http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/the-wondrous-city-of-beirut.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/the-wondrous-city-of-beirut.html Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:33:45 -0500
What we stated above is merely a symbolic appreciation of Beirut. A blend of past and present and a fusion of the Middle Eastern and modern lifestyles are two most striking aspects about it. But, there is more to add in a long list of Beirut's attractions, if one examined the city closely. Take for example, its pristine seashores, the Mediterranean climate and an inviting tourism infrastructure, which includes Beirut hotels and hotels in Lebanon, and you may start planning your next vacation there.

Beirut, with its over two million population, is located midway on a peninsula at Lebanon's coastline with the Mediterranean sea. The city was originally named Berut or "The Wells" by the Phoenicians, who ruled the area from 1200 BC to 1000 BC. Excavations in the downtown Beirut have unearthed footprints from the Hellenistic, Roman, Arab and Ottoman periods, apart from the Phoenician one. Much of the modern infrastructure, which includes Beirut hotels and hotels in Lebanon, is scattered over this invaluable heritage and part of the city's tourism itinerary.

Beirut's modern history can be described in as many shades as its archived one. The city was placed under a French mandate along with the rest of Lebanon, following the collapse of Ottoman Empire at the end of World war I. Lebanon gained its final independence in 1943, and Beirut was declared its capital city. The city remained throughout this period, a major trade and commerce, tourism and knowledge hub of the whole Middle East. Notwithstanding its brief civil war at the end of the 20th century, the city has always been regarded a symbol of sustenance, beauty and growth, more so since its return to peace in 1990. A remarkable addition to Beirut's skyline came up post the year 1990, as newer residential and commercial blocks were dug in alongside its old array of Beirut hotels and hotels in Lebanon, apart from other amenities.

The following highlights should add more excitement to your stay in Beirut. For example, Beirut is home to several popular television channels, such as Future TV, New TV and LBC, apart from a number of sports and cultural activities. The city was a host to Asian Club Basketball Championship and the Asian Football Cup in the recent years. The city has also been a host to Miss Europe pageant eight times since 1960. Apart from providing recreation and hospitality through its sea beaches, Beirut hotels and the hotels in Lebanon, the Lebanese capital also lends you an easy access to other towns of Lebanon and elsewhere. This includes favorable sea, road and air connectivity.

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Pankaj Mohan is an India based author who often writes on behalf of BeirutShortStay.com. Visit this site to book your stay in Beirut hotels and hotels in Lebanon.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/dubai-and-abu-dhabis-common-meltdown-woes.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/dubai-and-abu-dhabis-common-meltdown-woes.html Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:32:55 -0600
These two cities have galvanized the ethnic Arabs and the expatriates alike into unitedly working for a common dream, thus paving a way for immense economic and urban development in the region, in the past two decades. Nothing could be predicted how much the present economic meltdown might affect the Gulf in years ahead, but the signs are ominous with a slowing down of the reality and tourism sectors. Abu Dhabi hotels and hotels in Dubai have recorded low occupancy in the recent months in contrast to their earlier bullish collections.

It is reported now that up to three fourth of Dubai's key developments might either be delayed or shelved due to the ongoing meltdown of the world commerce. Dubai's freehold properties have taken the brunt of this causality, and many of those who earlier bought luxurious villas and apartments to make quick returns are now counting their losses and the time it might take them to break-even. Large scale job cuts have added to this spiraling woe and a frenzied disinvestment by the small yet noticeable number of expatriates leaving the city is adding to further confusion. With reality going down, the hospitality sector is not unaffected either, which includes Abu Dhabi hotels and hotels in Dubai.

Dubai may feel the heat more as compared to Abu Dhabi, if the recession deepened any further worldwide. Two factors might work in Abu Dhabi's favor here: First, its moderate opening to construction mania as compared to Dubai, and second, its larger oil-reserves, which it can turn back to anytime during hardships. What experts foresee as a result, is the possibility of Abu Dhabi becoming Dubai's savior, if the meltdown worsened further. The latter might have to take the brunt of the slowdown due to its massive expansion in the real estate - which includes villas, apartments and hotels in Dubai - and duty-free commodities, both having been hit worldwide now. Abu Dhabi's real estate, which consists of an equally impressive array of apartment blocks, villas and Abu Dhabi hotels, is not as much overheated as it might be in its sibling's case.

As the recession takes its toll further, a section of the expatriates may have to return back to their native countries, but others will stay on and face the crisis together with the ethnic Arabs, one hopes. Interestingly, many used to stay in Dubai hotels and other freehold properties and travel daily to Abu Dhabi for their vocations. While the overall mood for staying in the UAE may have been hit adversely due to recession, the cash counters for Abu Dhabi hotels have not yet dried up as abundantly as in the case of hotels in Dubai. Abu Dhabi hotels continue to enjoy a favorable business from many travelers even today.

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Pankaj Mohan is an Ahmedabad, India based author who often writes on behalf of DubaiShortstay.com. Visit this site to book your holidays in Abu Dhabi hotels and hotels in Dubai.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/towns-for-your-crete-sightseeing.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/towns-for-your-crete-sightseeing.html Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:20:03 -0600
Chania is the next town for Crete sightseeing after Heraklion. With an official population of around 70,000 in the greater Chania, this second largest city of Crete has several tourist attractions to look around for. The city is roughly divided into two major elements, viz. the old and the new towns. The old one sprawls around the harbor area and carries one of the best ancient settings for holiday making in Greece and elsewhere. The town used to be encircled by the old Venetian fortifications, some of which survive even today adding to your Crete sightseeing plans. If the old town had spas, cafes and other recreational facilities carved out of the old heritage buildings, the new one will surprise you with its modern setting.

One could choose from a number of archeological places in Chania to add to one's Crete sightseeing. Most of these places lie in Kasteli, Splantzia, Halidon street, at the harbor, in Topanas and the Jewish quarter. The combined tourist arrivals of the above two cities, i.e. Heraklion and Chania, form a decent percentage of the entire Greek tourism. Rethymno is another town, which could be added to one's Crete sightseeing flavors. The town has a population of roughly 40,000 and a past dating back to antiquity. The old part of Rethymno, built during the Venetian era, is among the best preserved sites of its kind in today’s Crete.

Archeological remains have withstood the change of time, weather and man's interference in Rethymno, to continue being listed along the best Crete sightseeing locations. These included buildings and harbor from the Venetian period, and stoned staircases and arched doorways from the Hellenic-Roman and Byzantine era. The city has a Venetian castle named the Fortezza, which is one of the largest and most preserved of its kind in the whole of Crete. One more town for Crete sightseeing is Ierapetra in the eastern Crete. It holds a population of about 24,000 and is widely known for its Greek, Roman and Venetian lineages.

Agios Nikolaos is another Crete sightseeing location, which lies east to Heraklion and is widely known for its tourism potential. The town plays a regional hub for 20 odd villages and is well connected through Nikos Kazantzakis airport with the mainland Greece and the European cities. The city is widely believed to have been inhabited since the Bronze period. Crete sightseeing locations within Agios Nikolaos include, the Lake Voulismeni, the island Agioi Pantes, beaches along the coastal region, the local archaeological museum and one key flora exhibition "Iris".

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Pankaj Mohan is an Ahmedabad, India based author who often writes on behalf of Cretaquarium.gr. Visit this site to collect information about Crete Sightseeing.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/cretaquarium-a-crete-tours-destination.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/cretaquarium-a-crete-tours-destination.html Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:17:20 -0600
The Cretaquarium - Thalassocosmos was opened in December 2005 at a former US army base in Gournes, Crete and it immediately became a key ingredient for the seekers of Crete tours. The aquarium, which has been funded under the EEA Financial Mechanism by Norway and part of 29 similar projects, has been able to draw more than 100,000 visitors by this time. Greek holidays have always had a fair bit of sea adventure attached with them, since most archeological sites are spread across several islands apart from the mainland Greece. Those who may decide to buy their share of Crete tours will also find themselves yachting and visiting the Cretaquarium - Thalassocosmos .

The aquarium is designed to have room for 300 visitors at any given period of time during your Crete tours, and could be visited throughout the year, including all public and religious holidays. Either your tour operator that might have sold you a Crete tours package or the local guide will help you reach out there. The Minoan Civilization, which is believed to have flourished across the Greek island of Crete, is known to have depended heavily on seafaring for its livelihood. According to some experts, the occurrence of the Thera volcanic eruption only a tad earlier before the Minoan Civilization fell apart, was the chief cause for its annihilation. Minoans heavily suffered in the area of sea trade due to this natural calamity, it is believed.

You could choose to see ancient wall painting, showcasing an inherent connection between the Minoans and aquatic life, while being on your Crete tours. The paintings will also show how seafaring the Minoans were, by depicting their action packed life style. While being inside the Cretaquarium, you could watch up to four thousand marine organisms through various methods. The aquarium is made to accommodate these organisms within specially designed and fabricated tanks, filled with an estimated amount of 1.6 million liters of seawater. Visitors can watch these species through glass and acrylic windows, while being on their Crete tours.

Some very small organisms, such as eggs and larva, are displayed through a large screen, which the visitors can decide to manipulate themselves. The aquarium, built over an area of 5000 m2, has several ingredients to add to your Crete tours. For example, you can sip coffee at two different places and spend time chatting at the central meeting point. More information could be garnered about the Cretaquarium - Thalassocosmos complex either online or through your Crete tours guide.

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Pankaj Mohan is an Ahmedabad, India based author who often writes on behalf of Cretaquarium.gr. Visit this site to collect information about Crete Tours.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/society/weddings/learn-more-about-greek-weddings.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/weddings/learn-more-about-greek-weddings.html Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600
Greek weddings are conducted in two main parts, namely the Betrothal and the Marriage ceremonies. The bride and groom are first asked by the priest at the vestibule of the church, if they had arrived of their own free will. The couple is then led inside the church before the priest blesses the rings and the best man places them on the right ring fingers of the bride and groom. The ring is exchanged thrice between the bride and groom to symbolize their life-long association. The best man can either be a male "Koumparos" or a female "Koumpara". The priest then places his vestment over the couple's crossed hands to solemnize the ring ceremony.

Marriage ceremony is the next to be followed in Greek weddings. Bride and groom are either asked to hold two large, lighted candles in their hands or they are placed on the ground in front of them. The lighted candles symbolize the love and blessings of the Jesus Christ for the would-be husband and wife. The priest then holds the wedding crowns called "stephana" over the couple, and makes the sign of cross three times. The two wedding crowns are connected with a ribbon symbolizing the new kingdom they were about to be entitled the queen and king of. The bride and groom kiss the crowns thereafter, before the best man places them on their heads. He then helps the couple exchange crowns thrice, symbolizing their undividable union.

The priest then reads the responsibilities and duties of a marriage from the bible. They are asked to eat honey and nuts and drink red wine together, symbolizing their common destiny and the share of joy and sorrows. The red wine, symbolizing the blood of Jesus Christ, also carries a divine interpretation. "The Dance of Isaiah" is the next, in which the couple is led by the priest around the altar three times holding the bible in his hand. This symbolizes the suggestion that the bride and groom were to follow the word of god. The circular dance or motion presents the eternity of life. The guests from both sides shower the couple with rice and rose petals to wish them a lasting, happy married life.

The priest would finally take back the crowns and ask the couple to release their hands while holding the bible. This again carries a deep rooted religious meaning, which says only god could separate a solemnized wife and husband after their union. A reception and a wedding dance would be the course thereafter.

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Pankaj Mohan is an Ahmedabad based freelance author, who often writes on behalf of Weddingflowers.gr. Visit this website to get useful info about Greek weddings.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/society/weddings/how-to-plan-your-greece-wedding.html http://www.articletrader.com/society/weddings/how-to-plan-your-greece-wedding.html Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0600
While planning any wedding ceremony away from home, one should keep in mind the kind of help they may require and the amount they may have to spend on it. Factors arising due to travel may considerably alter the budget you may have planned for your ceremony. Professional wedding planners could be hired to decide the course of events in such cases. Some ceremonies may not require much help beyond some paper work to be done and a couple of bouquets to be arranged for the bride and groom. There may be a considerable amount of decisions needed to be arrived at in other cases though. Greece wedding ceremonies require a lot of detailing, depending on how far one had made their mind to follow the rich traditional route.

One can decide from a wide range of locations for organizing Greece weddings. It also depends on how far you may have to travel from your home. Anything from a scenic island to a traditional countryside or a key urban area could be chosen as your wedding location. You could decide to stay at private villas, self-catering apartments or sea resorts depending on your personal needs. You should also decide in advance regarding which activities your guests may prefer to be part of. This may include the activities like cruise journey, sightseeing, swimming, snorkeling, spa, golf and hiking. Some famous places for Greece wedding ceremonies include Amorgos, Athens, Mykonos, Rhodes, Santorini and Crete.

As stated earlier, the ceremonies can be decided based on how traditional and lavish or not one desired to make the event. The place of actual wedding can be a place of worship, a private villa, on a cruise liner or a sea resort. Decisions such as the nature of reception after the wedding ceremony involving buffet, sit-down meal, Greek or non-Greek cuisines etc should be made well in advance. Depending on the budget and activities, one could plan to stay afloat anything from 2-3 days to an entire week for Greece wedding ceremonies. Of course, this should take the legal aspect and the required paper work into consideration too, as it would additionally require your time and attention.

Like any other wedding, Greece wedding does also demand for wedding robes, the mode of transportation, a very clear thought on how far the guests’ expense may have to be born by you - some guests may prefer to have their own ideas, but you could not choose to overlook maximum possible expenditure. Greece weddings have rich historical and traditional legacies associated with them. It becomes important in this context that loose ends of your ceremonies were sorted out full in advance, so that things did not go haywire at the eleventh hour. A fair degree of help could be hired in this regard from the professional wedding and event planners.

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Pankaj Mohan is an Ahmedabad based freelance author, who often writes on behalf of Weddingflowers.gr. Visit this website to get useful info about Greece wedding.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/dubai-freehold-properties-smart-way-to-invest-money.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/dubai-freehold-properties-smart-way-to-invest-money.html Sun, 10 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500
Thanks mainly due to a visionary Al Maktoum family, which came to power in 1883; Dubai's economy has continued to grow despite of so many economic turbulences it had to go through since the World War II. Steps initiated by the Al Maktoums have made Dubai's oil returns inconsequential in the era of globalization. The emirate's GDP chiefly gets sourced from its free trade zones and tourism infrastructure instead. Most decisions taken by the successive rulers have been prompt and executed in a timely fashion. This made Dubai sellable and a growth-friendly area for carrying out business over the years. Global business partners, large FDIs and a highly skilled workforce have kept pouring in despite of the occasional negative clues from other economies. Recently, the government agreed to allow the outsiders to have a freehold property right. This wasn't the scenario until now. As a result, one could buy self catering apartments, Dubai villas and other freehold properties, if they wished today.

Dubai's growing reputation as a city of many firsts in the world of architecture has given more colors to its overall charm. From the very first seven star hotel, Burj Al Arab, to the now under construction the tallest building of the world, Burj Dubai, the city continues to house many of today's world landmarks. As a result, tourists flock in large numbers to have a glimpse of this urban excitement each year. Summer used to be a holiday season earlier, but no more now. Year long fun, food and cultural fiestas - apart from the usual retail madness - make Dubai a place of joy and celebrations throughout the year. No need of underlining why self catering apartments, Dubai villas and similar other freehold properties could be a great investment offer in today's scenario.

Many buy self catering apartments, Dubai villas and other freehold properties to have a place for vacationing when they may like doing it. Many others simply buy to rent them out to other holidaymakers. Rentals can be a great way for making money from this emirate. They can prove out to be a headache for those paying rents, and a great monetary reward for those receiving sums. Dubai's rentals are among the most expensive ones in today's times. They may give jitters to tenants, and a pleasant smile to property owners. Homes could be sold at a premium after a few years, since the real estate would continue to sore in Dubai in the years to follow. These aspects lead to many foreigners and expatriates buying freehold properties in Dubai as a way of making money. It's a win-win option for those who know how turbulent times they were living in in a highly globalized world.

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Pankaj Mohan is a freelance writer, who often writes on behalf of Holidays-shop.com. Check out this website to collect information about rentals and book your Self Catering Apartments Dubai.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/dubais-palm-islands-the-eighth-wonder.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/dubais-palm-islands-the-eighth-wonder.html Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0600
Dredging ships propel sand over an area, which is decided by the coordinates of Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). This process is called rain-bowing; the name is indicative of the arc which is created due to the falling sand here. Each Dubai Palm has a breakwater constructed at its periphery, which provides it a separation from the murky seawaters. These breakwaters are constructed by laying down several layers of rocks over the seabed by sea vessels. These vessels are called pontoons and the split-hopper barges. The Jumeirah Palm alone required a staggering 7 million tons of rocks to construct its breakwater.

Each of these Dubai Palm Islands is designed to depict a date palm tree, with a trunk, a crown and several fronds. The crescent islands at the periphery are assigned to play the role of breakwaters. The construction of the Palm Jebel Ali was started by Jan De Nul in 2002 and completed by the year-end of 2006. It required a 4 km long peninsula to be built, surrounded by a 200m wide and a 17 km long breakwater. This asked for reclaiming roughly 135,000,000 m³ of rock, sand and limestone. About 5,000,000 m³ of rocks were needed for strengthening the slope.

Dubai Palm islands, which are bound to increase Dubai's costal length by an additional 520 km, will host water theme parks, luxury hotels, shopping malls, freehold villas, furnished beach apartments, health spas and similar other facilities. It was always Sheikh Maktoum's dream to see Dubai grow in free trade and tourism, and that's how these islands were conceived. The UAE property developer, Nakheel Properties, is supervising this whole work.

The Palm Jumeirah, which is 5 kilometers by 5 kilometers in size, will have a crown with 17 fronds, and a surrounding 11 kilometer-long breakwater. It will create 4,000 new homes over the period of next 3 to 4 years and add 78 kilometers to Dubai's shoreline. In fact, the residents began moving into their Palm Jumeirah homes by the year-end 2006, five years after the dredging in the area had begun taking place.

The Palm Jebel Ali, which is expected to be the home of 1.7 million people by the year 2020, will be completed by the year 2008. It will be much larger in size compared to the Palm Jumeirah, however, the tag of largest one will go to the Palm Deira, which is expected to be completed by the year 2015. Due to its mammoth size, the construction of Palm Deira is expected to take place in several phases. Dubai's tourism sector will heavily rely on these Dubai Palm Islands for its revenue, once they fully got completed.

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Pankaj Mohan is a freelance writer, who often writes on behalf of Dubaishortstay.com. Visit this site to learn about Dubai rentals and book your Dubai Palm hotel rooms and apartments.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/dubai-encroaching-upon-its-own-desert.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/dubai-encroaching-upon-its-own-desert.html Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0600
Isn't it the same dominance over the desert, we have spoken about; Dubai is trying to achieve even today? From its north to south and the east to west, one can only see townships popping up everywhere. The firms behind these developments are worth billions in their respective markets. The technical knowhow they carry with them is cutting-edge. The administration in Dubai, on its own part, is in a hurry to allow them build whatever they wished to. The result is, we are watching a hell lot of infrastructure being erected upon at the outer edge and inside Dubai. With its current pace of development, there is a good chance; Dubai's infrastructure might overrun someday its whole geographic area.

The construction of world's largest man-made islands - The Palm Islands - strengthens this argument even more. Dubai Palm is a benchmark development project, where a total of 520km of sea beaches are to be constructed along Dubai's seacoast. This will require huge amounts of rocks and sand to be relocated and dumped over the seabed. Modern technology has made it possible to achieve this task. The same can be seen happening over the mainland as well. They are tearing through the heart of desert in a literal sense, and making a way for the proposed settlements. Who knows this might extend to the whole of Dubai tomorrow. It may sound somewhat unlikely today, but may not prove impossible tomorrow.

I have closely followed Dubai's real estate sector for sometime now, and it has often left me awestruck. The construction sites of Dubai alone account for 15 to 25% of the world's total 125,000 tower cranes. As per the industry watchers, 26.8 million square feet of office space was constructed in Dubai in 2007 alone. An additional 42 million square feet will be made available in 2008. This growth overtakes that of some other heavily urbanized centers across the world. For example, the growth of Pudong in Shanghai, China, which has a support base of 1.3 billion indigenous Chinese, falls well short of Dubai's figures, which has only 1.3 million citizens to rely on, out of which only 4 million are domestic citizens. The rest are expatriates from all over the world. The momentum seems much larger in Dubai's case, one can say at this point. There is no other thriving economy in today's world, which may think about growing the way Dubai has over the period of last one decade. Dubai Palm, The World, Dubai Water Front and Dubai Marina are just a few examples of how rapidly one could expand their infrastructure. Only time will tell how far this growth undermines Dubai's own barren lands.

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Pankaj Mohan is a freelance writer, who often writes on behalf of Dubaishortstay.com. Visit this site to learn about Dubai rentals and book your Dubai Palm hotel rooms and apartments.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/dubais-world-class-hotels.html http://www.articletrader.com/travel/destinations/dubais-world-class-hotels.html Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0600
Let us examine the following data to learn more about Dubai hotels. Until the early 90s, they were not to be found in so many numbers out there. By the start of 2000 however, this ground reality had dramatically transformed. One s gets awed by looking at their numbers these days. This author counted on just one site and found more than three dozen entries for the five-star facility alone. The count for the four, three and two star hotels will be even more awesome, one reckons. There were a total of 414 hotels in Dubai in the year 2006. They were the mainstay for accommodating the 6.5 million visitors who visited the city that year. The revenues earned by these hotels stood at Dh10.8b in the same period. This however grew by 15.74 percent to be at Dh12.5b in the year 2007. This also discloses the stress on Dubai hotels (United Arab Emirates), furnished villas and Dubai hotel apartments in their attempts to cope with the level of demand they face from the industry.

This is why Dubai's government has nodded to too many new plans that promised to construct newer furnished villas, furnished apartments and Dubai hotels (United Arab Emirates) on its territory. The total number of rooms stood at 40,862 in all these segments, in the year 2006. This will have to be further raised by a handsome margin to meet with the set official target of receiving 15 million visitors by the year 2010. Two key events, one of which was recently held, and the other still on, are expected to help Dubai in meeting out with its 2010 target. The first was Dubai's 1st Tourism Development Projects and Investment Market (TDIM) exhibition, which was to be held from January 20-22, 2008. Major real estate companies from all over the world were expected to showcase projects worth over $190 billion. The idea behind it was to get various components of Dubai's urban growth together, namely real estate firms, private companies, investors and government bodies, and frame out the future course of action.

The other event, which is taking place across Dubai right now, is the 13th Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF). This will coincide with many recreational programs at places like shopping malls, Dubai hotels and elsewhere, apart from the shopping mania that the festival was all about. The show to be held from January 24 to February 24 (2008), is expected to attract 3.5 million visitors from all over the globe.

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Pankaj Mohan is a freelance writer, who often writes on behalf of Dubaishortstay.com. Check this site to learn about Dubai hotels, United Arab Emirates. You can also use the same link to book your rooms at Dubai hotels.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>