Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
Tipping and Bargaining in Egypt: Bakhshesh or Sadaqa The role of tipping in the Arab World in tourism and the economy is important. To most Western tourists particularly Americans, the question of tipping is normal, like adding sales tax to the bill, but in the Middle East, however, the question of tipping, and add to it…
Read More “Tipping and Bargaining in Egypt: Bakhshesh or Sadaqa” »
UAE passport awarded a certificate UAE Passport Force initiative aims high for 2021. DUBAI, UAE, Aug. 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ – At a ceremony, the government of the UAE accepted a certificate bestowed by the Passport Index, in recognition for being the most powerful passport in the GCC. UAE passport holders enjoy a visa-free score of…
Podcast: Trump’s Travel Ban and its Effects In the whirlwind of the past week and a half, a look back at Trump’s travel ban. By: Kerning Cultures Note: The episode above and the article below are supplementary and different. We, the People On January 27, 2017, President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning immigration…
The emirate of Dubai ranked as the number 2 destination for travelers this New Year season, according to a survey conducted by CheapHotels.org. Dubai beat out Miami Beach, which ranked 3 on the CheapHotels survey list. The number 1 destination is Cancun, Mexico, according tot he survey. Dubai is only one of two Middle East…
Read More “Dubai ranked as Number 2 destination for New Year” »
While Americans are among the most traveled people on the planet, one place they are avoiding is the Middle East and Arab countries. At one time, the Middle East was a favored destination to Americans but these days with the rising Islamic extremism, the violence and continued conflicts, tourism to the Arab World from the…
Read More “Americans are not traveling to the Middle East” »
By Eileen Fleming Israel’s former ambassador to Washington, USA born Michael Oren exemplifies the latter and Kameel Nasr from Lebanon and Boston the former. Oren served as Israel’s ambassador in Washington from 2009 to 2013 and is now a Knesset member in Israel’s center-right Kulanu party. Launching his new book “Ally: My Journey Across the…
Read More “Ambassadors for Peace and Divisiveness: Nasr and Oren ” »
Camel racing, representing bedouin Arab culture, is increasingly drawing tourists and crowds in Dubai and the Gulf region. Once popular int he 1980s, the sport of camel racing is seeing a revival. For a truly authentic experience in the UAE, look no further than the camel race. The cacophony of car horns, shouts and thud of…
Arab Gulf sees rise in tourism by more than 2 percent with revenues up more than 10 percent, according to UrbaCon Construction & Trading. Visiting the desert is now an attractive alternative in the agenda of a seasoned tourist, a location which is becoming increasingly developed with high-end ecofriendly resorts, luxurious shopping malls, five-star hotels,…
By Ray Hanania While the Middle East and issues related to Arab countries dominate the attention of Americans through news media and national security, most Americans are avoiding travel to Middle East countries. A recent study by Hotels.com shows that of the top 50 destinations where Americans are traveling, only one Arab Middle East destination, Dubai in…
Read More “Americans shun Middle East as travel destination” »
