travel news review

17 May '99
Time is not a Moslem, as authorities in Sharjah recently discovered to their displeasure. A ban on alcohol in the UAE sheikdom is strictly enforced by municipal inspectors, who discovered two brands of non-alcoholic malt beer have slowly been fermenting, turning into an intoxicant as they gather dust on the shelves of grocery stores. As a result, grocers have six months to offload the amber threat to Islamic values and traditions, after which they, too, will be banned. Those desperate for an ale can still make a quick dash to neighbouring Dubai, or take their chances in a brown paper bag at an illegal bootlegger in a poorer emirate nearby.

10 May '99
Greenies who believe environmental laws lack venom may take strength from the United Arab Emirates government, which is considering the introduction of the death penalty for environmental vandals. The measure is being considered to combat the serious damage caused by the practice of sluicing or draining oil tanks of dirty oil into the Gulf's Strait of Hormuz before the ships are brought into port. Usually done at night, the oil washes up on beaches by the following morning. Rather than capital punishment, neighbouring Oman plans to introduce night surveillance equipment to monitor oil sluicing in the Strait

8 February '99
Australia will re-open its embassy in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, where it has not had an embassy for the last 13 years. The re-opening of the embassy, scheduled for May, has been motivated by Australia's desire to increase exports to the Middle East. Previously travellers used the services of the Australian Embassy in neighbouring Saudi Arabia.

28 December '98
Opening next March in Dubai, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding aims to help expatriates and travellers in the United Arab Emirates develop an understanding of Arab culture. The Centre will conduct Arabic language courses, provide guided tours to Arab homes and places of worship, and will have a library of books and other items on the United Arab Emirates. The Centre will be located next to Al Nasr Leisureland in the centre of Dubai.

23 December '98
Travellers are advised to defer all travel to all Middle East and Gulf countries following military strikes against Iraq. Travellers in Egypt are advised to register at their embassy and to follow local advice. Up to date advice is available on consular web sites.

4 November '98
British Airways and the UAE airline Emirates have entered into a code-sharing arrangement on selected flights between the UAE and the UK. The code sharing covers Emirates flights from Dubai to Manchester and British Airways flights from London to Abu Dhabi. The new code-sharing arrangement will hopefully increase flight options between the two countries.

28 October '98
Arab holiday-makers who usually set off for Europe are finding that Salala, Oman, offers a cheaper and closer alternative. While Westerners tend to gravitate to where the sun shines, residents of the Persian Gulf seek to escape from the summer heat and welcome the cooler, rainy weather of Salala, which catches the seasonal monsoon. Salala has green fields, mountains, waterfalls and its own international airport. Nearby Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is seeking to capture the Gulf tourist market as well, making up for the lack of rain with a Canadian igloo-making team and artificial rain-machines, which shower water on beach-goers. As falling oil prices have bitten into local incomes, many Gulf tourists find it cheaper to stay home than to visit Europe.

28 September '98
Emirates Airline will commence direct flights early next year between Dubai and Islamabad, Peshawar, and Lahore. From 1 January 1999 Emirates will operate four direct flights per week to Islamabad, three direct flights to Lahore and two to Peshawar.

31 August '98
The Australian government will open a new embassy in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The embassy will provide consular services to more than 2,000 Australian residents in the UAE as well as travellers to the region.

20 May '98
Planet Hollywood opened on 15 May in Dubai, capital of the UAE. The movie memorabilia restaurant chain is owned by actors Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore.

29 April '98
Travellers from Bangkok, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur Singapore and Australia flying to Dubai on Emirates Airlines can now apply for their UAE visa through the airline. Visas will be available from the airline within 24 hours and cost US$35. The service is expected to speed up immigration queues at Dubai International Airport.

11 March '98
A new national park has opened in northern emirate of Sharjah. The Khor Kalba National Park is the first of five new parks scheduled to open this year in the UAE. The park, on the east coast of the UAE, is home to the world’s last remaining colony of the white-collared kingfisher.

25 February '98
The Gulf’s first ecotourism resort is in its first stage of development in Dubai. The Al Maha Resort is an initiative of Emirates, the international airline of the United Arab Emirates. It will be a specialised ecotourism resort, with a team of guides and safari drivers selected for their expertise in desert terrain, culture and history, taking excursions to the desert to view the wildlife in natural settings.

28 January '98
The British Council in Dubai will be offering Internet facilities for members, commencing after the Eid holiday. Access to the internet will be part of the library membership offered by the Council library. A new British Council will open in Sharjah later this year, serving the Northern Emirates such as Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah. Initially the centre will be located in the city but later it will probably shift to the Sharjah Educational Zone.