Visit Dubai | Travel Tips | Frank Furness

I love Dubai and have been doing business there for the past 15 years, up to 3 trips a year.

I have seen it grow from a sleepy town with big aspirations into one of the most vibrant places on the planet to visit.

Every time I travel there I am amazed at the new hotels, roads and shopping malls.

Here are some of my tips when visiting Dubai

Culture – Although Dubai is a Muslim Emirate, about 80% of the people working there are expats. When you visit, you will feel like to are in any other Western Country. 

Saying that, always remember that it is a Muslim country and respect their culture and traditions.

I always find Dubai very easy going and can walk around with shorts, sandals and a t-shirt and the ladies don’t have to cover up. Dress is like any Western country. 

You will see many locals in the shopping centers, many men together in groups enjoying coffee or with three or four wives. Please respect their privacy and don’t photograph them, they are a quiet, gentle and respectful nation.

You need to also get used to Middle Eastern timings and the way of doing business.

Things hardly ever run on schedule and you must adjust to that. 

I recently presented at a large conference and was supposed to present from 2.30 to 4. 

At 3.30 I was still in the Green room chatting to the organizers and when everything finally kicked off at 4, there was a lot of local formalities and introductions and I finally took to the stage at 4.30, a half hour after I should have finished.

This has happened so often, but I don’t let it get to me although I am such a stickler for time.

You will also find people taking calls or checking emails during meetings and being a conference speaker, found it really frustrating to see people walking in and out during the presentation. 

When I first started working here many years ago and I expressed my frustrations to the organizer. He just said that that was the way it was in the Middle East and I would have to accept it and now I just go with the flow

Business – When I do business there, it reminds me of London and I wear dark suits, white shirts and lace up shoes. Speaking at large conferences in Dubai and doing business in the financial sector, I have always dressed formally and fitted in well. 

Remember, most of the time you will be doing business with other expats from around the world, Royal families, governments or locals. 

When doing business with locals, do not be surprised if they don’t answer emails immediately (or at all) and then call at the last moment with a decision and you have to run around frantically to make things happen.

Climate  - I love the sun, so Dubai’s climate suits me well. 

Try to avoid June, July and August when the heat is unbearable.

My favorite months to visit are December and February. The days are hot and the evenings slightly cool. Expect average temperatures of around 35%

Hotels – In all the times I have visited to Dubai, I have never experienced a bad hotel.

Dubai has aspirations to be the vacation capital of the world and the standards of the hotels are better than anywhere else I have traveled. 

Staff are clean, friendly, professional and highly trained and whatever position they have in the hotel, this is their career. 

In England many hotel staff are working in hotels until something better comes along, not so in Dubai…

My nephew works at the JW Marriott in Dubai and he shared with me that the training and standards are the very high and they are measured on everything.

My favorite hotel group is the Intercontinental and I am a Platinum Ambassador which guarantees room upgrades, welcome drinks and amenities.

On my latest visit, I wasn’t disappointed, given a huge suite with a massive balcony and the staff were great. 

My favorite hotel though is the Le Royal Meridien where I normally stay and it is run by  Pam Wilby, who I wrote about in my book ‘Walking with Tigers’. 

She is a legend in hospitality and her hotel has consistently been voted the best hotel in the Middle East and last year voted the best Spa hotel in the world. 

If you can, that is the hotel I personally recommend and if you get a chance meet ‘Roy the Butler’ who I speak about in my seminars on world class service and watch my video interview with him.

Immigration – Again probably the best in the world with more counters than anywhere else and I always feel good when they look at my passport, look into my eyes and say, ‘Welcome back Frank’.

Once again, a reflection on the training and standards.

Travel – Travel used to be easy with the taxis, but traffic is now the same as any other major city, crazy….

Airport – Together with Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Koh Samui, this is one of my favorite airports. 

The shopping is the best at any airport and the prices good. I always stock up on my Cuban cigars here and they about half the price of any other duty free.

I normally avoid shopping at any duty free around the world as I have found them to always be more expensive that shopping locally. Not so in Dubai, except at Starbucks who wanted to charge Dhms7 for a bottle of water that was Dhms2 next door at the duty-free shop, what a rip-off….

When I mentioned this to the cashier at Starbucks, he just smiled and said smart people never buy water from them.

Airline

Emirates, together with Qatar and Singapore Airlines are my favorite airline (British Airways my worst).

The aircraft are new and most of the time I will be flying on the A380 which is so smooth. The service is great and you will normally find the staff number up to 15 nationalities, so no matter what language you speak there will be someone that can help.

Taxis are clean and inexpensive and they will not try to rip you off as if you report them they will probably be winging their way back to where they came from.

I normally like to stay at the beach or Marina area near Jumeriah or the famous ‘walk’ and taxi fare will cost around Dhms120 (around $35) 

I love going to the shopping malls and attractions, but end up spending frustrating time sitting in the taxi in traffic.

On my recent visit I decided to use the tram and Metro and was blown away. The tram does a circular route around the Marina and connects with the Metro which travels all over Dubai. A day ticket cost me Dhms21 (around $6) and gave me unlimited travel anywhere until midnight. 

The system is spotless and efficient and even goes to the airport. I would highly recommend this for any travel you do in Dubai.

Drinking – you can only drink at hotels and it is expensive. A while ago a friend and I had a jug of beer at the Jumeriah Beach hotel which cost $100, he hasn’t been back since.

Places to visit – Apart from the great hotels and beaches, there is so much to do in Dubai. 

Remember, Dubai has the highest building in the world, the Burj Al Khalifa (which you must visit), 

the biggest shopping center (Dubai Mall, ladies, their shoe section is bigger than most standard malls) and the only mall with a Ski slope inside (Mall of the Emirates) which you must visit. 

They are building the biggest park (that will dwarf Central park), have the highest hotel (JW Marriott Marquis) and are building the fastest train, from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, a distance of 120 kilometers in 15 Minutes.

They are also currently completing the biggest Ferris wheel in the world.

They also boast the only two ‘Seven star’ hotels in the world and it is worth a visit to the Burj al Arab although they will probably charge toy $30 just to see the hotel.

Dubai has the finest restaurants in the world and attract the rich and famous, many of who have houses there. 

When my nephew worked at Nobu Restaurant, he said that on a daily basis you would have famous sports stars visiting and he met the Kardashians and enjoyed some jokes with Samuel Jackson.

If visiting these high rolling places, you will see money being spent like nowhere else on the planet with people paying $500 for a single malt or glass of Krystal.

You have to take a visit to the Gold and spice souks and I love doing a Dhow trip in the evening.

For sports enthusiasts, Dubai has some of the best polo, golf courses and horse racing tracks to be found anywhere.

You have to try the amusements parks, Legoland for the children and the water parks. I remember going down the highest water slide in the world, terrifying…

A visit to the Atlantis Hotel on the Palm (also a great hotel to stay) gives you access to swimming and playing with the dolphins. 

One of my favorite things to do is the 4x4 desert excursion. They are fairly scary and you explore the sand dunes, but the drivers are amazing. These finish with a BBQ in the middle of the desert at midnight with entertainment, something you must put on your list.

You can spent fortunes in the best shopping malls in the world or visit Deira where they take you into the back rooms and you can buy any fake imaginable.

Conclusion.

Dubai is a city that you either love or hate (I can’t understand that people don’t like it). It is pretentious, expensive, exciting, world class hotels and restaurants and I can’t wait for my next trip.

Sicily Italy | Travel Tips | Frank Furness

Travel and Speaking Tips - England

We moved from South Africa to England fifteen years ago and for four years I worked in the City of London. It is now one of my favourite cities in the world. Flattened and rebuilt several times in the course of its long life, London is a fascinating combination of the new mingled with the very old. It has been said that when you tire of London, you tire of life. There is plenty to see and do and it is heralded as the theatrical centre of the world. Some of the great attractions include, The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, The Eye of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey to name just a few.

Oxford Street is famous for its shopping and if your credit card stretches far enough, visit Harrods, one of the most exclusive department stores in the world.

The transport system is great to get around with when you don’t have a car with the ‘underground tube’ taking you wherever you want to go. A one-day travel card costs around £8 and gives you unlimited travel on the tube and London’s double decker buses. A cab drive with the London Black Taxis is a great experience and if your driver is a cockney, you’ll love the rhyming slang language and their sense of humour.

Dining out is a wonderful gastronomic experience with different ethnic foods to tempt your palate and there are many good and also many not so good hotels to stay in and the small size of some hotel rooms are a disappointment to many visitors. Don’t be surprised when you see the prices, as London is well renowned to be one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Moving out of London, a short drive or rail trip will take you to the beautiful town of Windsor renowned for Windsor Castle, one of the Queen’s residences and Eton College where many of the Royals complete their education. The vast countryside in Britain is a wonderful sight to behold and the little villages along the way offer exquisite antique shops to visit, country tea houses serving fresh scones, jam and cream and interesting places to visit.


A day at Henley on Thames for the boat races is a must - see the photograph above.

British audiences are wonderful, but you need to do some research. They are very conservative and do not enjoy talks that encourage audience participation. Some time ago, an American speaker who was on the same programme as me started his talk by asking the audience to stand and repeat, “I feel good, I feel fine, I’m fantastic all the time”. The audience was very embarrassed and his talk went downhill from there. The English sense of humour is very different from that of the Americans as is their taste in sport. The British are passionate about “football”, rugby and cricket and have very little knowledge of American football, basketball, baseball or ice hockey.

Watch the television, travel in the city, read the newspapers and then adapt your talk accordingly. Many of my friends from the USA have adapted their talks and consequently have been invited back numerous times.

There are many excellent venues to speak at, my favourite being the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, which is two hours north of London. Manchester, the home of the football team Manchester United also offers many speaking opportunities and is the second largest city in England.

There are around 35 bureaus in the UK, but they are different to many other countries in that they are very much celebrity focused. The British love celebrities, sports stars and TV personalities, so it can take a while to establish yourself with them if you are a business speaker. I work with about four bureaus who I have established a good relationship with, and then concentrate on my own marketing efforts to keep the diary full.

There are many CEO groups where you will be in front of prospective clients as well as numerous networking organisations. Always contact the Professional Speakers Association to attend some of the meetings while you are here.

Next month, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

Frank Furness CSP CFP TOT is a professional speaker and trainer specialising in technology, sales and customer service. He has educated, entertained and inspired audiences in 48 countries. Frank is the author of bestselling books ‘Walking with Tigers – Success Secrets of the World’s Top Business Leaders’ and ‘How to Find New Clients and Business’

NOTE: You're welcome to "reprint" this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the "about the author" info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to frank@frankfurness.com Take a look at other articles, free software and e-Books at http://www.frankfurness.com/

Download 39 Power Sales Closing Scripts at http://www.frankfurness.com/closingscripts.cfm

For more articles, please take a look at my website http://www.frankfurness.com and please download complimentary eBooks and software at http://www.frankfurnessresources.com

Speaking in Hong Kong

Welcome to Hong Kong. How many of us can remember the old airport with the runway in the sea and the greatest challenge for every airline pilot. All that has changed now and Hong Kong airport is amongst the most modern in the world. A short train ride on a clean modern express takes you into either Kowloon or the Island of Hong Kong.

It is a country of fascination, history, and wonderful foods and of course the best shopping in the world. The main business district is on the Island of Hong Kong in the “central” district. It is easy to get around as the MTR underground is fabulous, clean, efficient and always on time. I normally buy an “octopus” ticket for HK$150 (approx US$20) and this can be used for a week. The hotels are first class as are the restaurants but be prepared, Hong Kong is an expensive city. Taxis are efficient but get your hotel to write out the address, as many taxi drivers don’t understand English. Most speaking venues are in the hotels or at the World Trade Centre and are super efficient. Do your homework before you go. I made some unforgivable blunders in the beginning. The first time I went to Hong Kong, I spoke to a group of approximately 100 Chinese business people. After the talk, many came to meet me and handed their cards to me, which I put into my pocket. I was politely told that I had insulted everyone and was then shown the correct behaviour. The card is handed over and accepted with both hands. You should read it, show appreciation by feeling it and making some gesture and then put it away in your pocket. Always carry a supply of business cards as the culture dictates the swapping of cards immediately.

As I travel to Hong Kong about 4 to 6 times a year, I bought some books on Chinese etiquette, which has assisted me tremendously. The Chinese can appear almost shy to start with, but they enjoy entertainment as much as anyone else. Your talk must contain many educational points, as this is a priority. The people are serious, professional and the hardest working nation I have come across. Never be late for an appointment.

Always expect the unexpected. On a recent trip I spoke to the sales force of a Chinese client that I had worked with twice before. They had moved into new offices where I would be speaking. They have a sales force of around a hundred people and I was expecting to speak in an auditorium. I was surprised to find that I was speaking in a huge office where they would all be sitting at their desks watching me on three giant TV screens. I was standing at the front of the office on a platform where a cameraman was filming and projecting the images (it reminded me of the old machine shops where everyone would be sitting working while an overseer controlled things from the front.)

My next talk was at the FCC (Foreign Colonial Club) and I arrived very early to get a feel of the venue. It was a breakfast talk and the room had been set up taking every last bit of space and leaving no room for the speaker. I quickly had to rearrange things and a factor that I take into account when I speak anywhere in the world is to be very specific about the arrangements and still always arriving early. I arrange a lot of my own speaking tours and it is up to me to ensure that everything meets the client’s expectations. I always tell my Chinese audiences that they can laugh, ask questions and enjoy themselves. Their culture dictates that normally the leader of the group would answer all questions. I am a very enthusiastic speaker and tend to speak fairly quickly, when speaking English to the Chinese I need to be very aware that I need to slow down and ensure that I am understood.

If you enjoy shopping (like me), there is no place like Hong Kong. There are shops literally everywhere. I have found the best places to shop in Mongkok, which contains a ladies market and night market, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui. Gadget junkies will lose themselves at Star City and Wanchai Computer Centre. Nightlife abounds with wonderful restaurants and bars around Soho and Lan Kwai Fong. Taking a trip up the cable car will give you a spectacular view of the city. Take a bus ride to Stanley Bay where you can pick up all kinds of bargains at Stanley market like a beautiful silk tie for about US$1.50. Visit Happy Valley Racetrack or take a boat ride to Aberdeen to see a city of boat people. Enjoy the “Star Ferry” from Hong Kong to Kowloon with the locals or take the hovercraft to Discovery Bay for a game of golf. One of my favourite places is the Island of Chin Chau and a half hour ferry ride will take you to the favourite holiday resort of the locals. Beautiful beaches, no cars (only bicycles) and the best seafood will have you returning more than once. Another hovercraft trip will take you to the Island of Macau, which was previously under Portuguese rule and still has all the influences. The Island of Lantau has the giant Buddha and visit Sea Park with its cable cars that will give you a spectacular view of Hong Kong and will take you to the world’s longest escalator. Speaking opportunities abound, so get it to the top of your “opportunity” list.

If you ever get the opportunity speak in Hong Kong, the people are wonderful and the food and shopping great!

For more articles, please take a look at my website http://www.frankfurness.com and please download complimentary eBooks and software at http://www.frankfurnessresources.com


Frank Furness CSP CFP TOT is a professional speaker and trainer specialising in financial services sales and sales management. He has educated, entertained and inspired audiences in 48 countries. His publications and sales CDs have been sold globally. For more information or to sign up for the free ‘Sales Tips & Ideas’ newsletter, email frank@frankfurness.com and for resources take a look at http://www.frankfurness.com and http://www.frankfurnessresources.com
NOTE: You're welcome to "reprint" this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the "about the author" info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to frank@frankfurness.com Take a look at other articles, free software and e-Books at http://www.frankfurness.com/
Download 39 Power Sales Closing Scripts at http://www.frankfurness.com/closingscripts.cfm

Public Speaking and Sales Tips by Frank Furness

Public Speaking and Sales Tips by Frank Furness: "To all my Chinese friends around the world, I hope you had an enjoyable New Year. For us the year has started with a bang with a few trips to Asia, the most enjoyable being speaking and visiting in Saigon in Vietnam.
It is one of the countries that I have always wanted to visit. I added some days onto my speaking engagement and decided to explore."

Public Speaking and Sales Tips by Frank Furness

Public Speaking and Sales Tips by Frank Furness: "Planning for 2007
It’s that time of year again, when we decide that we’re going to hit the gym every day to lose those excess pounds we have just gained and get a body like a Greek God. It’s the time we plan to spend much more time with the family, less time at work but at the same time make a ton of money this year so that we can retire in the sunshine and spend our days travelling to exotic places."