The first budget airline in the region will benefit from the economic downturn as passengers seek less expensive flights The carrier just opened a third hub in Egypt, indicating a new phase of expansion from its Sharjah and Casablanca bases. Growth in its Sharjah hub is expected to slow and the carrier will try to springboard into the region using funds from its 2007 initial public offering, commercial success, and wealth of experience.
Air Arabia is franchising its brand throughout the Middle East. Last week the carrier launched Air Arabia Egypt, a joint venture with Travco group that will fly to destinations in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Air Arabia launched its Sharjah hub six years ago but the Middle East continues to be under represented by budget airlines. Nomura Securities research shows budget carriers account for about 7 per cent of air travel in the region compared to about 25 per cent in Europe, Asia, and North America.
The Lincoln Park Zoo was founded in 1868 and is one of the oldest zoos in America. Its beginnings were humble enough, with a donation of swans from New York's Central Park. The animal collection has expanded slowly over time. The Lion House was built in 1912 and the Monkey House in 1927. Today the zoo is home to around 1,250 animals. The Kovler Lion House is a bit of a...
Address: just ahead of the Medeu Ice Skating Rink A large, 6 million cubic meters reservoir, situated 1900 meters above sea level, built in 1956 to protect Almaty from frequent landslides in the spring due to melting of ice. You can go see the dam either by car or on foot – park your car at the skating rink. Going on foot is definitely a much more enriching experience – you can never get eno...
This strip, which runs on both banks of a canal and are linked by a twinkling bridge, has a great assortment of cafes, restaurants and family-orientated entertainment. The strip itself is a car-free zone and strolling is encouraged though be prepared for crowds on Friday nights and Saturdays. For a grand view of the city there is the Eye of the Emirates (Sun-Thu 4pm-midnight, Fri 4pm-1am, Sat 10am...
During Roman times, Umm Qais was known as Gadara. It was a city of the Decapolis, a loose confederation of cities in the Roman province of Syria. Other members included Philadelphia (Amman), Gerash, and Damascus. Gadara thrived under the Romans, but quickly declined after their empire fell. It was a small village when Islam arrived in the seventh century, and abandoned soon...