DUBAI // At Mina Seyahi hotel, the fully air-conditioned Mega Dome stadium erected at Barasti beach is set to welcome almost 1,200 fans for tonight's opening ceremony and similar numbers are expected throughout the World Cup.
"We've had an overwhelming response to the Dome, we're expecting a full house on most days, although of course some matches are more in demand than others. The VIP and corporate packages for the two semi-finals and the final are sold out already," said Derryn French, the hotel's director of marketing and communications.
The Mega Dome is a semi-circular half sphere more than five storeys high with 12-metre screen.
"Individual entry is free and it is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Dome is open from midday until 2.30am and we suggest fans arrive well before kick-off to guarantee entrance. We have no strict dress code so you can come in shorts and T-shirt, and if the Dome is full you can still watch the games in Barasti in the outdoor areas, the upstairs deck and beachside," she added.
The Palladium at Dubai Media City is gearing up for one of the more high-tech World Cup experiences in the Emirates, with almost 1,500 fans expected to watch on the venue's 16mx9m HD screen.
Chris Abou Samah, of Broken Stone Productions, the organisers of The Palladium's Football Frenzy promotion, said: "We have a number of promotions lined up for the opening and for the rest of the tournament. VIP table bookings are available and you'll get a three-course themed menu relating to the countries playing on that particular day."
Football Frenzy offers beanbag seating, fan zones, and performances by local DJs, with entry costing Dh60. "We will also have a virtual goal competition, and for selected matches there will be performances by Dubai Drums and cheerleaders at half-time and full-time," Abou Samah added.
"The Stadium at The Walk" at Jumeirah Beach Residence, will be showing all the matches on a 7mx4m HD screen as well as 34in plasma screens. The venue will hold a capacity crowd of 350.
A number of shisha cafes and restaurants in Jumeirah 1 have decked out their premises with the colours of the participating countries.
Fadel Saghir, the marketing manager of Castello Restaurant and Coffee Shop, located behind Jumeirah Plaza, said: "We've decorated our restaurant with flags, scarves and posters of players and we're offering meal promotions and raffle prizes to help create a great atmosphere for the customers."
Commuters travelling on Sheikh Zayed Road will be able to keep track of the latest results thanks to two large LED screens that hang from The Galleries, part of Downtown Jebel Ali, near Jafza.
@Email:akhaled@thenational.ae
Gender equality in the workplace still 200 years away
It will take centuries to achieve gender parity in workplaces around the globe, according to a December report from the World Economic Forum.
The WEF study said there had been some improvements in wage equality in 2018 compared to 2017, when the global gender gap widened for the first time in a decade.
But it warned that these were offset by declining representation of women in politics, coupled with greater inequality in their access to health and education.
At current rates, the global gender gap across a range of areas will not close for another 108 years, while it is expected to take 202 years to close the workplace gap, WEF found.
The Geneva-based organisation's annual report tracked disparities between the sexes in 149 countries across four areas: education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment.
After years of advances in education, health and political representation, women registered setbacks in all three areas this year, WEF said.
Only in the area of economic opportunity did the gender gap narrow somewhat, although there is not much to celebrate, with the global wage gap narrowing to nearly 51 per cent.
And the number of women in leadership roles has risen to 34 per cent globally, WEF said.
At the same time, the report showed there are now proportionately fewer women than men participating in the workforce, suggesting that automation is having a disproportionate impact on jobs traditionally performed by women.
And women are significantly under-represented in growing areas of employment that require science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, WEF said.
* Agence France Presse
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
