Female UAE expats face new visa curbs to travel to Oman

From : Arabian Business

Non-GCC female UAE residents have been banned from travelling to parts of Oman without the permission of their employer or male relative.

The conservative UAE emirate Sharjah quietly introduced the new requirement last month. The regulation applies only at the Dibba border crossing with Oman, Sharjah’s only international land border, which is popular with UAE expats travelling to the picturesque Zighy Bay or joining a dhow cruise. It means female expats living in the UAE who do not have a passport from one of the other five Gulf Cooperation Council countries will need a no objection letter from their sponsor, typically either their employer or husband.

It does not apply to those on tourist visas.

The female visa follows a broader visa requirement introduced in September last year that requires every UAE resident that is not a GCC citizen to receive an Omani tourist visa in advance if they cross at Dibba. The restrictions are impacting on tourism operators near the Dibba border, many of whom rely on last minute bookings from UAE expats unaware of the new procedures. Sheesha Beach Travel and Tourism public relations manager Dylan Mangan said the new requirements were a “serious, serious” problem affecting the dhow cruise operator’s business, which relied on UAE expats for about 70 percent of its business.

“The majority of our business is from expats so it’s a huge, huge thing that’s going on. It’s driving us crazy,” Mangan said. The changes also were driving away business from large tour operators who were now choosing other activities to fill their itineraries. “We’ve got to get large numbers of people over the border and due to the new rules in place if all the passports, visas and letters etcetera aren’t given to us within a week of departure it’s even more difficult to get them across,” Mangan said. “It’s a serious headache in our eyes.”

Luxury resort Six Senses, on the shores of Zighy Bay, also is expecting the advance visa requirement to impact its business during the summer.
Spokeswoman Monica Majors said there had been little impact since the broader rule was introduced in September because majority of the resorts’ guests were from Europe and travelling on a tourist visa.

But they were concerned that the effects would be felt during summer when they relied on weekend escapes by UAE expats. Majors said many coming from the UAE booked at the last minute but that would now be too difficult, meaning the resort would lose business. Most potential clients were unaware of the new requirements and therefore did not book far enough in advance. “The problem is that they don’t publish the changes and regulations,” Majors said.
“We can’t entertain that last minute business because we won’t be able to assist our guests ... to ensure there are no issues at the border.”

The advance visa also is costing Six Senses Zighy Bay because the resort has chosen to process the visa free of charge for its clients in a bid to avoid any confusion at the border. A copy of the passport and UAE residence visa needs to be sent to the resort at least four days in advance. Women also need to send their letter of no objection, unless they are travelling with their husband, father or brother.

Sharjah authorities could not be reached for comment.

Fly Dubai (low cost carrier) starts operations

Flydubai, Dubai’s first low-cost airline began its commercial operations on June 1st.

The inaugural flight took off from Dubai International’s Terminal 2 at 10:30 bound for Beirut.

FlyDubai is currently flying to Beirut and Amman. They will start flights to Damascus and Alexandria next week and plan to expand rapidly to countries in the Middle East, GCC and India. The evenutal plan as stated on their website is to extend to Iran, Eastern Europe and North & East Africa.

Fares are really low. For eg there is currently a flight from Alexandria to Dubai for 825(LE) Egyptian pounds. When I checked a week ago. A return flight between Cairo and Dubai was roughly costing about 3000LE on Emirates airlines and 2100LE on Egypt Air.

How does flydubai keep its fares low?
1. The tickets are one way tickets for one person, priced on a system based on availability, demand, time of day etc etc. Quoted prices include all applicable taxes. Prices will be quoted in the currency of the country of departure of the flight
2. You pay to change: If for some reason, you need to change your flight, you pay 100dhs per ticket plus the price difference from your original ticket if upwards and get a voucher refunded to you if the price moves downwards. You do have to pay the 100dhs charge per ticket, no matter what the scenario. (There are "free to change" tickets too, but these are normally priced higher than "pay to change")
3. Changes or cancellations can only be carried out 24 hours prior to the flight. Any later than that, you lose the whole amount.
4. Children above the age of 2, pay full fare.
5. If traveling with a child below the age of 2, there is a service charge of 50dhs plus taxes.
6. Fares are lower if you book from the website. A service charge is levied if you book via their dedicated call center (35dhs) or through an agent.
7. The quoted fare allows you upto 10kilos of hand baggage. You have to pay higher for more luggage. If you pre book your extra luggage on the website, it will be cheaper than just arriving at the airport and then paying for the luggage.
For eg: Your 1st piece of checked in baggage (upto 32 kilos) if pre booked online will cost 40dhs, but if you do it at the airport, it will cost you 150 dhs. The 2nd piece will cost 100 and 150 respectively.
8. If you want to select your seat, you pay 5dhs.
9. If you want a seat with extra legroom, it is 50 dhs.
10. A boarding pass is issued as soon as you book your ticket.

In these times of Recession, this airline could really take off, if they find a large enough market segment.

As I see it, business and holiday travelers without much luggage could find this airline cheaper than its competitors.

For those people I have often seen in the Dubai airport ahead of me, trying to check in 5-7 suitcases each on Egypt Air flights back to Cairo while trying to semi-conceal another 4-6 pieces of hand luggage, this would not be an economical choice.

Nor would it work for people who travel to Dubai with the primary purpose of shopping. I have seen so many piles of new clothes and childrens toys unceremoniously dumped in heaps at Dubai's airport, because paying the excess baggage fee on Emirates airlines does not make those clothes and toys worth it. People seem to find it cheaper to just dump the stuff (some with tags not yet removed) than pay the excess baggae fee. These people aren't going to be travely FlyDubai any time soon.

This will work for people who just carry their laptop and a change of clothes or two. Its also just 40dhs more for 1 piece of checked in baggae provided you book it online at the time of booking your ticket. So this option will work for a weeks long travel.

I wonder if the airline allows toiletries in hand luggage with the above restrictions that they have placed. If they dont, it would be cheaper to buy and discard toiletries on arrival than pay 100dhs to check it in.

They must have researched their pricing before coming out with this strategy. It will be interesting to see how full their flights go. There is a large market, given that it is still impossible to get a ticket on a Thursday evening Emirates flight from Dubai to Cairo, if you haven't booked well in advance.

You can book tickets directly on their site:
http://flydubai.com/


Also Published on desicritics.org

Doha museum stakes cultural claim

From The BBC

The museum is part of plans to make Doha a cultural capital of the world

By Lawrence Pollard BBC News

A few years ago, prices in London auction houses went through the roof - not for the classic modern or contemporary art, but for works from the Islamic world.

Fabulous jewels, manuscripts and ceramics were fetching 10 times their estimate and more, and it soon emerged this was thanks to the al-Thani family, rulers of Qatar, the tiny gas-rich Gulf state.

They had tempted the veteran architect I M Pei - the man behind the glass pyramid at the Louvre - to design one last statement building, a spectacular museum on a purpose-built island in Doha, which would house only the best Islamic art.

Then they went shopping for their collection.

And this weekend the museum opens, a dramatic pile of white limestone shapes inspired by Islamic architecture and full of 800 of the finest examples of Islamic art.

Many of these things, as well as being objects of beauty have functional usage, but then hidden beyond that is the sense of transcendence Navid Akhtar Designer and writer

Not long ago, the idea of culture being a reason to visit the Gulf would have made other Arabs laugh. No longer.

The Syrian cultural historian Rana Kabbani sees a political element to the museum, putting Doha on the cultural map.

"I think all the rulers in the Gulf see what they really lack is culture on a grand scale, as a kind of imperial identity. It's a political-cultural lack. They have the means, and they're going for it."

The hope is that - like hosting a Grand Prix or buying a football club - a fabulous collection of art will bring prestige, attract tourists and create a brand.

That's why along the coast, two museums are planned for Abu Dhabi - branches of the Louvre and Guggenheim.

New conversation

But what exactly is the Islamic art in the collection? What can ceramics from southern Spain have in common with metalwork from the Silk Route city of Samarkand?

One thing which links them is the misconceptions about Islamic art held by both east and west.

Designer and writer Navid Akhtar explains: "The conversation tends to go: 'How come you don't paint people? Because its forbidden.'

"There's little understanding of the scriptures or commentaries, or the concept of art, so we're left with a limited conversation.

"There's a lot of figurative Islamic art. And the geometric patterns aren't just pattern."

There's not enough research and that's a mistake of the Muslims. There has to be a reawakening - they have to start studying their own history Reem al-Faisal Saudi artist-photographer

The Koran has no comment on the visual arts.

The prophet was firmly against idols, but then so were Jews, orthodox Christians and puritan Anglicans at various times.

Many religions mistrust images but their cultures still end up using them - Islam however has had less use for them.

"The Koran is not a narrative like the old or new testament, it doesn't tell a story, a narration you can illustrate," says professor Doris Abouseif, author of Beauty in Arabic Culture.

"The Koran is precepts, it guides but doesn't narrate."

Any museum will show Persian and Indian miniatures, or Arab pottery with figures of animals or people.

They won't be from a mosque, but the figure isn't banned from wider Islamic culture.

'Whole language'

One element Islamic objects have in common is intricate geometric patterns.

Some scholars think this is a craft habit, pure and simple, but to many younger Muslim artists the geometry holds something else.

"Pattern is a whole language of colour, form and shape," says Reem al-Faisal, a Saudi artist-photographer.

"Each colour symbolises a state of the soul or being. It's poetry translated into material elements."

Mr Akhtar agrees: "Many of these things, as well as being objects of beauty, have functional usage, but then hidden beyond that is the sense of transcendence that they create."

The chief curator of the new museum, Oliver Watson, is British, as are many of the staff.

The museum houses 800 artistic and historical works from three continents

The study of Islamic art is a western creation, which Ms Faisal says is not a problem so long as more Muslims now take up the study.

"I don't care if it's Muslims or Westerners - the problem is that there's not enough research and that's a mistake of the Muslims.

"They should have studied their own civilisation far more, they've been in hibernation for 500 years. There has to be a reawakening - they have to start studying their own history."

Qatar's museum will be just a glittering collection of greatest hits unless it manages to become, as promised, a centre of education and research into the history of this beautiful art.

Dubai firm launches Muslim image bank

Dubai firm launches Muslim image bank
by Lynne Roberts on Wednesday, 29 August 2007

Muslim Heritage Consulting has launched the world’s first Muslim history image library online.

The library, at www.MuslimHeritageImages.com includes manuscripts from the 10th Century as well as contemporary images of people, architecture and museum artefacts.

Collections telling the story of Muslim civilisation have been brought together from museums, archives and private collections across the world.

Many images recreate pivotal moments in history such as pioneering early surgical work carried out in the Middle East centuries before similar treatments were available in Europe.

Samia Khan, spokesperson for Muslim Heritage Images said with interest in the Muslim world growing, it was important to have a definitive and reliable source of images.

'One of the biggest challenges for museums, publishers and production companies has been trying to relate these stories from the past using imagery which is extremely difficult to find. Muslim Heritage Images has brought together thousands of images of manuscripts, and photos of Muslim culture, history and people and made it accessible using a simple online format,' she said.

A note of caution : I visited www.MuslimHeritageImages.com While the pictures are beautiful, they are all copyrighted. Only the minor thumbnails are clear, slight enlargement shows pictures with large watermarks which take away the beauty of the picture. I guess this is a site for commercial distribution of the images.

I am not against copyrighting, but it can be done tastefully like those at http://www.worldpressphoto.org (Refer my previous article : CIC World Press Photo 2007 Awards Exhibition) so that surfers who would just like to enjoy the beauty of the pictures can do so without any hindrance. But if you try to copy the image by any means, it disallows that and a polite message requesting you not to copy the picture pops up.