The devil in the discount

The first five weeks of this year’s DSS have generated $74m in revenues. Visitor numbers are up and the organizers expect a record outcome for all involved.

All of which is excellent news. Maintaining forward momentum for a 10-year-old product in a city as changeable as Dubai is no mean feat. The organizers have to contend with the twin threats of local ambivalence and international competition. The figures seem expected; they’re not, every penny and visitor could have gone elsewhere this summer.

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Veiled opportunity

Arabian Business this morning picks up a story from Reuters on the difficulties faced by niqab-wearing women job seekers in the Gulf. It says applicants are regularly rejected from customer-facing positions, and highlights the retail and banking sectors.

"No one takes women with niqab in the retail sector," says 22-year-old Aysha Obeid, a UAE national, who unsuccessfully applied for jobs at two retail outlets. She is now looking for back office administrative jobs where she believes she may have more chance of being employed.

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Learning to fly

Emirates customers can now select and secure their preferred seats on their flights at the time of booking, when they purchase their tickets online. The service, previously available only to First and Business travelers, is now open to all. This should mean fewer queues, less stress at check-in and a more engaging process for customers. It is also a reward for planning ahead.

The move is in step with other leading carriers. “Travelers increasingly demand the convenience of organizing their itineraries via the Internet,” says Ghaith al Ghaith, Emirates Executive Vice President for Commercial Operations Worldwide.

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Barclays shy of Gulf investors

Barclays interminable pursuit of ABN Amro rumbles on. Today, media reports say the Dutch bank has taken a neutral stance on Barlays bid, recommending neither Barclays nor rivals RBS.

The chase was enlivened last week with news that Barclays had turned to Chinese and Singapore investors for help. China State Development Bank and Singapore's Temasek Holdings agreed to provide up to $18.76 billion to juice a new, $93.1 billion counter-offer composed of 37% cash. The deal will see the China Development Bank take a 3.1% stake in Barclays, with Singaporean investment fund Temasek taking 2.1%; both will take a greater slice should the deal go through.

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From first to third

For a time it had all looked so promising. With the FIA concerned about maximizing the viewing figures for the opening race of the F1 season, and the incumbent Melbourne GP unable to push back its start time, Bahrain was suddenly slated to take pole. With Abu Dhabi joining the calendar in 2009 the odds had looked good for a two-week swing through the Gulf next year. Extra publicity, more time with the teams, better marketing opportunities.

A week on and it has all fallen in a heap. Melbourne will continue as race one, Malaysia is at two, Bahrain at three. It is no disaster but, if no one even remembers who came second, third really is anonymous.

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