixth week.
Within each traditional fractional format, the weeks are assigned through a rotational calendar to distribute the most desirable times of the seasons in a fair and equitable manner. The owner may either use or give away their weeks, or they can place their unused time in a rental program and split the revenue with the property manager after costs. Quality of the residence and furnishings is in the 3 to 4-star ranges. Service levels are at the 3-star level, if they are included in the program offering.

Either type of property is an excellent choice for a vacation home. So, when looking into buying a second home, check out these types of property as an option.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Dubai has caught the eye of the entire world over the past ten years with massive investment and grandiose construction feeding a burgeoning tourist trade and continuing economic bloom. Benefiting from rises in oil prices like no other country, and helped by a lack of government intervention and tax-free environment, Dubai’s Black Gold has fuelled massive developments including man-made islands, luxury hotels, multi-purpose resorts, shopping malls and sports complexes.

Recently, the city has seen a mass influx of people moving to the desert, drawn by its free market economy and the promise of year-round sunshine. But Dubai is still massively under-populated meaning it’s an attractive site for both investment and a place to live. Aside from its oil exports it’s the emphasis on resort tourism that has further fuelled the blossoming economy. And finance experts believe the growth is sustainable, predicting many years to come of financial prosperity.

The Financial Times commented that Dubai represented “time and time again, what can be achieved when oil resources are invested wisely.” They went on to say however, “the city’s growth is no longer dependent on natural resources. In 2003, tourism overtook oil revenues as the prime source of income. Dubai’s annual gross domestic product is now approaching US $20 billion, with annual foreign direct investment inflows of more than US $2 billion.”

The city’s diverse designs and rampant construction work is largely due to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates. His family owns the emirate and he is at the top of all development that goes on in Dubai. The city’s ever-changing skyline, futuristic innovations, and growing scale is down to Sheikh Mohammed’s unending riches and his whimsical belief that construction holds no boundaries, both metaphorically and geographically.

Already nearing completion are two of his dreams made reality. Palm Jumeirah is an artificial island created using sand dredged from the sea bed. The island is formed to look like a giant palm tree when viewed from the

Thanks mainly due to a visionary Al Maktoum family, which came to power in 1883; Dubai’s economy has continued to grow despite of so many economic turbulences it had to go through since the World War II. Steps initiated by the Al Maktoums have made Dubai’s oil returns inconsequential in the era of globalization. The emirate’s GDP chiefly gets sourced from its free trade zones and tourism infrastructure instead. Most decisions taken by the successive rulers have been prompt and executed in a timely fashion. This made Dubai sellable and a growth-friendly area for carrying out business over the years. Global business partners, large FDIs and a highly skilled workforce have kept pouring in despite of the occasional negative clues from other economies. Recently, the government agreed to allow the outsiders to have a freehold property right. This wasn’t the scenario until now. As a result, one could buy self catering apartments, Dubai villas and other freehold properties, if they wished today.

Dubai’s growing reputation as a city of many firsts in the world of architecture has given more colors to its overall charm. From the very first seven star hotel, Burj Al Arab, to the now under construction the tallest building of the world, Burj Dubai, the city continues to house many of today’s world landmarks. As a result, tourists flock in large numbers to have a glimpse of this urban excitement each year. Summer used to be a holiday season earlier, but no more now. Year long fun, food and cultural fiestas – apart from the usual retail madness – make Dubai a place of joy and celebrations throughout the year. No need of underlining why self catering apartments, Dubai villas and similar other freehold properties could be a great investment offer in today’s scenario.

Many buy self catering apartments, Dubai villas and other freehold properties to have a place for vacationing when they may like doing it. Many others simply buy to rent them out to other holidaymakers. Rentals can be a great way for making money from this emirate. They can prove out to be a headache for those paying rents, and a great monetary reward for those receiving sums. Dubai’s rentals are among the most expensive ones in today’s times. They may give jitters to tenants, and a pleasant smile to property owners. Homes could be sold at a premium after a few years, since the real estate would continue to sore in Dubai in the years to follow. These aspects lead to many foreigners and expatriates buying freehold properties in Dubai as a way of making money. It’s a win-win option for those who know how turbulent times they were living in in a highly globalized world.

If there’s one thing that the rich and the famous have in common (other than money!), it’s travel. To be successful in business, you have to ensure your company has global status; and equally, to succeed as a celebrity you have to be known the world-over – which means a lot of travelling!



What’s also important to the rich and famous is a setting where they can continue their luxurious lifestyles, remain plugged into their business and celebrity networks, and yet still have the chance to rest and relax. For this reason, chains specialising in luxury hotels have been around since the early 20th century. But with business, celebrity, and travel bigger than ever, the competition between these hotel chains is getting fiercer! So, within this ever-expanding market: Who is the ‘Most luxurious’?



Luxury hotel chain the Four Seasons has won worldwide recognition, and a strong position in the luxury hospitality market, receiving more AAA five-diamond awards than any other hotel chain. Perhaps what best sets Four Season apart is the variety of their vacation experiences. Whether you’re a family looking for cultural exploration and exotic adventure, business partners looking to round off that perfect deal with a round of golf, or a couple looking for a romantic tropical resort, Four Seasons has them all. If you’re looking for a mix of the above, they even offer grand tours that combine several top destinations!



The Ritz-Carlton Company is a chain with a long history of supplying the most luxurious hotel experiences to the most luxurious stars. In the past, a very selective admission process gave the Ritz-Carlton, Boston – the original Ritz-Carlton – a reputation for privacy, discretion and for going above and beyond duty to cater for the whims of their guests, including decorating Joan Crawford’s room with her favourite sweets, and changing the colour of Winston Churchill’s wallpaper to his favoured red!



Offering a blend of Asian cultural luxuries, the giants of the Asian luxury hotel market are Oriental Mandarin. This is most apparent in Oriental Mandarin’s dedication to the ‘spa experience’, their belief that the perfect spa leads to a perfectly rested and relaxed mind, body and spirit. Mandarin Oriental also combine this pinnacle of Oriental heritage with the most modern technological advances, allowing guests to remain (literally!) plugged into their social and business networks, wherever in the world they may be.



However, when one thinks of the most luxurious place on earth, one can hardly think of anywhere other than Dubai. And, despite their varying positive attributes, this is where the above chains must bow down – for in Dubai, Jumeirah is king!



Despite having limited holdings outside of the Middle East (Jumeirah are still growing – and quickly too!), Jumeirah have turned Dubai’s luxury holiday and luxury hotel industry into their own personal paradise, home to the multi-award winning Jumeirah Beach Hotel, the Bab Al Sham Desert Resort & Spa, the Wild Wadi water park, and the world renowned Burj Al Arab – repeatedly recognised as the ‘world’s most luxurious hotel’.

Amidst this positive economic climate, the government has let it be known that they have ambitions for the city, Abu Dhabi. Evidence of this was the unveiling of a report which contains the details of the ‘master plan’ which will see the emirate’s population soar to around 3m people over the next 22 years.

Aptly termed the ‘Plan Abu Dhabi 2030: Urban Structure Framework’, the aim is for the plan to guide development in the emirate over the next two decades.

The report goes on to say that “The plan sets out building heights, transport infrastructure and land use and features guidance for large areas of traditional housing. The newly formed Urban Planning Council will oversee implementation of the plan.”

This plan for economical and financial growth will only be benefited further by the fact that Abu Dhabi Island is to be converted into a financial district. Development is in place for Suwa Island, off Abu Dhabi’s coast, to be developed into a business zone that will eventually become home to the region’s stock exchange.

It is suggested by property portal Amberlamb that “Mubadala Development Co, which manages over $10bn in assets, will fund the construction of the offshore island, which will be developed by John Buck International, a joint venture Mubadala which was formed earlier this year with Chicago-based property firm The John Buck Co.”

Upon addressing this fact at a recent conference, the chief financial officer of Mubadala, Carlos Obeid, said: “It is a multi-billion dirham development and construction has already started. The island will be home to the new headquarters of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange. The 570,000sqm development will include commercial and residential buildings as well as a hotel and retail space.” He added that “There is tremendous demand for commercial real estate in Abu Dhabi fuelled by the growth of the economy.”

Not only does Dubai offer the guarantee a standard of quality in service and build unrivalled in most emerging economies, but keeping in tune with the reputation Dubai has created as a contemporary country, the recent eco-friendly awareness to be found in real estate has meant that Dubai also finds itself going ‘green’.

A new $55bn (£28bn) eco town is to be constructed in the centre of Dubai. This new scheme, the ‘Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Gardens’, was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE Prime Minister.

He went on to explain how “here we will use a two-stage strategy where the infrastructure will be funded by the company, later on we will engage other developers and market investors for another source of funding”.

This innovative eco-resort will be situated between Al Khail Road and Emirates Road on a plot measuring over 850m sqft. It is planned that approximately 70% of the development will be devoted to greenery and wide-open spaces, while 10% of the land is be allocated to waterways. The general consensus received from international property experts is that the eco-friendly resort proposed is welcomed; as in the words of Paul Greaves, Dubai property manager for sandcastles-property.com said: “The concept looks original and forward thinking and we are delighted to add the Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Gardens to our expanding database of properties in Dubai and from across the United Arab Emirates.”

Local property analysts in Dubai are also reacting positively towards the proposed government eco-development. This is evident by the comments made by Hashim Al-Dabal, the chairman of Dubai Properties: “The new green development in Dubai will be divided into four differently themed areas, wisdom, nature, humanity and commerce; with all four having an iconic building as its centre piece as well as commercial, educational and residential property for sale.

One more contributing factor worth mentioning, adding to the positive illumination of investing in Dubai is the fact that Dubai, in particular, Abu Dhabi, is now even more readily accessible.

The recent announcement by two international airlines of a new service to Dubai and Abu Dhabi undoubtedly increases the emirates’ attractiveness as an international destination for businesspeople, holiday travellers and international real estate investors.

As was reported by Amberlamb, “Germany’s Lufthansa Airlines, which already flies to Dubai daily from Frankfurt, announced new service from Munich. Additionally, Indian carrier Jet Airways announced flights to Abu Dhabi from Mumbai and Delhi, and is in negotiations to fly directly to Dubai.” The second airline reported is “Jet Airways will launch two direct daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai and Delhi on April 23, and is waiting for the negotiations to conclude for launching routes from Dubai as well.” (www.amberlamb.com)

Dubai’s booming real estate industry and expected population growth means huge expected demands on its infrastructure. Of which Dubai is capable of achieving in no uncertain terms – The evidence is proof.

You will need to keep your money safe while traveling. You might want to wear a money belt to hide your funds from unscrupulous eyes. It is a good idea to leave your valuable jewelry at home as well. In general, you will want to spread your money, credit cards, and/or traveler’s checks into different locations. Some might go into a safety deposit box at their Dubai Hotels, while some you might carry with you. That way, if your wallet is lost or stolen, you will still have some financial resources to fall back on. Along the same lines, it is wise to have photocopies of important information, such your plane tickets, passport, medical letters and prescriptions in a safe place other than your luggage or on your person, so if they get lost you will still have the information you need to get them replaced.

Luggage can be kept safe with luggage locks and wire mesh packs for suitcases. The luggage locks must be TSA approved for travel within the United States, because going through check points at American airports will require a luggage check, and unapproved locks will be cut off your luggage. With the packs, you can place your suitcase inside, lock it and then attach it to your bed or other immovable object in Dubai hotels, for example, so that no one can access the luggage without the key.

Travel warnings are available from the foreign affairs department in your local city. You can check with them to make sure that it is safe to travel in the area you wish to visit. You will also want to make sure you are covered for health emergencies by purchasing travel insurance before your leave home.

It is best to study the local customs for the particular city you want to engage in Middle East Travel. There are strict rules of conduct during Saudi Arabia Travel, for example, and straying from them can result in dire consequences. Also, it bears remembering that not all countries allow citizens or visitors free speech, so you might need to assume that you are under surveillance at all times you are traveling. Also, check local medication rules for the country in which you will travel. Some medicines that people in the United States can be given with a prescription are considered illegal in some Middle Eastern countries, and not knowing this may result in jail sentences. A little education before you leave home will help you travel safely and well, during your Dubai Travel.