367m passengers used public transit means in Dubai in 2012 as daily ridership breaks 1m passengers

367m passengers used public transit means in Dubai in 2012 as daily ridership breaks 1m passengers

AL TAYER:109M PASSENGERS LIFTED BY DUBAI METRO LAST YEAR

Dubai- Roads & Transport Authority: Mohammed Al Munji:
H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), revealed that RTA public transport means, comprising Dubai Metro, public buses, marine transit modes and taxis (Dubai taxi and franchise companies) have lifted 367.657 million passengers in 2012 compared with 346.5 million passengers in 2011, and 323 million passengers in 2010, according to figures released by RTA Statistics Section. This brings the daily ridership of public transit means in Dubai last year to more than one million passengers whereas it was 963 thousand passengers in 2011, and 922 thousand passengers in 2010.

“The RTA is progressing in fast but solid steps towards achieving the objectives set out for it since inception i.e. providing an integrated roads & transport system that ensures smooth traffic movement, achieving the highest safety levels for all system users, and enhancing the multi modal integration of all mass transit means in Dubai Emirate,” said Al Tayer.

“The RTA has been endeavouring to provide mass transit systems to keep pace with the growth seen by the Emirate, and make them the ideal mobility choice for the public under the context of realizing one of the core objectives of the RTA vis-à-vis reducing the use of private vehicles and increasing the share of public transport from 6% in 2006 to 30% in 2030.

“The Dubai Metro, including both Red & Green Lines, has lifted last year 109.491 million passengers compared to only 69 million passengers in 2011. The number of passengers lifted on the Red Line last year clocked 71.914 million passengers which compares well with the number lifted in 2011 amounting to 60.024 million passengers, and the Green Line, which had been inaugurated on 9/9/2011, lifted about 37.576 million passengers last year; which brings the daily ridership of the metro close to 300 thousand passengers. The average daily ridership of the metro during the final quarter of last year saw a remarkable growth with the month of December clocking an average daily ridership of 364 thousand passengers.

“The number of commuters using public buses in 2012 has hit 120.774 million passengers compared with 107.407 million passengers in 2011, with a daily ridership of about 331 thousand passengers in 2012, compared with 298 thousand passengers per day in 2011. The number of commuters using marine transit means, comprising abras, Water Bus, Water Taxi and Dubai Ferry was about 13 million passengers last year, compared with 14.221 million passengers in 2011. This drop in ridership is attributed to some commuters electing to switch from abras to the metro. Abras have ferried about 12.552 million passengers last year compared with 13.8 million passengers in 2011. About 347 thousand passengers were lifted by the Water Bus, 13.5 thousand passengers were ferried by the Water Taxi, and 55 thousand passengers were served by the Dubai Ferry, thus the total ridership of marine transit modes touches 35,616 passengers per day.

“The number of trips made by taxis (Dubai Taxi and franchise companies) clocked 68,695,237 trips in 2012 compared with 62,360,000 trips in 2011; which was coupled with an increase in the number of taxi users to 137.39 million passengers in 2012 from 124.72 million passengers in 2011. Taxicabs in Dubai Emirate make about 188,206 daily trips lifting about 376 thousand passengers,” elaborated Al Tayer.
RTA Chairman of the Board and Executive Director was delighted with these indicators which show that the massive investments pumped by the Government of Dubai in upgrading the infrastructure of the transport sector has proved both successful & effective. The mounting numbers of public transit commuters is an indicative of an evolution in the culture of using public transport means by various spectrums of community members, particularly with the availability of the metro service. Peoples have started to grasp the benefits and advantages of using public transport such as the psychological & physical relief of passengers, high safety level, and reduced expenditure on vehicles in terms of fuel, maintenance among others.

Captions:
- Mattar Al Tayer
- Number of passengers using Dubai Metro on the rise
- Public buses linking all districts of the Emirate
- Marine transit means shuttling between the two shores of Dubai.

Anantara Set to Launch in Dubai on The Palm

Anantara Set to Launch in Dubai on The Palm

In Partnership with Seven Tides

January 21st 2013: Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, a leading developer and operator of luxury hotels, resorts and spas, is pleased to announce the expansion of its presence in the United Arab Emirates with the launch of its first hotel in Dubai. The Anantara Dubai Palm Jumeirah Resort & Spa is a five star resort on the crescent of Dubai’s iconic Palm Jumeirah, and will open in September 2013.

Partnering with Dubai-based owning company Seven Tides, the progressive hospitality and real estate developer, the luxurious new property is designed to reflect the brand’s Asian heritage and will bring Anantara’s experience and discovery-lead hospitality to the vibrant and continually expanding Dubai market.

Set amidst lush landscaping, the new resort and spa will offer a total of 293 guest rooms and suites clustered in units of four to eight to maximise privacy, with 130 guest rooms featuring direct access to 11,000 square metres of lagoon pools. The 12 Beach Villas, 18 Over Water Villas and three highly exclusive Royal Beach Villas give the resort an indulgent and exotic feel. Impressive facilities will include a private beach, three natural lagoons, water sports, a shoreline infinity pool, an Anantara Spa sanctuary with 12 treatment rooms, a fitness studio and two tennis courts. An elaborate entertainment area will be accompanied by meeting rooms with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment. A ballroom accommodating 300 people and the private beach will provide inspirational venues for events and weddings.

Six themed restaurants and bars include an all-day dining restaurant serving classic Middle Eastern and international cuisine, an Australian inspired grill, an Asian themed specialty restaurant, a beachfront Mediterranean restaurant, a lobby lounge with a dedicated shisha deck, and poolside refreshments. For the ultimate in tailored private dining, Anantara’s signature ‘Dining by Design’ concept will invite guests to dine in a dream setting with a private chef and butler.

When it opens, Anantara Dubai Palm Jumeirah Resort & Spa will be a great complement to Anantara’s three existing properties in Abu Dhabi – Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, which is positioned in the world’s largest uninterrupted sand desert, Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara, located on Sir Bani Yas Island, and Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa in Abu Dhabi City. The new resort promotes the brand’s distinctive reputation for luxury discovery in the region, and also creates a landmark presence with such a strategic base in Dubai.

William E. Heinecke, Chairman and CEO of Minor International, the owning company of Anantara, commented, “We are excited to announce our first Anantara property in Dubai which is a significant milestone for Minor. This new resort strengthens our footprint in the key strategic market of the UAE and I am confident it will greatly contribute to our success there.”

Dillip Rajakarier, CEO Minor Hotel Group, added, “We are delighted to be partnering with a progressive and respected company such as Seven Tides to open our fourth unique property in the UAE. Anantara Dubai Palm Jumeirah Resort & Spa consolidates our brand’s focus on iconic destinations and builds upon our growing collection of properties in some of the world’s most exciting cities.”

Abdulla Bin Sulayem, CEO, Seven Tides, commented, “Anantara was chosen after a lengthy selection process involving a number of international management companies. We found that Anantara’s brand DNA was a perfect match with our aspirations for this luxurious property, not just through its Asian design-led proposition, but beyond to encompass the complete guest experience.”

“The resort and spa is primarily a leisure and incentive destination and will appeal to visitors from the GCC, Asia and of course the traditional inbound European markets,” added Bin Sulayem.


Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas

For hundreds of years throughout Thailand, people would leave a jar of water outside their house to provide refreshment and extend a welcome to the passing traveler. Anantara is taken from an ancient Sanskrit word that means 'without end', symbolising this sharing of water and the heartfelt hospitality that lies at the core of every Anantara experience.

From lush jungles to pristine beaches and legendary deserts to cosmopolitan cities, Anantara currently boasts 20 stunning properties located in Thailand, the Maldives, Bali, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates and China; with future properties to open in Thailand, China, Laos, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, UAE and Oman.

For more information on Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, please visit www.anantara.com.
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/anantara and Twitter: Anantara_Hotels

About Global Hotel Alliance

Based on the airline alliance model, Global Hotel Alliance (“GHA”) is the world largest alliance of independent hotel brands. It uses a common technology platform to drive incremental revenues and create cost savings for its members, while offering enhanced recognition and service to customers across all brands, through a unique loyalty programme, GHA Discovery. GHA currently comprises of Anantara, Doyle Collection, First, Kempinski, Leela, Lungarno Collection, Marco Polo, Mokara, Mirvac, Omni, Pan Pacific, PARKROYAL, Shaza and Tivoli hotels & resorts, encompassing almost 300 upscale and luxury hotels with 65,000 rooms in 51 different countries. www.gha.com

About Minor International

Minor International (MINT) is a global company focused on three primary businesses including restaurants, hotels and lifestyle brands distribution. MINT is a hotel owner, operator and investor with a portfolio of 41 hotels and 41 serviced suites under the Anantara, AVANI, Oaks, Elewana, Marriott, Four Seasons, St. Regis and Minor International brands in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, the United Arab Emirates, Tanzania, Kenya, Australia and New Zealand. MINT is one of Asia’s largest restaurant companies with over 1,300 outlets operating system wide in 18 countries under The Pizza Company, Swensen’s, Sizzler, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Thai Express, the Coffee Club and Ribs and Rumps brands. MINT is also one of Thailand’s largest distributors of lifestyle brands focusing primarily on fashion, cosmetics and contract manufacturing. Its brands include Gap, Esprit, Bossini, Charles & Keith, Pedro, Red Earth, Tumi, Zwilling J.A. Henckels, and ETL Learning. For more information, please visit www.minorinternational.com.

About Seven Tides

Based in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, privately-owned Seven Tides is an internationally oriented holding company established in 2004. Currently focusing on hospitality and real estate sectors, Seven Tides thinks progressively, works creatively, partners strategically and acts quickly. The result is a current portfolio of offerings from landmark hospitality acquisitions and commercial buildings to residential towers and multi-use complexes in the gateway cities of London and Dubai.

Burj Al Arab ushers in the Year of the Snake

Burj Al Arab ushers in the Year of the Snake

Chinese New Year celebrations will continue for seven days
in the world’s most luxurious hotel

DUBAI, 20 January 2013 - Burj Al Arab is expecting a peak in Chinese visitors for Chinese New Year, starting from 10 February 2013.

In the last three years, the ease of securing UAE visas has helped attract a record number of Chinese tourists and businesspeople to the UAE and many have made Burj Al Arab their prime destination. Contributing to this success, the hotel’s authentic Far East Asian dining destination, Junsui, is drawing on the expertise of Chef Foong to create a week-long, celebratory experience for the Year of the Snake.

“Chinese visitors are among the top three fastest-growing guest segments for Burj Al Arab. Our experience in meeting the needs of these guests, as well as the insight of our Chinese colleagues, has enabled the hotel to create memorable offerings and celebratory moments for occasions such as Chinese New Year,” said Heinrich Morio, General Manager for Burj Al Arab. ”For Chinese travellers coming to Dubai, Burj Al Arab has become a must-visit destination and the place to celebrate the most significant occasions.”

To launch its Chinese New Year celebrations, Burj Al Arab will project a massive red calligraphic serpent artwork on the sail-shaped exterior to welcome the Year of the Snake.

On the evening of 10 February, the hotel will host Chinese dignitaries and their families to witness the traditional lighting of the lion’s eyes to initiate a series of traditional lion dances. To the accompaniment of the Chinese zither music, Chinese delicacies hand-selected by Chef Foong will be served from live cooking stations, while children’s Chinese craft activities will entertain the youngest guests. The celebrations will continue for one week in Junsui, with traditional dishes including Fa Gao (Chinese-style cupcakes) and Nian Gao (new year cake) served alongside Dim Sum and Peking Duck.


• Photograph: Burj Al Arab’s sail illuminated in celebration of the Year of the Snake.


About Burj Al Arab
Burj Al Arab is managed by Jumeirah Group, the global luxury hospitality company and a member of Dubai Holding.
Burj Al Arab is designed to resemble a billowing sail and stands at a height of 321 meters. It is one of the most photographed structures in the world and has been consistently voted the world's most luxurious hotel, with features including in suite check-in and check-out, reception desks on every floor, round-the-clock private butlers and use of the hotel’s Rolls-Royce fleet and private beach. The hotel’s 202 luxury suites range from 170 to 780 square meters with a rain shower and a Jacuzzi in each suite, as well as six restaurants and conference and banqueting venues.

Completion rate in Rashid Hospital Tunnels Project hits 80%: RTA

Completion rate in Rashid Hospital Tunnels Project hits 80%: RTA

The project is set for opening next June

Roads & Transport Authority – Mohammed Al Munji:
The Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) announced that 80% of construction works have been completed in Rashid Hospital Tunnels Project and the project, which costs about 722 million dirham, is expected to be fully completed and opened for traffic by 30 June 2013.

Commenting on the project, H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, said: “The construction of Rashid Hospital Tunnels Project is part of a master plan aimed to ease the traffic congestion in the vicinity of Rashid Hospital and step up the traffic flow in the area. Upon the project completion, the capacity of roads within the scope of the project is set to rise to as much as 6000 vehicles per hour.

“The project contractor has completed all infrastructure works related to DEWA, sewage services and Etisalat as well as the construction works in vehicular & pedestrian tunnels, and the electromechanical works in the tunnels,” added Al Tayer.
“The Project comprises the construction of roads and two tunnels, each comprising two lanes, serving the traffic inbound from Tariq bin Ziyad & Umm Harir Streets and heading towards the intersection of Al Al Riyadh Street with the extension of the Floating Bridge. The first tunnel passes from Tariq bin Ziyad Street underneath Al Maktoum Bridge, and the other one; inbound from Umm Harir Street, passes across Oud Metha Park, and the two tunnels merge to form a 4-lane street heading towards Al Riyadh Street via Rashid Hospital. The Project also encompasses converting the junction of Riyadh Street with the Floating Bridge Extension into a 4-lane passageway, widening Tariq bin Ziyad Street, improving Oud Metha & Umm Harir Streets, and constructing a road to handle the traffic inbound from the Floating Bridge and heading towards Tariq bin Ziyad Street," elaborated Al Tayer.

It is note-worthy that the RTA has undertaken several projects in Bur Dubai to eliminate tailbacks and enhance roads capacity to keep pace with the urbanization and traffic growth rates. In this regard the RTA constructed the Floating Bridge, just half a kilometer off Al Maktoum Bridge, which comprises six lanes stretching from the surface intersection near City Center and Dubai Golf Club in Deira and terminates at the intersection to be constructed on Al Riyadh Street. The Project included modifications to improve the efficiency of junctions near Al Riyadh Street where the R/As in the direction of the Creek Park have been converted into signalized junctions. The project also provided an additional lane between Khalid bin Al Waleed Street and Oud Metha on the one hand, and Al Ittihad Street and Deira on the other.

The RTA has also widened Al Maktoum Bridge from 9 to 11 lanes, and the streets in the approaches of the Bridge from two to three lanes to handle the traffic inbound from Umm Harir Street; a step which has increased the vehicular capacity and eased the traffic congestion in the traffic in bound from Sheikh Zayed Road in the direction of Deira. It also improved the capacity of Khalid bin Al Waleed Street and eased the pressure on this vital corridor and ensured seamless traffic flow in the direction of Deira. Improvements and widening of the Bridge works also included increasing the number of lanes in the direction from Deira to Bur Dubai from four to six lanes along the Bridge.

Al Tayer stated that the RTA was following up improvement works in several main roads in Dubai city as part of a series of vital projects being constructed to improve roads and provide advanced services at residential districts to conform to RTA's strategy and the ongoing endeavours to keep pace with the urbanization drive and serve the requirements of growth as well as the demographic expansion in the Emirate.

Captions:

 Work in Rashid Hospital Tunnels Project is progressing according to the approved schedule

Pentominium photos, Dubai Marina ,December 2012

Marina 101 Tower photos, Dubai Marina , December 2012

RTA Traffic Management Team gears up for New Year’s eve

RTA Traffic Management Team gears up for New Year’s eve

Community members urged to use public transit means

Roads & Transport Authority – Abdul Fattah Haidrah & Nashwan Atta’ee:
The Team responsible for Traffic Management and Handling of Operational Plans During Official & Annual Events at the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has put the final touches on a comprehensive plan for managing vehicular traffic on the eve of the New Year; which is poised to witness huge traffic movement, particularly in the vicinity of Burj Khalifa.

Engineer Maitha bin Udai, CEO of RTA Traffic & Roads Agency cum Head of Traffic Management & Handling of Operational Plans During Official & Annual Events Team at the RTA, revealed that the Team has prepared all procedures required to ease the traffic movement in the neighborhood of Burj Khalifa during the New Year celebrations. “The traffic plan in place entails the provision of additional parking spaces, installation of directional signage, 24-hour operation of the metro, deployment of additional & feeder bus service, provision of bus-dedicated lanes, and addressing the needs of taxicabs,” she said.

“We have got in place a fully-fledged and approved plan for managing the traffic on the eve of the New Year, and the team attending to this plan has benefited from the experience of last year. Meanwhile, the RTA is currently in the final stages of constructing internal roads network at the Business Bay Crossing which will offer the public several options to access Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road and accordingly avoid the anticipated congestion at the Financial Center Road. The team will also cater to providing greater exit corridors for vehicles once events are concluded.

“The team has managed to provide 10,000 additional parking slots near the events venue including 2,000 parking spaces at the Trade Center, and 8,000 parking spaces at Meydan, while deploying shuttle bus service to lift the public to the events venue. 15 members of the Team will be deployed in the surroundings of Burj Khalifa to monitor the implementation of the Plan and carry out necessary modifications in cooperation with the Dubai Police and Emaar Company. The metro will be operating round-the- clock and the number of passengers is expected to hit 132 thousand.
“The traffic signals control rooms will monitor the traffic movement in the area and the Team will direct the traffic as dictated by the density of vehicular traffic at the intersections and streets in the vicinity of Burj Khalifa. The Virtual Messaging Signs will also help direct road users to suitable alternative roads,” added engineer Maitha.

She called on the public to use the metro and public buses rather than private vehicles, particularly during events held in Dubai such as the Eve of the New Year’s festivities. “The plan set by the Team accounts for higher ridership of public transit means and has done what it takes to accommodate additional numbers of potential commuters,” said Maitha in a concluding remark.

For his part, Ahmed Mohammed Al Hammadi, Director of Buses, Public Transport Agency and Head of the Team Responsible for Dealing with Public Transport Systems, Metro and Taxis during Official and Annual Events, said that fare gates of four metro stations will be open for the public without requiring the user to swipe the Nol card on the ticket validation machine provided that the Nol card will be swiped and fares will be deducted on exiting the final station for each user in order to ease off entering the stations near the celebration venue. “So, the Nol card will have to be swiped on fare gates at the time of exiting the stations, which are located within the same faring zone, depending on entering them. Consequently, the fares deduction will be identical to the faring schedule. These stations are: Business Bay, Burj Khalifa Dubai Mall, Financial Center and Emirates Towers,” he explained.
“Three different types of public bus service will be run namely; the metro feeder service, night service and the Park and Ride service to shuttle passengers from the parking areas. Metro feeder buses operate on the following routes: From Burj Khalifa Dubai Mall metro station to Dubai Mall, and the service will run at 3 minutes headway during peak times using standard buses. From the Business Bay metro station to Burj Khalifa Dubai Mall metro stations where passengers can use the Metro Sky Link to access the Dubai Mall at 5 minutes headway during peak time using standard buses as well. From the World Trade Center metro station to Burj Khalifa Dubai Metro Station at 5-minutes headway during peak time also using standard buses.

“The Park and Ride service for shuttling visitors from car parks will run on the following routes: from the parking lot of Meydan to bus parking area at the back of the Dubai Mall at 20 minutes headway during peak time using standard buses, from the World Trade Center parking lot to bus parking area at the back of the Dubai Mall at 10 minutes headway during peak time using standard buses, and from the parking space of Zaabeel Park to the bus parking area at the back of the Dubai Mall at 10 minutes headway during peak time using standard buses,” elaborated Al Hammadi.

About the night bus service, Al Hammadi said: “This service covers the following routes: From the parking space at the back of the Dubai Mall to Ibn Battuta metro station at 10 minutes headway during peak time using standard buses, from the parking space at the back of the Dubai Mall to Rashidiya metro station at 10 minutes headway during peak time using standard buses, and from the parking space at the back of the Dubai Mall to Burjuman metro station / Ghubaiba metro station at 10 minutes headway during peak time using standard buses.

Pier 8 construction photos, Dubai Marina , 14/December/2012

Atlantis, The Palm is the World's Leading Landmark Resort

Atlantis, The Palm is the World's Leading Landmark Resort

Dubai, UAE, 23 December 2012: Atlantis, The Palm is thrilled to have been crowned the ‘World's Leading Landmark Resort’ at the World Travel Awards (WTA) held recently in New Delhi, India.

“We are happy to represent Dubai at these prestigious international awards,” commented Serge Zaalof, President & Managing Director at Atlantis, The Palm. “We feel immense pride at that this iconic resort has been recognized as the ‘World’s Leading Landmark Resort.’”

World Travel Awards exists to recognize, acknowledge and celebrate excellence in travel tourism and hospitality and the categories were voted by travel professionals across the globe. Established 19 years ago, World Travel Awards is committed to raising the standards of customer service and overall business performance throughout the international tourism industry.

The most important decision-makers in the industry attended the VIP ceremony, which was officially supported by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, and hosted at The Oberoi, Gurgaon, New Delhi Capital Region, the new business and commercial district of Delhi NCR.

Empower lauds UAE’s launch of new mega-projects in last quarter of 2012

Ahmed Bin Shafar: “Khalifa Port and Sheikh Mohd SME Fund are just two examples of the country’s vision

Dubai, UAE, 22 December 2012: Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), the largest district cooling provider in the Middle East, has lauded the UAE’s milestone achievements in the fourth quarter of 2012, exemplified by investments in major projects, including the Khalifa Port in Abu Dhabi.

This strategic move is expected to give a major boost to trade and economic sectors in a short period of time across the country according to the company’s CEO.

Ahmed Bin Shafar, CEO, Empower added: “The UAE unveiled a series of mega projects projects in the fourth quarter, especially the Khalifa Port project which consolidates the country’s position in marine trade, logistic services and container transport.”

Bin Shafar added: “Khalifa Port marks the start of another phase in the country's development by diversifying the economy towards value-added services.”

Khalifa Port is equipped with an automated container station supported by a ready electronic system designed to meet the needs of freight and shipping sectors in the UAE.

Another project, Mohammad Bin Rashid SME Fund for supporting SMEs in Dubai, was launched to support around 100 projects for youths annually. The fund aims to provide support to small and medium projects and create a new generation of entrepreneurs to boost the UAE economy.

“SMEs are considered the pillar of any country’s economy as they create new job opportunities and raise competitiveness and boost the dynamism of the economy. In this regard, the UAE is giving close attention to supporting SME sectors,” Bin Shafar said.

“SMEs offers ideal investments opportunities and they are main service providers that large enterprises from government and private sectors outsource from,” he added.

The significance of Mohammad Bin Rashid SME Fund is that it tackles a major hurdle faced by SMEs, which is the lack of funding.

Bin Shafar added: “We invite SMEs to invest in the District Cooling and allied sectors, in order to boost this dynamic sector in the Middle East.”