The Middle East Economy

Accounting for just over 3% of the territory of the UAE, Sharjah is the federation’s third-largest emirate, and has long played an important cultural and economic role in the region. Home to six free zones, two amphitheatres, around 30 museums and various annual festivals that attract visitors from around the world, the emirate continues to...

THE ABU DHABI EDITION T: +971 2 208 0000 www.editionhotels.com/abu-dhabi reservations.auh@editionhotels.com Rooms: 198 guest rooms and suites, with 90 deluxe rooms, nine deluxe marina rooms, 59 deluxe marina rooms with balconies, five loft rooms, 10 suites, 16 marina suites, seven premier marina suites, one marina penthouse and one...

In what ways has the cultural landscape of Abu Dhabi evolved over the years, and how has it impacted the business environment?

ETIQUETTE & DRESS: Hospitality is a key part of Emirati culture. Long greetings before meetings – whether for business or socialising – are important. In Abu Dhabi it is common for men to shake hands in business settings, and exchanging business cards is fairly informal. However, it is not advisable to shake a woman’s hand unless...

In recent years Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE have passed several important milestones in terms of security, aerospace and defence strategy. In 2019 Hazzaa Al Mansoori, an astronaut born in Al Wathba, roughly 45 km outside Abu Dhabi City, became the first Emirati to visit the International Space Station. The mission helped to raise the profile...

In September 2019 Hazzaa Al Mansoori, born in Al Wathba in Abu Dhabi, became the first Arab to visit the International Space Station (ISS) in an eight-day mission accompanied by two fellow crew members from Russia and the US. Al Mansoori’s successful journey captured the emirate’s imagination and helped raise the global profile of the UAE’s...