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Sharjah’s beaches, shopping centres, museums and unique cultural offering make the emirate a popular tourist destination for nationals and foreigners alike. While international travel slowed significantly in 2020 due to border closures and travel restrictions in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, domestic tourism in Sharjah picked up as UAE residents explored destinations closer to home. Despite the disruption, the emirate inaugurated a number of projects in 2020, many of which promote sustainable tourism and position Sharjah as a family-friendly destination. Tourism authorities intend to build on this momentum and renew international interest throughout 2021 with the help of a new travel campaign, additional development projects, and the resumption of events and activities under strict health and safety protocols. These efforts, in tandem with the UAE’s rapid rollout of Covid-19 vaccines, could see the tourism sector recover sooner than expected: Sharjah aims to attract 10m visitors in 2022. This chapter contains interviews with Khalid Jassim Al Midfa, Chairman, Sharjah Tourism and Commerce Development Authority; Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director, Sharjah Art Foundation; and Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson, Environment and Protected Areas Authority.

With regular activities severely disrupted in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, schools in Sharjah had to shift quickly to online learning and integrate new health protocols when in-person instruction resumed. Rapid adoption helped the emirate maintain its position as a regional centre for education. Hospitals and clinics, meanwhile, devoted substantial resources to testing and care to fight the novel coronavirus. Priorities established before the pandemic, as well as lessons learned in 2020, are now shaping the education and health sectors in 2021. One of the primary short-term goals of the Sharjah authorities is to manage the pandemic, and ensure education and health services continue with minimal disruption. This chapter contains interviews with Muhadditha Al Hashimi, Chairperson, Sharjah Private Education Authority; and Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman, Sharjah Health Authority.

While the global economic slowdown in 2020 triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic put downward pressure on GDP growth in Sharjah, there is cautious hope for a rebound in 2021 and beyond, driven by social and economic development spending programmes, as well as a rapid Covid-19 vaccine rollout. Government spending has risen steadily, funding ambitious development goals in the emirate and the wider UAE, while the authorities have simultaneously implemented initiatives to mitigate the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. Roadshows and forums hosted by Invest in Sharjah are a central pillar of the government’s investment promotion strategy, with a historical focus on India, Russia, China, the GCC, the US, and European nations such as Italy and France. This chapter contains interviews with Sultan Abdullah bin Hadda Al Suwaidi, Chairman, Sharjah Economic Development Department; Badr Jafar, CEO, Crescent Enterprises; and Salem Yousef Al Qaseer, Chairman, Labour Standards Development Authority.

This chapter examines the legal system of the Philippines, focusing largely on the stipulations of Bayanihan 1 and 2, which were passed into law in March and September 2020, respectively, to address the economic and health impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The chapter also outlines new guidelines on remote participation, corporate donations, corporate debt vehicles and draft guidelines for the licensing of digital banks, alongside various other changes to tax laws and regulations, labour-related laws and regulations, and regulations for the filing and submission of securities deposits that were implemented during the pandemic period. This chapter contains an interview with Raoul Angangco, Partner, Villaraza & Angangco Law.

This chapter examines the tax system of the Philippines, focusing primarily on the tax implications of Bayanihan 1 and 2, introduced during 2020 in an effort to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as transfer pricing, the arm’s length principle and audit guidelines. The chapter also includes an analysis of tax compliance efforts in light of the pandemic, and commentary on the imminent Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act. This chapter contains an interview with Protacio T Tacandong, COO, Reyes Tacandong & Co.