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<ul class="summary-list"><li>I spent three weeks in Dubai in December for the UN Climate Summit.</li><li>I dressed modestly but learned that's not required, and made time for Emirati heritage in Sharjah.</li></ul>I spent three weeks in Dubai this December, mostly covering the UN Climate Summit, or COP28, for Business Insider. I also made time for some sightseeing.This was my first trip to the United Arab Emirates, so my knowledge of local customs, press, and political freedom was limited. I also didn't know about many tourist attractions, aside from the Burj Khalifa (the world's tallest building) and Dubai Mall (which has over 1,200 shops).I researched local customs and press freedom in advance but learned a lot along the way.Here are my top takeaways:<h2>I dressed modestly but was surprised that many others didn't</h2>I packed a lot of long-sleeved blouses, blazers, and maxi dresses, both because I wanted to look professional at work and because Islam is the UAE's official religion, and I wanted to respect local customs.<div type="image" title="Catherine Boudreau wears a long, colorful maxi dress in front of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai." height="2972" width="3190" msid="106403245" hostid="261" sizebytes="772038"></div>However, I quickly learned that only 11% of the country's population is Emirati, <a target="_blank" href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=AE">according to the World Bank</a>. The vast majority are expats from countries like India, Pakistan, China, Indonesia, and the US. Many are migrant workers in the country's booming construction industry who work in extreme heat, an issue human rights groups <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/11/21/uae-migrant-worker-abuses-linked-broader-climate-harms">have raised alarm about</a>.What people wear in Dubai reflects the diverse population and <a target="_blank" href="https://mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2023/February/05-02/Dubai-receives-14-million-international-visitors-in-2022">the 14 million tourists who visit</a> the city annually.My blazers were OK for working in air conditioning, but I wish I had packed a few more light, summery dresses for the time I spent sightseeing since it's hot in Dubai. Temperatures hit nearly 90 degrees Fahrenheit, or 32 degrees Celsius, each day in early December.<h2>Make time to visit Sharjah if you're interested in Emirati heritage</h2><div type="image" title="Al-Hisn Fort in Sharjah" height="1412" width="2122" msid="106403247" hostid="261" sizebytes="176734"></div>I saw some of the most well-known Dubai attractions, including the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-largest-water-park-dubai-aquaventure-thrill-seekers-dream-2023-12">water park</a> and Burj Khalifa. But I recommend spending some time in Sharjah to learn about Emirati culture.It's the third-most populous city in UAE and one of seven Emirates that make up the country. Depending on traffic, Sharjah is about 25 minutes to an hour north of Dubai. The best way to get there is by taxi, which could cost up to $30, according to locals I spoke with.There's a heritage area in Sharjah where you can visit museums showcasing the region's history and traditions, shop at souq markets, and see the seaport. Before the Emirates discovered oil, the economy was driven by fishing, trade, and pearl diving.Make sure to try Luqaimat, fried dough balls covered in date syrup, and karak chai. The Middle Eastern tea is sweet and spiced with cardamom, clove, and cinnamon.<div type="image" title="Luqaimat is a deep-fried dough covered with data syrup." height="3024" width="4032" msid="106403249" hostid="261" sizebytes="489068"></div><h2>I'm glad I spoke to human rights groups ahead of my trip</h2>Most of my time in Dubai was spent reporting on the UN climate summit.Before leaving, I researched the history of the UAE and how its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cop28-dubai-uae-climate-summit-attendee-hopeful-fossil-fuels-2023-12">rise as a major oil producer had shaped the young country</a> into the opulent international metropolis it is. I also spoke to human rights groups to learn about the country's track record on press and political freedom because there often are protests at UN climate summits.<div type="image" title="Protesters march at the UN climate summit in Dubai." height="3024" width="4032" msid="106403250" hostid="261" sizebytes="887804"></div>Speech is tightly restricted in UAE and dozens of political dissidents have been jailed, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/10/30/cop28-climate-action-requires-upholding-rights">human rights groups said</a>. For these reasons, I wanted to be careful, especially when interacting with local residents.While I could report on anything and protests <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-activists-join-palestinian-cause-during-rare-protest-in-dubai-2023-12">were allowed at Expo City</a> in Dubai, that was only because UN rules applied within the venue. For locals living and working in the UAE year-round, it's a different set of rules.

3 things to know before traveling to Dubai

<ul><li>Of the surveyed, 29% prefer to take <keyword id="6368952" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shopping" source="Orion">shopping</keyword> trips while 26% want to take theme park holidays. </li><li>60% of the respondents say that they plan to visit a foreign destination in 2023. </li><li>The beaches of Goa, the scenic mountain towns of Himachal and the backwaters of Kerala attract most travel planners. </li></ul><keyword id="28910" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mountains" source="Orion">Mountains</keyword> versus beaches is one of those age old debates. A relaxed holiday in Goa versus the fresh alpine air of Himachal, generally, everyone has a preference. Not surprisingly, a travel report by Acko in collaboration with YouGov, a market research company, finds that destinations with a scenic charm, whether the mountains or the <keyword id="3079" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="seaside" source="Orion">seaside</keyword>, have an equal appeal with 36% and 35% voting for each. The report says that Indians are getting more adventurous with their travel plans with one in three having expressed a strong interest in taking adventurous holidays, i.e. 33%. A lesser few (29%) prefer to take shopping trips, 26% want to take theme park holidays, while 16% would love to go on a <keyword id="397726" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gastronomic" source="Orion">gastronomic</keyword> holiday or what one would simply call a food trip. Not surprisingly, <keyword id="6354539" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dubai" source="Orion">Dubai</keyword> and <keyword id="6356662" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="singapore" source="Orion">Singapore</keyword> top the list of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/news/top-5-foreign-destinations-on-the-radar-for-indians-and-thailand-isnt-one-of-them/articleshow/101718671.cms">foreign travel destinations</a> for Indians. When it comes to <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>, the beaches of Goa (29%), the scenic mountain towns of Himachal (26%), the backwaters of Kerala (22%), the mystical mountains of Uttarakhand (20%), and Rajasthan, which literally means ‘land of the kings,’ (20%) are the top travel destinations. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The lure of the foreign lands" comment="subhead" text="The lure of the foreign lands">The lure of the foreign lands</cmsannotation> 60% of the respondents say that they plan to travel abroad, while 10% said that they are only planning to travel abroad in 2023. One of the reasons for more people wanting to travel abroad could be that 31% said that they want to take more international trips because of the pandemic, when their travel plans did not work out. Also, 37% said that they will increase the duration of the trip. The findings reveal that post pandemic, international travel is back with a bang. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How much Indians spend on travel" comment="subhead" text="How much Indians spend on travel">How much Indians spend on travel</cmsannotation> Indians are prepared to loosen their purse strings when travelling abroad. For international leisure trips, 18% spend less than ₹1 lakh, 47% spend ₹1- 2 lakh, 24% spend ₹4 lakh to ₹6 lakh, while 11% spend above ₹6 lakh. Also, 48% said that they will allocate a higher budget to their trip post-pandemic.When it comes to domestic holidays, the majority (55%) expect it to cost less than ₹1 lakh.

Shopping holidays pipped by this rising category of Indian travellers

Following the successful launch of their unified reservations system, <keyword id="2573" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="air-india" source="Orion">Air India</keyword>'s subsidiary airlines - <keyword id="6378232" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="air-india-express" source="Orion">Air India Express</keyword> and <keyword id="1583080" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="airasia-india" source="Orion">AirAsia India</keyword> - are now focusing on cutting over to common airport check-in systems in a phased manner at all international terminals in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>, followed by the overseas network. The unified customer interface of Air India Express and AirAsia India has witnessed a surge of visitors within days of the launch of the platform, contributing over 25 per cent of international flight revenue on the first day itself. Nearly half the bookings on airindiaexpress.com have been from international markets, with Dubai being the largest source city of traffic and other top international sources of traffic being Abu Dhabi, Doha, Sharjah, and Singapore. Domestic traffic and bookings on the platform have come from metro markets like Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai, reflecting the domestic network and hubs of AirAsia India. Flyers of both airlines are now logging in, booking, and managing reservations for both Air India Express and AirAsia India flights on the unified website, launched as a milestone in the integration of the two airlines. The new website is built on the platform of the AirAsia India website developed by <keyword id="6357585" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tata-consultancy-services" source="Orion">Tata Consultancy Services</keyword> with the support of <keyword id="8187544" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tata-digital" source="Orion">Tata Digital</keyword> and provides a significantly enhanced booking, support and travel experience for Air India Express customers from its historical platform. The launch of the new website was enabled by the migration to common reservations and check-in system, which now unifies the entire commercial ecosystem of the two airlines. As part of the integration, brand communications and support have also moved to common social media handles on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Online reputation management tools indicate that the integrated social media handles have the highest social reputation score amongst all Indian airlines, driven by the faster response and resolution times and massive positive sentiment and feedback on the user experience of the new website and support channels. With a unified sustainability strategy, the website also offers flyers the opportunity to offset their carbon footprint by planting a tree for every booking, with a geo-location tagged URN Certificate. In the warm response to the integrated platform, Aloke Singh, Managing Director, of Air India Express and AirAsia India, said: "The initial phase of integration of Air India Express and AirAsia India has been executed in a robust manner in record time. We have successfully migrated to modern-day technology from the legacy systems that were dominant. This migration has been built by leveraging the existing strong attributes of AirAsia India with additional deployment of relevant tech solutions. We are working on adding even more unique features and integrated service which will deliver an enhanced experience and strengthen our position in the minds of the customers." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/two-tax-regimes-rise-of-freelancers-drive-people-to-tax-experts-chartered-accountants/articleshow/99243392.cms">Two tax regimes &amp; rise of freelancers drive people to tax experts, chartered accountants</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ondc-to-foster-hyperlocal-ecommerce-business-model-in-india-nandan-nilekani/articleshow/99243637.cms">ONDC to foster hyperlocal ecommerce business model in India: Nandan Nilekani</a>

Air India Express, AirAsia India focus on common check-in systems after unified reservations

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Boeing won't bring commercial jets to the Farnborough Airshow, a first for 16 years.</li><li>It also didn't bring any airliners to February's Singapore Airshow.</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeings-candidates-for-ceo-keep-turning-it-down-wsj-2024-6">Boeing</a> isn't bringing any of its commercial jets to this year's Farnborough Airshow, the company confirmed to Business Insider.It's the first time for 16 years that it isn't displaying its airliners at the world's second-biggest air show. Farnborough alternates each year with Paris, the most-attended air show, meaning it's the primary aviation event for 2024. <a target="_blank" href="https://theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatches/boeing-during-farnborough-will-leave-737-max-and-777x-test-aircraft-at-home/">The Air Current first reported</a> on the news.The decision comes as Boeing deals with an ongoing crisis sparked by January's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alaska-airlines-blowout-passenger-lost-shoes-and-socks-to-gaping-hole-2024-3">Alaska Airlines blowout</a>. CEO <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-dave-calhoun-failed-to-turn-boeing-around-737-max-2024-3">Dave Calhoun announced he will resign</a> at the end of the year, and several <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lufthansa-ceo-calls-boeing-delivery-delays-extremely-annoying-2024-5">airline bosses have voiced their frustrations</a> with the firm.Boeing also didn't display any passenger jets at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/boeing-brings-no-passenger-jets-to-singapore-airshow-2024-2">February's Singapore Airshow</a>. However, the Farnborough decision is more noteworthy.It's a mainstay in the aviation world, where planemakers exhibit new aircraft and announce deals with airlines.At the time of publication, one Boeing airliner, the 787 Dreamliner, is set to be displayed at Farnborough. Rather than being sent by Boeing, however, this is courtesy of Qatar Airways, which is set to exhibit its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/qatar-new-qsuite-adding-first-class-to-boeing-777x-2024-3">upgraded QSuite business class</a>.Boeing is instead prioritizing work on a safety and quality plan as it works to regain the trust of regulators and customers following the Alaska Airlines 737 Max incident.In a statement sent to Business Insider, Boeing said: "Our Commercial Airplanes team has been focused on implementing our comprehensive safety and quality plan and working to meet the commitments we've made to our customers.""With these priorities in mind, we decided that rather than prepare and perform flight demonstrations this summer, we are redirecting the engineering and manufacturing resources toward airplane production and certification," it added."For more than a decade, we've brought our 787 Dreamliner, 777X and 737 Max airplanes to airshows around the world, including Farnborough, Paris, Dubai, India and Singapore. We look forward to doing the same in the future. Boeing will have a strong presence of defense, space, and security products — flying and on display."At last year's Paris Air Show, Boeing displayed its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-inside-boeing-737-max-10-testbed-compete-a321neo-2023-7">737 Max 10</a> — the longest version of its narrowbody jet — which is still awaiting certification. Approval has been further hampered by increased regulatory scrutiny following the blowout, when a Max 9 lost a door plug in midair.After the blowout, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-ceo-boeing-alternatives-due-to-delays-and-grounding-2024-1">Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines</a>, Boeing's biggest customer, called the incident "the straw that broke the camel's back." He added that the airline would build an alternative plan without the Max 10 due to the delays.The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-inside-boeing-777x-test-aircraft-biggest-twin-engine-airliner-2023-8">777X</a>, an upgraded version of the widebody 777, was also on display in Paris. It was initially set to enter service in 2020, but this has been pushed back to 2025.

Boeing isn't bringing any of its signature jets to the year's biggest air show for the first time in over a decade

When the <keyword id="1700843" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="singapore-airlines-group" source="Orion">Singapore Airlines Group</keyword> (SIA) released its operating statistics for December 2022, it revealed that it carried almost 12 per cent more passengers compared with a month ago and four times more than a year ago. Its two carriers, SIA and Scoot, carried a total of 2.7 million passengers in December. For the entire year, it carried a total of 20.7 million passengers, a jump of 900 per cent from 2021. The airline cited the relaxation of travel restrictions in Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan for boosting the demand for air travel and supporting a recovery in those markets. Though impressive, the passenger numbers are still 76 per cent of December 2019's figure of 3.54 million passengers carried. SIA's passenger load factor (PLF) in December 2022 came in at 89.7 per cent during the month -- 3.8 percentage points more compared with a month ago and 43.2 per centage points more year-on-year. The airline noted that this is the highest monthly PLF in the SIA's history, full-service carrier, SIA, and low-cost airline, Scoot posted record monthly PLFs of 89.1 per cent and 91.6 per cent respectively. PLF for December 2019 was 87.6 per cent. However, it should be noted that PLF is a function of the number of planes an airline has in service. During this period where there's a global shortage of capacity, some <keyword id="44023" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="airlines" source="Orion">airlines</keyword> under utilise their planes either to keep airfares high or because they do not have enough resources to maximize the use of their fleet. According to fleet data from ch-aviation.com, at the moment, SIA has 36 inactive aircraft between its two main airline brands. Among the aircraft sitting on the ground are 15 Boeing 777ERs, two Airbus A350s, two A380s, and two 787-8s. With increasing competition in the coming year and with China's reopening from COVID-19 lockdowns, airlines in Northeast Asia are expected to put more capacity in the air which would result in supply putting pressure on prices. SIA is expected to do the same to contend for market share. Already in December, Scoot resumed flights to Zhengzhou, China in December 2022, while SIA restarted fortnightly passenger services from Singapore to Beijing on 30 December 2022. While the China market is still slowly recovering, SIA has been expanding its capacity in India, an important market, since the middle of last year. SIA has already resumed flights to the following South Asian cities at frequencies matching or exceeding pre-C levels: Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dubai, Hyderabad, Kathmandu, Kochi, Kolkata, and Mumbai. To underline the strategic importance of the Indian market to SIA, it made a commitment to continue to invest in the market late last year. On November 29, the airline announced that it will be converting its 49 per cent stake in Vistara into a 20 per cent stake in the new <keyword id="2573" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-india" source="Orion">Air India</keyword> Group, with the additional USD250 million used to acquire another 5 per cent. SIA has also agreed to inject up to another USD615 million after the merger is completed, (expected by March 2024), should the new airline group require additional funds from its shareholders to fund its restructuring and expansion. The actual amount will depend on factors including the progress of the enlarged Air India's business plan, and its access to other funding options. The airline said in a statement, "Through this transaction, SIA will reinforce its partnership with Tata and immediately acquire a strategic stake in an entity that is four to five times larger in scale compared to Vistara. The merger would bolster SIA's presence in India, strengthen its multi-hub strategy, and allow it to continue participating directly in a large and fast-growing aviation market." When Tata Sons agreed to buy Air India, the acquisition was completed a year ago on January 27, Tata was expected to consolidate its airline assets which meant it was likely to merge Vistara with Air India. SIA could have stepped away from its investment in the Indian market and sold its 49 per cent stake in Vistara. However, it decided to take a minority stake in a larger airline, and here are some of the possible reasons. First of all, the new Air India Group will be a much bigger player in the Indian aviation market. Its four airlines will have a 26 per cent market share based on domestic seat capacity and 21 per cent of international seat capacity in the current quarter, based on OAG data. India as a market and a source of travelers is of strategic importance to both SIA as well as Singapore overall. SIA will in time be able to increase its connectivity to Indian destinations as well as serve Indian passengers on international routes using Changi Airport as a transit point. This could open up attractive destinations in other parts of Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, North Asia, and the west coast of America to Indian passengers. With the massive Terminal 5 in Changi opening in the middle of the next decade, any additional passenger churn will be vital to ensure the airport expansion fulfills its promise. India is among the top three aviation markets in the world and poised to double passenger traffic over the next 10 years supported by rising income levels and ongoing investments in its aviation infrastructure. It is projected to exceed 300 million airline passengers by 2027. However, India also remains underserved with low international seats per capita, signifying significant growth potential. Another factor that SIA would have considered is that the CEO of the new Air India group is a trusted 25-year veteran of the company before he joined the Indian airline in the middle of last year. Campbell Wilson, a New Zealander, was previously chief executive of Scoot and rotated through various roles at SIA in countries like Japan, Canada, and Hong Kong, and was senior vice president of sales and marketing for SIA. As quoted by Fortune, he said in a letter to employees on the one-year anniversary of the completion of Tata's takeover of Air India, "Taken together, the progress over the last 12 months has been nothing short of stunning, even if so much of what we have been working on has been behind the scenes, building platforms and capabilities so that our future ambitions can take flight. There is of course much more that needs to be done, and everyone internally and externally - is hungry for us to do it." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/hindenburg-ignores-indian-legal-processes-adani-group-on-the-firms-allegations/articleshow/97431153.cms">Hindenburg ignores Indian legal processes: Adani Group on the firm's allegations</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/finance-ministry-to-stick-to-privatisation-of-already-announced-cpses-next-fiscal/articleshow/97412473.cms">Finance Ministry to stick to privatisation of already announced CPSEs next fiscal</a>

Why Singapore Airlines is investing in Air India?

Bangalore Airport cargo witnessed a substantial increase in rose shipments in the run-up to <keyword id="6426726" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="valentine" source="Orion">Valentine</keyword>'s Day this year. The season of roses at BLR Airport brought cheer once again with a 14 per cent increase in rose shipments processed compared to last year. As per the airport spokesperson, Valentine's week kept <keyword id="16541242" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="blr-cargo" source="Orion">BLR Cargo</keyword> busy as 17.4 million rose stems (589,296 kg) were processed. Top international destinations to receive these Indian roses were Kuala Lumpur, <keyword id="6356662" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="singapore" source="Orion">Singapore</keyword>, Kuwait, Manila, Auckland, New York, Lebanon, Maldives, Jordan and Dubai. BLR Cargo sent roses to a total of 15 global destinations. On the domestic front, 6.6 million rose stems (178,200 kg) were processed which is a 31 per cent increase compared to last year. Top Indian cities to receive the Valentine's week consignment were Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, <keyword id="35727" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="guwahati" source="Orion">Guwahati</keyword>, <keyword id="16541244" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bagdogra-ahmedabad" source="Orion">Bagdogra, Ahmedabad,</keyword> Kochi, Darbhanga, Chandigarh and Patna which are among 34 domestic destinations, said the spokesperson. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/sensex-nifty-rise-for-2nd-day-on-gains-in-oil-it-banking-shares/articleshow/97950784.cms">Sensex, Nifty rise for 2nd day on gains in oil, IT &amp; banking shares</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/infra-housing-projects-to-keep-indias-cement-demand-strong-moodys/articleshow/97946657.cms">Infra &amp; housing projects to keep India’s cement demand strong: Moody’s</a>

Love is in the air, rose shipments at Bangalore airport went up 14% on V-day

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Burj Al Arab Jumeirah is one of the world's most iconic luxury hotels on a manmade island in Dubai.</li><li>Roger Geadah is the hotel's chief concierge, who organizes custom experiences for guests.</li></ul>The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel in Dubai is "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/burj-al-arab-dubai-worlds-most-luxurious-hotel-2018-12">the most luxurious hotel in the world</a>," Business Insider previously reported.It's also perhaps the most well-known building in Dubai. From postcards to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/942335924/burj-al-arab-jumeirah/">Instagram posts</a>, the towering, modern structure serves as a recognizable staple of the city's skyline.Shaped to look like a sail and set on its own manmade island, the $1 billion architectural marvel is known for outlandishly luxurious details from multi-level suites to drinks topped with 24-karat-gold sparkles, according to BI.It also has eight restaurants, Michelin-starred menus, an award-winning spa, multiple pools, and 198 suites, each with a view of the Arabian Gulf and starting rates of $1,455.The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah has won countless awards since it opened in 1999, from Travel and Leisure's World's Best Hotels to Elite Traveler's World's Finest Suites in 2025, according to the company's website.And much of this glamorous reputation is due to its over-the-top hospitality. Beyond indulgent amenities, the hotel pampers guests with high-end service where no detail is overlooked.The secret sauce behind this approach is Roger Geadah, the hotel's chief concierge.<h2>Meet the chief concierge at the world's most luxurious hotel who caters to guests' every whim</h2><div type="image" title="Bridges and palm trees line a canal with the hotel visible in the back center of the image at dusk." height="3425" width="5138" msid="106907652" hostid="261" sizebytes="2073638"></div>As the hotel's chief concierge, Geadah's job is to handle all guest requests, no matter how extravagant — and they often are.Geadah has been in the concierge industry for nearly 20 years in Paris and Dubai before joining Burj Al Arab Jumeirah as chief three years ago.In this role, he pampers guests upon arrival to personalize and tailor each stay with custom itineraries designed to bring guests' dream experiences to life, he told Business Insider.Those requests can range from tough-to-get restaurant reservations to VIP access of all sorts.Geadah recalled a guest who was checking in late at night and wanted designer clothes with custom tailoring delivered to his room upon arrival."We went fetching after hours in the Dubai Mall designer stores," he said. "Most of them were closed, but we managed to get one store and deliver the clothes at 2 a.m. in the corridor next to the guest's suite.<div type="image" title="Inside the hotel lobby, there's a gray, geometric fountain in front of and below the hotel's white walls, blue ceilings and gold pillars" height="3456" width="5184" msid="106907655" hostid="261" sizebytes="1058130"></div>But his most <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/burj-al-arab-hotel-dubai-inside-most-expensive-suite-extra-2019-12">over-the-top </a>assignments often involve coordinating the details of major life milestones, such as planning intricate marriage proposals.One instance took place in the Dubai desert with a ring delivered by a falcon in a hot air balloon, while another sent a drone in the sky to spell out "Will you marry me?" for guests waiting in a decked out yacht below.In addition, he also plans exclusive experiences only available at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, such as a high-end, exclusive star-gazing experience on the hotel's helipad.<h2>As chief concierge, Geadah handles many extravagant requests, but finds less lavish offerings to be just as magical</h2><div type="image" title="A mostly empty beige alley with beige buildings, pathways, and awnings in Dubai" height="3847" width="6000" msid="106907679" hostid="261" sizebytes="1723204"></div>Not all of Geadah's recommendations are so luxurious. In fact, he prefers to suggest that guests visit the more accessible — and less glitzy — parts of the city."My favorite kinds of guests are not familiar with the city, come with an open mind, and want to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-know-before-traveling-to-dubai-uae-2023-12">discover Dubai</a>," he said. "I guide them through the city in terms of restaurants, activities, attractions, or events."For example, Geadah said he loves to give <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-bagel-in-new-york-food-tours-food-insider-2023-10">local food tours</a> in Dubai's Old Town."It's not the Dubai aesthetic that people might be familiar with," he said, "Yet the experience that you get when discovering local eateries is quite magical on a different scale."Geadah particularly loves the atmosphere in Deira, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/abandoned-ghost-town-great-smoky-mountains-tour-of-cabins-2023-5">historic district</a>."It has that sense of nostalgia and traditional Dubai," he began, "like when Dubai was just a modest fishing village back in the day, and locals were looking for pearls to trade for silk fabrics in India."From <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-travelers-splurge-on-for-vacation-trends-2023-11">luxury experiences</a> to down-to-earth tours, Geadah said fulfilling these requests is always rewarding.It comes with a feeling that the memories will stay with the guests forever, and that's what keeps us going," he said. "It gives us that energy kick, and we keep asking ourselves, what could we do better or — crazier — next time?"

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