Dubai

Dubai Airport have opened a new, ultra-upmarket wine store at Terminal 3 in the Emirates First Class Lounge and on the shopping concourse. Le Clos in Dubai is run by Maritime and Mercantile International (MMI), a subsidiary of The Emirates Group. It will be selling a selection of some of the rarest and most sought […]

Versace opened two new stores in Dubai this month – one a full boutique and the other a jewellery offering. The boutique is at Dubai Mall, covers 600m2 & reflects the typical Versace DNA of glamour & Italian craftsmanship. The architectural details echo the new stylistic and visual concepts for Versace flagship boutiques.  The focus […]

There are many uses for people tracking in retail areas, from simple people counting to determining customer flow, dwell time etc. This weekend at a rock festival in Brussels, bluetooth technology is being used to observe the movement of tens of thousands of festival goers. They have set up 36 bluetooth scanners across the site […]

Going on Sale is generally not an option with Travel Retail. Specials sure but not having a sale. Landlords will rarely let you do it because it downgrades the entire look of the airport or precinct. That however doesn’t mean the principle of Sales can’t be applied or don’t apply. See previous post on the […]

Despite the economic downturn, Cartier has opened its largest boutique in the Middle East. Its the brand’s third store in Dubai but by far its largest. The store had its soft opening three months ago but the official opening (complete with actresses and Bollywood stars) wasn’t till this week. Cartier very much see this store […]

Everyone knows Dubai has been having real problems with falling real estate prices, but now it appears to have reached crisis point. Much of Dubai’s exponential growth has been funded by international borrowing and a large chunk of that is due this year. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that the Dubai government is […]

Whilst the new rail line is a world first too, its actually not as interesting (to me anyway) as Dubai metro selling naming rights to the stations on their new line.  In total they’ve offered the naming rights to 23 stations under 10 year contracts at around $US35 million per station. The programme is targetted […]

With the desire to demonstrate one’s status growing stronger and wealth levels increasing, its becoming increasingly hard to “brand” oneself as “wealthy” I guess.  If platinum cards are becoming passe then what does one do?  Well Mastercard have come up with an option – a new diamond studded card.  Its inlaid with a 0.02c diamond […]

Dubai’s much awaited Terminal 3 opened on October 14 setting another record in terms of size and build cost ($4.5 billion US). Departures level alone is 515,000 m2.

Following the lead of other celebrity chefs, Jamie Oliver plans to open two new restaurants in a luxury residential development in Dubai. The pair of restaurants in the Jumeirah Golf Estates’ Water neighborhood are not expected to open until 2011. Jamie Oliver plans to include cooking classes and other educational opportunities in his offerings for […]

Dubai ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is thought to be among bidders for Australia’s Cairns and Mackay airports and an interest in Brisbane airport, which are to be sold off to pay for three new hospitals, say reports. Queensland premier Anna Bligh said that the airports will be privatised and will generate more […]

Dubai Duty Free announced a 24% increase in sales for 2007, reaching just over AU1billion.Whilst this seems good, it has to be viewed within the context of around an 18% increase in passenger numbers and an estimated 8% inflation effect for the year. Core duty free categories (fragrances, liquor, gold, electronics, tobacco products) accounted for […]

Dubai looks set to start 2008 with a bang, and quite probably another world record, this time for the largest firework display in the history of the world. New York firework organisers ‘Grucci’ will be attempting to make it into the 2008 Guinness Book of World Records as the largest and most artistically detailed fireworks […]

We not only have Crescent Hydropolis Resorts building whole resorts underwater (the first one due to open in Dubai and the second in Quingdoa China) but it seems that things underwater are becoming the latest buzz in the luxury resort’s effort to distinguish itself. The Jules Undersea Lodge in Key Largo is a former marine […]

The Hydropolis is due to open this month in Dubai. Its will include 220 suites submerged 20m under water, in the middle of the desert. To enter, visitors will begin at the land station, a 120m woven, semicircular cylinder arching over a multi-storey building. Once at the lowest level, passengers board a noiseless train propelled […]

Giorgio Armani S.p.A. is awarding a long term license to EMAAR Hotel & Resorts for the operation of a collection of luxury hotels and resorts. The agreement foresees the opening of at least seven luxury hotels and three vacation resorts within the next ten years. Following the signing of a Letter of Intent in 2004, […]

In September 2008, the world’s first Buddha-Bar Hotel will open in Prague. The aim is to extend the Buddha-Bar Hotels & Resorts in 5star vacation destinations. The atmosphere is planned to be similar to the Buddha-Bar restaurants with a fusion of local and eastern decor. The first hotel at least is small, 36 rooms and […]

Hilton Hotels Corporation anticipates doubling its portfolio in Middle East & Africa over the next five years in line with the company’s strategic focus on development and growth. Currently with 43 properties and 15 new openings scheduled over the next three years in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, Africa and Indian Ocean, […]