Last year I exclusively revealed that cut-price airline king Stelios Haji-Iannou was coming to the Middle East to launch a chain of budget hotels. So far the plans are well underway and Stelios is hoping to offer visitors to places such as Dubai decent accommodation for just US$30 a night. So impressed has Stelios been with doing business in the region, my sources tell me he is already looking at bringing his easycar rental business here — where you can rent a car for just US$18 a day.
“We started off with the budget hotels idea but in a place like Dubai, there is a lot of emphasis on the high end market. What we think is missing is the fact that a lot of people who come here for a holiday would like to do it on the cheap. That’s where we come in,” says my source.
Expect an announcement within the next two months.
Bahrain, here we come
If one member of the Jackson family was not enough, I hear Bahrain may soon have three. Two years ago superstar Michael Jackson took residence in the Kingdom, where his brother Jermaine already has a home.
Now, I am told, sister Janet has been to Bahrain and is also house hunting.
“They like it there because they walk down the street and nobody recognises them. It is one of the very few places in the world where they can do this,” says a source.
That said I fear the Jacksons are getting fed up of not being noticed. Word is all three will be guests of honours at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April this year.
George’s grills
You can’t beat former boxing champ George Foreman when it comes to a good sales pitch. Foreman stole the show at the launch of his new G5 grills in Dubai recently, telling his audience they are an absolute must-have product.
“When I look around Dubai I see a phenomenon. Kind of like when King Solomon was visited by Queen Sheba, that was a phenomenon. And now this city deserves the most phenomenal grilling machine ever made — the new G5 George Foreman grill.”
Needless to say, most were sold out within minutes. Genius.
Change of plan
Having just signed a US$200m-plus deal with football team Los Angeles Galaxy, it looks like David Beckham won’t be visiting Dubai as much. Which means that his US$10m home on the Palm Islands may soon be up for sale — before the Beckham family has even opened the door. Beckham was due to receive the keys last year but has yet to collect them.
My spies tell me the delay has now worked very well in his favour, explaining: “This new home is already worth US$15m. David didn’t buy it so he could sell it for a quick profit. He genuinely saw it as a great place to live, away from all the limelight. But with the move to California, it’s a bit too far to have a holiday home. So I won’t be surprised if it is soon up for sale.”
Shame. But I doubt Beckham will be too upset with the US$5m profit he is set to bank.
Counting the days
Not long to go now before the greatest event in Dubai’s musical history as far as I am concerned — the Cliff Richard concert on February 2nd. Cliff fans are having difficulty containing their excitement, but I think it’s only going to get worse. Cliff’s dulcet tones are shortly to be heard ahead of his gig at the Dubai Tennis Stadium. Rumour has it that the mega-star’s former band ‘The Shadows’ may also join him on stage. I have no doubt the city will go absolutely crazy for this true living legend.
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