This year’s Jeddah tourism festival bagged a total revenue of SR3 billion, according to Saleh Al-Turki, chairman of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. About 135 private companies took part in the 45-day event, and hotels and furnished apartments in the city enjoyed 100 percent occupancy during the festival. Arab News says the city needs another 12,000 rooms to meet demand.
Elsewhere in the city, café workers claim they having to pay off a succession of municipality inspectors to stay in business. “If I don’t pay them off, the shop is closed and I end up paying a massive fine — much more than the actual bribe itself,” says one. Arab News has a lovely story featuring a shrimp sandwich and a yellowish cockroach.
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Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Dubai doesn’t need to be all things to all people
Private developers have warned they may not be able to build low-cost housing unless the Dubai government facilitates cheaper land. With land prices rocketing the best returns are on office blocks, hotels or top-end villas. According to property services company Asteco, at Dubai Waterfront near Palm Jebel Ali, land valued at Dh90 per square feet in 2005 surged to Dh210 per square foot this year - a 130 per cent increase in just two years.
As Dubai steps up its Urban Development Framework (an Australian company was this week appointed to head up the consortium to plan the project) the onus is on the to build a ‘sustainable city’ for 2020 and beyond. Low-cost housing (or the ability to attract and satisfy low income workers) is seen as a vital part of the plan.
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As Dubai steps up its Urban Development Framework (an Australian company was this week appointed to head up the consortium to plan the project) the onus is on the to build a ‘sustainable city’ for 2020 and beyond. Low-cost housing (or the ability to attract and satisfy low income workers) is seen as a vital part of the plan.
Read More...
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