NEWS

A sculpture of a traditional Gulf couple, unveiled in Downtown Dubai yesterday, is intended to contribute to the area's evolution as a cultural and arts centre, said Mohamed Alabbar, the chairman of Emaar Properties. The white marble and black granite figures of a man in a khandoura and a woman in an abaya, called Together, have been placed on Emaar Boulevard, close to the entrance of the Burj Khalifa.

Exciting events, valuable prizes, and promotional offers await residents and visitors in the last week of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) as the sixteenth edition concludes on February 20. Fadhel Shaker and Haifa Wehbe Concert - The series of exciting musical concerts by famous Arab singers comes to an end with Fadhel Shaker and Haifa Wehbe on February 18 at the Burj Steps near Burj Khalifa.

They will take you and your partner on a 40-minute aerial tour of iconic city landmarks such as the Palm Jumeirah, the World Islands, the Burj Al Arab, the Burj Khalifa and the historic Dubai Creek district – for Dh2,800 per couple. A newly announced promotion offers anyone booking 30 days in advance a dining voucher worth Dh350 at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club.

Still haven’t figured out what you’re doing this Valentine’s Day? How typically Dubai! With accommodation in an Armani Suite, the price tag includes breakfast, a bouquet from Armani/Fiori, a bottle of a bubbly, a tailor-made five-course Valentine’s dinner at Armani/Ristorante, and to elevate things a notch or two, a single complimentary access pass to At the Top, Burj Khalifa, the observatory deck of the world’s tallest building.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” said the enthusiastic Wozniacki, who was just a little hesitant to venture too close to the glass windows. Caroline Wozniacki celebrated her spot as highest seed in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with a trip to the world’s highest tower today. The 20-year-old Dane visited Burj Khalifa as part of the WTA’s Full of Surprises film shoot, which will be broadcast on the Tour website as well as the Facebook page.

First, though, we’ve got a half portion of Peking Duck (Dh298 for a full portion) to get through. Having eaten the original thing in Beijing last year, I didn’t think the Hukama would be able to match up – few others in the UAE have done so thus far. To my surprise, though, they acquit themselves admirably. After all that, we’ve no space for dessert, but after a quick cigarette break on the balcony overlooking the Burj Khalifa, we’re ready to give it a shot. Two things stand out on the menu, and unable to make a decision between hot and cold, we greedily ask for both.

A new gallery that will showcase the best in Arab contemporary talent is planning to open its doors in Downtown Dubai during April. The 3,000 square foot Ara Gallery, located near the base of the Burj Khalifa, has also earmarked community engagement as a key pillar of its strategy.

These hospitality enterprises have proved to be successful and are multiplying. Missoni, for example, opened their Missoni Hotel in Edinburgh in 2008, it is now opening another Hotel in Kuwait on March of this year, and plans to open another two in Oman and Brazil by 2012. Armani opened in 2010 the Armani Hotel Dubai and coming soon are the Armani Hotels in Milan, Marrakech, Marassi, London, New York, Shanghai, and Tokyo.

The fallout from the political upheaval in Egypt and other parts of the Middle East is likely to benefit Dubai's tourism industry as travellers seek out alternative destinations, according to a new report by CitiGroup.

Emaar handed over 3,500 units in the UAE and internationally in 2010, including over 770 units in Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building and over 420 units in international markets. In line with the business strategy of the Group to focus on the core sectors of property development, shopping malls & retail and hospitality, Emaar Properties transferred its healthcare and education assets to renowned service providers, which will contribute to additional recurring rental revenues in 2011 and later years.