Dubai

Cuddled up in between the relaxed waters of the Southern gulf and the encompassing golden desert, Dubai is all set with superb climate, luxurious hotels, sky kissing towers, endless shopping, excellent entertainment and fast growing commercial opportunities. Be it foreign language hurdles, cultural divergence, communication troubles or airline pesters, a business trip to Dubai encounters nothing of the stressful happening for you.  Also, if you stay in one of the luxurious hotels like Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Emirates Tower, Fairmont Dubai, Al Bustan Rotana Hotel or Raffles Dubai then communication with your office colleagues and family members is not at all a problem as all of the above hotels offer photocopier, facsimile, direct dial phones and Wi-Fi connectivity along with a business center that has fully furnished meeting and conference rooms wherein you can continue with your serious business meetings. Also, laptops or computer rentals along with mobile rentals are provided in most of the top business hotels of Dubai. You can also take the advantage of the limousine or town car rentals offered by most of the hotels.

There are a lot of free zones on hand with plenty of business opportunities. In general all the procedures get completed within 24 hours and foreigners have got full ownership, but not all kinds of companies or shops can be launched here. To settle down your business outside freezone is also not a difficult thing unless you find a local national agent who can be your partner.

A cafe at Dubai

The city offers a lot of tempting lunch and dinner options that are escorted with a comfortable setting inside a formal cozy atmosphere. For a relaxed lunch with a business organization, Basta Art Cafe located on the Bastakiya Street is a worth try. The Cafe offers delicious soups, salads and sandwiches accompanied with a variety of drinks. Also, a true business lunch can be relished at any of the restaurants placed inside the Knowledge Village. And, the Junsui nested inside the Burj Al Arab is one of the best options to enjoy a formal business evening. Some meetings can be planned up in a restaurant that does not serve alcohol, in such cases visitors are requested not to ask for one.

Don’t puck up your brow if your meeting starts up a bit late! Business meetings are quite casual and are generally continued in cafes or restaurants. They tend to start up with chatting that moves on to further serious discussions. Also, the clothing is very much normal as compared with the other cities, states or nations. Men are supposed to wear frivolous and lightweight pants in spring and tie and button-down shirts during the summer. Lounge suits are more preferred than a jacket for an evening business dinner. And the women have an option of cotton fabrics or formals along with shawls or jackets for indoors. For the women, it is recommended, not to wear too short or revealing clothes outdoors. The Arabic handshake engrosses touching the heart with the right palm after every shake and visitors are requested not to offer their hand, in the form of greeting, to any Arab women unless she, herself, extends hers first. Be obliged to use the requisites of Mr. or Mrs., followed by the first names, whenever you are greeting someone. The visitors are requested not to sit in a position that their feet are pointing out directly at someone else.  Offensive talk ought to be kept for private discussions carried off later.

8:00 am to 5:00 pm in between Sundays to Thursdays are considered to be the business hours in Dubai. Meetings are usually not planned up on Fridays as Friday is marked as a day of prayer and rest. Also, phone calls to Arab people should be dodged up on a Friday. Arabs will not respond to the phone calls made during the siestas, generally taken in between 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. A few of the government departments are open every Saturday morning.

Shopping in Dubai

Shopping during your business trip would be a a good idea if you can spare some time for bargaining.   If you are using a credit card for buying things then American Express would be a better option rather than MasterCard or Visa.

Temperature of the city tends to go till 110°F in between June, July and August so plan your trip in between November and December or else in April and May to enjoy stress free living along with a beautiful weather.

Dubai Skyline at Night

1. Official language of Dubai is Arabic and English.
2. Dialling code is +971
3. Local and International Codes:
   Abu Dhabi + 9712 02
   Ajman + 9716 06
   Al Ain + 9713 03
   Dubai +9714 04
   Fujairah + 9719 09
   Khor Fakkan + 9719 09
   Raï al-Khaimah + 9717 07
   Sharjah + 9716 06
   Umm al-Qaiwain + 9716 06
4. Internet code is .ae
5. Currency is AED i.e. Emirati Dirham
6. UAE is 4 hours ahead of GMT
7. Telephone network in Dubai is operated by ETISALAT where Telephone calls within Dubai are free and direct dialing is available to over 150 countries.
8. Happy Hours for international calls is between 9 pm to 7 am
9. Card and coin operated pay phones are available throughout Dubai and cards are available at ETISALAT offices, supermarkets, pharmacies etc. for about Dh.30 to Dh. 45)
10. Fax can be set via ETISALAT offices 24 hours a day
11. ETISALAT head office is located on Baniyas Street, Deira, Opening Hours: Saturday to Wednesday 7 a.m.- 3 p.m
12. Mobile code within Dubai is +50
13. You can post letter in red post boxes and mail is collected regularly in morning and evening. Post can be mailed from the hotel also.
14. Post Office opening hours: Saturday to Wednesday 8 a.m.- 1 p.m and 4 p.m.- 7 p.m, On Public Holidays: 8 a.m. – 12 noon, Closed on Thursday, Friday and first day of Eid.
15. All government offices are closed on Thursday and Friday
16. Shops and supermarkets remain open seven days a week
17. Bank hours: Saturday to Wednesday is from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm, and 8:00 am to 12:00 pm on Thursday.
18. Currency Exchange houses are open from 8.30am–1.00pm and 4.30–8.30pm.
19. Mode of transportation: Taxis and cars. Please Visit Road Transports Authority for more details
20. You can obtain a temporary driving license as long as you have a valid driving license from the following countries: Germany, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Italy, Netherlands, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, UK, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
21. Dubai follows right hand side driving
22. You can travel between Dubai and Deira using water taxis or fully air conditioned water buses
23. Minimum fare for taxis: Dh.5 to Dh.10
24. For medicines prohibited in Dubai, Please visit site: Ministry of Health Controlled Medicines
25. Summer clothing is the norm for most parts of the year, but winter clothes may be needed during the winter months, especially in the evenings.
26. Use photo chromatic lenses for those with spectacles
27. As temperature is high, head gear like scarves, hats and sunscreens are a must to avoid sunstroke
28. Due to a relaxed dress code in Dubai, bikinis, short dresses, trunks and swim suits are allowed on beaches.
29. Don’t photograph women without permission and be polite enough to take permission before photographing Arabic men. Don’t drink alcohol in public.
30. Clicking images of government buildings and military institutions is not allowed.
31. Tap water is safe to drink but tourists generally prefer bottled mineral water.
32. Public hospitals offer good treatment free of charge, but treatment at private hospitals can be quite expensive, so it’s necessary that you take out an insurance to cover your medical expenses.
33. US made electrical appliances may need a transformer to work in Dubai.
34. Alcohol is available in hotels but restaurants are not permitted to serve alcoholic beverages.
35. Tipping is not expected in hotels but you can do as an act of gratitude towards the hotel staff. Hotels and restaurant add service charges to their bills. Abu Dhabi 16 %; Sharjah %; Dubai 10 %. If not added , expect to add 10% to your bills. Taxi drivers do not expect to be tipped.

Tourists at The Dubai Mall

Dubai is predominantly a Muslim society but yet doesn’t impose any stringent rules or regulations on its visitors with reference to personal lifestyle. Amongst all the Emirates in UAE, the laws in Dubai are the most flexible allowing complete freedom to a tourist / business expat in its city.

But as a guest in a foreign country, it becomes our duty that we govern our social behavior or act according to the customs prevailing in the said country. Compared to other Arabic/Muslim countries, women have the freedom to wear, say and roam according to their wishes. But certain limitations are to be self-imposed in the dressing style. At one point of time exposing skin was banned in public places like shopping malls or beaches. But with booming tourism, rules have been relaxed and women tourists can now enjoy wearing “western” clothing as long as it’s not offensive. Bathing suits are okay at hotel pools and private beaches, but if possible refrain to one piece suits.
Men are also expected to dress demurely with no bold overtones. Don’t go over the top with eccentrically designed crazy or tacky clothes. You wouldn’t be really welcome in Dubai.
Ramadan, the holy month of fasting for Muslims holds utmost importance in Dubai. The festival which takes place during the ninth month of Islamic calendar, generally occurs during September – October according to Roman calendar. Dates aren’t fixed as it is dependent upon the sighting of the new moon. Guests and tourists as a sign of regard are also expected to abstain from alcohol, dancing, chewing gum, smoking and singing in public places during the day. This is obligatory according to Dubai Law.  Accordingly you won’t find any food or drink shops open in the day. But the life in evenings brightens up with the city, restaurants and pubbing places working overnight.

General Etiquettes in Dubai:

1. Make sure that your Arab friend consumes alcoholic drinks before offering.
2. When in the sitting position, keep your legs firmly placed on the ground and not crossed.
3. Always eat/drink with your right hand as the left hand is considered to be unhygienic by the Arabic world.
4. Do not show the soles of your feet or shoes as this implies as a mark of disrespect to the other person. It could mean that you are comparing him to the soles which correspondent to ‘dirt’ or ‘trash’.
5. If a Moslem is praying, do not walk in front of him or stare at him.
6. If you have not accepted Islam as your religion, then take out prior permission before entering a Mosque.
7. Do not point fingers at the other person as this is considered impolite or disrespectful.
8. No public display of affection.
9. Avoid aggressive behavior withstanding any condition you are faced with.
10. Ask permission before taking photographs of local people