Tag Archives: Yas Island

And we’re off

That sounds like the starting noise of a race and you might not be wrong. You see, Abu Dhabi News gives us ‘Non-oil trade reaches 38.8 billion dirhams in nine months’ that boils down to C$15 billion in Canadian terms (A$ 15.2 billion in Australian settings). That is massive and this is excluding their largest stage, oil. As such it reflects on Real estate, groceries, Apple products and entry tickets to the attractions on Yas Island. This is big! 

We are given “The UAE and Kuwait continue to strengthen their economic and commercial relations through sustained bilateral trade growth, with non-oil trade reaching 50 billion dirhams in 2024, reflecting a 9% increase compared to 45.7 billion dirhams in 2023. This UAE-Kuwait economic partnership demonstrates the strategic depth of cooperation between the two Gulf nations, according to official data from the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism.” The idea that they surpassed their 2024 numbers by well over 9% is reason to give it more attention. It implies that the UAE is surpassing their non-oil stage by approximately 9% year on year. I personally think that their windfall is coming from tourism (with people being fed up with the United States) might speculative, but when you look at the presented windfall that Yas Island is giving Abu Dhabi that  speculation is not that much of a stretch. 

And the settings for a pairing of Kuwait and UAE stage seems a stretch, but as we are given “Kuwait ranks as the 14th largest global trading partner for the UAE in 2024 and fourth among Arab nations. Meanwhile, the UAE serves as Kuwait’s second-largest trading partner worldwide and first among Arab and Gulf states. The Emirates captures approximately 20% of Kuwait’s non-oil exports, according to official statistics.

Additionally, trade between the two countries represented nearly two-thirds of Kuwait’s total trade with GCC countries during 2024. The UAE holds the top position globally in receiving Kuwait’s non-oil exports, accounting for more than 15.7% of Kuwait’s total non-oil export volume. In imports, the Emirates ranked second globally for Kuwait in 2023.” It might not seems that much of a reach. I personally felt that over 5 years ago, the stabilizing factor that Saudi Arabia and the UAE might become to the Arabian table of economic placement was overreach (stated by some) but this news is sounding that I was right all along. As the western press seems to relish breaking up this winning team, there is a setting that we are not looking at. Even if there was some discord between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the need that this is properly looked at requires us all to consider Al Arabiya and the Khaleej Times to be a much better source of information than most of the Western media a they are in league with whatever influencers are baiting their digital dollars and the flames that these players like to present. In addition to the previous quote, it seems relevant to include “The UAE hosts more than 1,700 Kuwaiti trademarks, 13 registered commercial agencies, and 15 Kuwaiti companies, according to Ministry of Economy and Tourism data. Key Kuwaiti investment sectors in the Emirates include financial services and insurance, manufacturing, real estate, information and communications, wholesale and retail trade, mining, construction, hospitality, transportation, and professional services.” It implies that the stabilizing influence of the UAE is growing. Should Bahrain, Oman and Egypt find the solution on this stabilizing dinner table then there is no reason to see the Arab world anything else than part of a new world order where Islam could find its solace that they are well represented. If Saudi Arabia gets Turkey, Libya and Morocco onboard then we get a new setting, not merely an Arab world stage, but an expanding Arab world (something that makes both the United States and Israel frightening) but the reality is that the United States are pretty much done for and they always ‘screamed’ the phrase “Money Talks and bullshit walks”, now that they are held to the same premise might not seem nice but it is the reality they created and now that the $38 trillion of debt is biting them hard as the interest of over a trillion dollars is due every year is downing whatever they have left and as Canada is a commonwealth nation that is liking their optional EU setting and their optional new trading connections to China is setting themselves up for a larger slice of the economic pie, whilst the pie of the United States is getting smaller by the quarter. In that setting The Arab World is the new larger stage player that is seen in a positive light by both China and the EU and those Islamophobic influencer stories will be actively banned from the media (about a decade to late) and as such the stabilizing effect that I foresaw about a decade ago is coming to pass into reality. As such the story given to us by Sami Mohamed is not merely reporting it is prophecy coming to pass, but I must admit that it was seemingly my prophecy alone and I am kinda happy that this is happening. It means that I saw the stages over the last decade correctly and whatever ‘pseudo’ economists and journalists who were stating that the US economy is doing great are now in a ratchet state of denial and hiding behind excuses like ‘it was a complex situation’ my response? I saw it as a non-economist, you should have been on board from the get go. And I might do this later as I put it in my blog and recall their responses holding my non-economic degrees against their so called decades of expertise and time is my ally here. As the reports are set to Internet and their publications, I merely need to keep record and that might be frightening to them, but it is what it is and the settings by others are proving me right.

Within half a century the Arab world went from ‘appeasing nation’ into the invited head setting of any table and they waited long enough. Now those who called them ally (at a cost) are pulled into the limelight and held in front of a mirror. As such the Abu Dhabi News gave me more than one reason to celebrate and I reckon there is more to come, we only concluded one month in 2026, I reckon that by month 8 a lot more clarity is seen in several connections. 

So you all have a great day, I am feeling fine at present.

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The question remains

I am not here to pass judgement, because I have no idea what is at stake. You see, for most of the time (all of the time) I was in the understanding there was Yemen, the partially disposed Yemeni government and the Houthi terrorists. That is pretty much all of what I knew and now I learn that there are more sides to this. I actually figured this out around Christmas, so when I got the news that there is a rift between the UAE and Saudi Arabia I was confused (and massively unhappy). You see, I like both countries and it is becoming an issue where the child (me) needs to choose between his two parents (KSA and UAE) and that is making me unhappy. I for one still am in the dream settling one day retiring to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, but I would still also like to visit Riyadh and the KSA. So this does not seem like a happy moment at present.

As such the New York Times (at https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-uae-yemen-separatist-zubaidi.html) is giving us ‘Saudi Official Accuses U.A.E. of Helping Yemeni Separatist to Escape’ and we are given “Aidarous al-Zubaidi is wanted on treason charges in Yemen after he led a lightning military offensive that escalated a bitter feud between the Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

We are also given that Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leader of the Southern Transitional Council, in Aden, Yemen is seen as the group that has been pushing for an independent state in southern Yemen, with Emirati backing. And we see “Saudi Arabia on Thursday accused its neighbor and ally the United Arab Emirates of helping a separatist leader wanted on treason charges to escape Yemen, a claim that deepens a rift between two regional powerhouses. The separatist leader, Aidarous al-Zubaidi, leads a group called the Southern Transitional Council, which has been pushing for an independent state in southern Yemen, with Emirati backing.” And in addition we are given “Saudi intelligence determined that Mr. al-Zubaidi fled Yemen on a boat to Somalia early Wednesday morning and that he took a plane from there to the Emirates, according to Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen”. Oh, on a side note, congratulations to Turki al-Maliki, in getting promoted to Major General, last time I mentioned him he was still a Colonel. You might not think it is important, but his reports on the Houthi terrorists are beyond reproach (as I see it), as such I trust his intelligence and reporting on face value at present. In this setting we see there are a lot more settings to this and I am not passing judgement on them, but I am passing judgement on the western media as they have left us in the dark on most of this. So whilst we are given “A spokesman for the Southern Transitional Council, Anwar al-Tamimi, said by phone that the coalition’s statement was false and that Mr. al-Zubaidi remained in southern Yemen. The Emirati government did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Times could not immediately confirm Mr. al-Zubaidi’s whereabouts.” And as the Times could not verify his whereabouts, I merely see a setting that likely confirms the intelligence that the Major General has access to. 

So as we are given “The Saudi allegation was an unusually pointed salvo in the increasingly bitter feud between Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, two key U.S. allies. That feud has escalated since Mr. al-Zubaidi’s group led a lightning offensive across southern Yemen last month, seizing strategically located, oil-rich territory. Saudi officials denounced those moves, which encroached on a region bordering the kingdom, saying they threatened national security. This past weekend, forces allied with the internationally recognized Yemeni government recaptured most of the territory, plus some additional areas, with Saudi support.” I feel that this is another instance where the western media is betraying its readers by keeping them in the dark. 

So personally I am wondering what exactly the Southern Transitional Council is and what their motives are. Yes I see that the implications are that they want to slice up Yemen, I think that this is a bad thing, but that is me reacting on limited intelligence. If this setting proceeds the Houthi terrorists get to play piggy in the middle (is that an acceptable expression in a muslim setting?) with two governments in Yemen. It enables too many options for the Houthi forces and I cannot see if I am right or if I am wrong. Personally there should be no transition until the Houthi terrorists are permanently dealt with, but that I merely me and I could be way wrong here.

So as we see “Mohammed al-Ghaithi, a member of the delegation, said in a social media post on Thursday that the delegation “valued the efforts of our brothers in Saudi Arabia to invite us and host a conference on southern dialogue.”” We can clearly see that there is a dialogue with Saudi Arabia, with the additional “General al-Maliki said that Saudi intelligence had learned that Mr. al-Zubaidi had fled to Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital, transiting via Somaliland with the Emirates’ help. The Emirati government has cultivated close ties to Somaliland, a breakaway state strategically located in the horn of Africa, roughly 200 miles by sea from Aden.” And here I get all kinds of confused interactions in my brain, but the clear picture is missing. The New York Times gives us a good story and that is fine, but the larger setting of the STC is missing, and without that there remains several settings of doubt and I already voiced one of them. The article ends with a question I can get behind “It is unclear why the Emirates backed the group. Some analysts speculate that the Emirati leadership would like to hold sway in Yemeni ports located on global trade routes. Emirati officials say only that they stand by Yemenis’ rights to security and self-determination. Yemen was divided into two countries for much of its modern history, before uniting in 1990.” But as it is stated, Yemen was divided into two countries so what were they originally? Considering that this was merely 35 years ago, there is a larger setting this implies that this was within one generation, so there might be issues with that generation. So as the New York Times is one of the few that is giving us a lot more than the rest is, it gives an incomplete picture and that has me wondering how my views needs some correction, not about the Houthi terrorists. They are terrorists plain and simple. There are however other setting which are not known to me and it gives a confusing setting (to me at least).

So have a great day today and I am considering  life on Iceland (it is 44 degrees celsius in my room at present, which is 3 degrees worse than yesterday).

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Wrong premise

That is what I see when I get the news from CBC at present. There are two articles in play. The first one (at https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-big-step-back-from-us-data-1.7637651) where we see ‘Canadians are taking a big step back from the U.S. — and here’s the data to prove it’ giving us the settings around American travel and goods. What was a little surprise that export to the UK had risen over 60%. With “Canadian exports to the U.S. have dropped off while those to non-U.S. foreign countries have surged — a pattern that could accelerate further as the government races to cut new trade deals and help businesses capitalize on the ones that have already been signed.” And as I see it, this setting will merely increase when Canada starts infringing on American exports to Australia by setting a stronger vibe towards Canadian Tire. And I reckon that Simons could make a decent entry into Sydney and Melbourne as well. 

You see the entire commonwealth is fed up with the White House and its [CENSORED] whatever. He might have thought that he was making pointers by slapping the ABC reporter around asking valid questions in the UK, but the answer was not accepted and we have an issue with bully tactics. 

So as the US Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra thinks (at https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/us-ambassador-to-canada-disappointed-anti-american-campaign-1.7637534) that the setting of “The U.S. ambassador to Canada is expressing frustration over the anti-American sentiment he sees in this country, including from politicians, after U.S. President Donald Trump hit most of the world with tariffs.” Which might have caused concern with Mexico (not his bother), United Kingdom (not his bother), Australia (not his bother) and the EU (not his bother either). The thing that is in his plate are the 51st state mentions. That got the Canadians in an uproar and for the most other Commonwealth nations as well. There is no mention of that from him, is there. I get it. He is the American Ambassador to Canada and he doesn’t want to acknowledge the failings of his own government. He is all about calling waves, but the fact that he is unsuccessful, is due to the larger failing of his own government. So as we get “Hoekstra said Prime Minister Mark Carney’s remark in the House of Commons on Monday that Canada currently has “the best deal with the U.S. worldwide right now” has helped “take the tone and tenor of the debate down.”” Is merely the beginning of a new chapter. The old chapter is now done for and Canada will seek other venues for their goods, as such Mexico and the Commonwealth are larger allies Canada can count on. There is also the setting of the EU and optionally Saudi Arabia and the UAE. You see, it is time for Canada to seek out the revenue spending nations (Saudi Arabia and the UAE). There might be a larger audience for the CG634 currently in use in Canada and the Ukraine (the last one die to donations by Canada) as such there is ample evidence that these helmets hold up in battle. And there is more Canadian hardware that could be sold to both Saudi Arabia and the UAE. And as Canada is developing technology to counter hypersonic missiles. There is every chance that Saudi Arabia might be up for a new trade partner, if only not to be dependent on China, replacing China with America gives them a similar dependency and there Canada (Aussies too) might be a willing trade partner. And again America is seeing the short end of that trade deal and it pays for Canada to seek visibility of Canadian Tire to whatever either Saudi Arabia and the UAE have. All options that are out in the open. 

The wrong premise is not that we are sick and tired of America (optionally that too), but when. America collapses, which is not that far away at present we all need alternatives and seeking them out now is merely good business. And in light of the disaster that Disney unfolded, there is a definite chance that there are options in tourism too in Yas Island and in Jeddah too. A 3.2 million population in the Mecca province is likely to need all kinds of entertainment and as the banning of Jimmy Kimmel is said to have cost Disney a simple $3,800,000,000 there is every chance that Disney needs to tighten the belt as of this year. All settings that the American Administration called on the world and the world is answering by looking for goods elsewhere. 

So as I see it the premise we see is incorrect, everyone has had enough of the tantrums of an American Administration that can’t get his head in the game and as everyone in the Business Intelligence can tell you, loyalty was a 1960 term that cannot hold up, not after 50 years.

Have a great day today this Monday, but not to fret, Friday is merely 4 days away now.

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In other bad news

That is how it reads, is this the reality of things? That remains to be seen, but as I see it, there is a rolling effect. A news source gave me this morning that IndiGo is starting two new routes. One between Abu Dhabi and Visakhapatnam, the other one is between Abu Dhabi and Bhubaneswar. They represent populations up to 3.2 million people, and that is the direct surroundings of these places. It is important to see that, as that implies that the setting that I predicted that America will lose more and more tourists is starting in this kind of situation. You might give credence to the ‘mumblings’ that this will soon pass over, and perhaps it will. But the direct setting is that those that rely on their one vacation a year, they are choosing Abu Dhabi (and Dubai) over American destinations. So when you decide to trust ‘The US tourism slump that never happened’ (source: Financial Times), or perhaps ‘Desperate U.S. Hotels And Tourism Operators Continue ‘Come Back’ Deals For Canadians’ (source: The travel) you are looking in the wrong direction. Yes, in a few years travel to the USA will bounce back, it is the next three years that matter and in the meantime the UAE is gaining traction in many ways. And over the next three years it will develop into a main destination for the better part of the globe. In the meantime America will be bleeding losses on all sides. And when the bounce back ‘fails’ or more precisely is delayed. The losses for America will merely add up to a lot more. 

That is beside the larger setting. You see, Visakhapatnam was in 2020 a finalist in the Living and Inclusion category of the World Smart City Awards. As such travel is interesting both ways, it also has its own share of beaches and it is the 5th busiest port in India, as such commerce is likely to blossom between the two nations. As for Bhubaneswar, is a hub of sports and IT in the country. As such there is a larger interaction possible between the two places. All options that are now a moot setting for the EU and America. And the fact that IndiGo is a low cost airline, the tourists cluster that will have the UAE on their international dreamless will increase rather sharply. We might look at all the ‘wealth’ that travels. But for every wealthy traveller the UAE sees, there will be 50 non-wealthy tourists and this amounts to a lot of visitors. I reckon that IndiGo is merely the first to see that influx of tickets sold. I reckon that by late November everything Indian who dreamt of seeing a Formula 1 race with his or her own eyes will flock to the UAE and that is just for starters. As I see it tickets for Yas Island will be the hottest ticket of the year. With all the extras you get to enjoy, the need for hotels and especially low cost hotels will explode in no time flat. 

Just two settings that America is currently missing out on and for the next three years. Have you considered the impact that VISA’s and ‘integrity fee’ options that America thought to help to guide them through. And more bad news in this category (as stated by some for 2026) are discouraging more and more tourists to America and now they have a stellar place to go from March 2024 onwards. And now the setting becomes that more and more are discouraged to visit America as it is seen. The larger setting becomes that Saudi Arabia will from 2027 onwards the next competitors for all these tourists who need a place to go. I reckon that some will chose China as a destination, but the numbers on that remain speculative and is not supported by factual data at present.

Have a great holiday to come in 2025

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Time to poke fun

Yes, that is the starting sound, we need to poke fun at the media. Especially CNN in this instance. The cause of my actions? Well we have the article (at https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/20/travel/abu-dhabi-world-theme-park-capital) giving us ‘Watch out, Orlando, a new world theme park capital is rising in the Arabian desert’, that is the first setting. It isn’t rising it is already here. So it is time to get to the specifics. First we get “a challenger for the crown has emerged from an unlikely place: the deserts of the Arabian Gulf. In a destination once known more for oil wealth and camel racing than roller coasters, Abu Dhabi is building an adrenaline-charged playground that could give Orlando a run for its money.” This is the first setting. It isn’t building it, it is already been built. So is this an article to ‘dissuade’ Americans to go there? They already have build the Warner Bros theme park, complete with hotel. And the guests in that hotel get a free ticket for any of the 4 theme parks, as such you need not be bored. And they are already giving Orlando a run for its money and this Political administration is showing the people there is fun to be had in the UAE, Abu Dhabi and the train gets you to Dubai in 95 minutes. 

Then it is time for some facts and we are given “There was “no question,” says Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney Experiences. The UAE capital, already home to Ferrari World, with the world’s fastest roller coaster; Warner Bros. World (built under license by CNN’s parent company, Warner Brothers Discovery); Yas Waterworld, an epic network of slides and pools; and more recently, SeaWorld Yas Island Abu Dhabi. It’s clear the emirate is emerging as the most serious challenger Orlando has ever faced.” With the worlds fastest rollercoaster, the issue of adrenaline has been set and achieved already.

Then we get “Disneyland Abu Dhabi, expected to open on Yas Island in the early 2030s, will be the company’s most technologically advanced park ever. Renderings show a shimmering, futuristic tower at its center — more closely resembling Abu Dhabi’s gleaming skyline than a traditional European castle. It will be the first Disney resort set on an accessible shoreline, located just 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi.” It is nice that they ‘avoid’ giving the setting that the Harry Potter expansion will be launching somewhere in the latter part of next year. I expect that Disney on Yas will launch no later than 2029, it might be 2028, as such they are a mere 2 years off the timeline. Now, I don’t have any facts on the settings. And if that is the word by Josh D’Amaro then I will concede to that, but the settings that I am seeing are to my knowledge spot on (could be fictive) and in light of the Warner Brothers expansion it my timeline makes sense. All these theme parks are on Yas Island, which is the outskirts of Abu Dhabi, making it part of Abu Dhabi (check a map if you doubt me) and it is right next to Zayed International Airport, so the tourists can shuttle right into any theme park (probably better to check into the hotel). As for ‘downtown’ Abu Dhabi, there is a need to know it, because there are more things to see in Abu Dhabi (like museums and art centers). As for shopping, Yas Island has the Yas mall. A mall so vast and complete that it only has the Dubai Mall as a competitor. 

So what gives? In this instance I am bound to point the finger at the writer Melanie Swan. I have written about Abu Dhabi several times and this article is a mere 12 hours old. So as I see it, there might be a political reason, but not a journalistically reason to write this article. But there are plenty of Monday morning quarterbacks, so to offer an alternative see below for my version of this article.

So this is what I would have written with the data that Melanie Swan had at her disposal. You tell me, what was wrong with CNN going with that article? Have a great day and should you be inclined, consider Abu Dhabi your next holiday destination.

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Reasoning as is

That is at times the setting. We always THINK we know the reason, but do we really? I had my given settings on Abu Dhabi as early as 2025, August 2nd. I spelled it out in ‘As Hogwarts expands’ (at https://lawlordtobe.com/2025/08/02/as-hogwarts-expands/) and I stated “Yas Island becomes the most appealing choice for a whole flock of tourists, now definitely deciding that there will be a viable alternative for Orlando, and when Disney arrives in 2027/2028 also on Yas Island, Florida will see the largest downfall in economy they have ever had.” That was the setting I expected to see. Now we see Forbes (at https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinereid/2025/08/17/the-real-reason-for-building-disneyland-in-abu-dhabi/) giving us two weeks later “It is no secret that Abu Dhabi is building theme parks to diversify its economy. Its fortune was built on fossil fuels but as its reserves are beginning to run out it has brought global theme park giants to its shores to drive tourism revenue. That’s far from the only magic touch they have. Although Abu Dhabi and neighboring Dubai are seen as being playgrounds exclusively for the world’s wealthiest people, the vast majority of their residents are far from billionaires. There is good reason for this.

I tried too get a job there once, I am not in oil (not even olive oil) but I do have a knack for IT and in alway am fluent in Dutch, a skill that I hoped would get me a job with ADNOC. Yet as America was setting the larger premise of a failed government in play, Abu Dhabi was giving me additional settings and if you pay close attention to Yas Island, it could be the lifeline of a larger setting that could given you a heralding ovation when you live there. As the UAE is massively crime free, more reasons to go there. In addition (to what I saw) its that Forbes also gives us “It explains why a staggering 88.5% of the 11.4 million residents of the UAE are expats according to Global Media Insight. The number of expats from the United States is reflected in the vast array of its stores and restaurants which have made their way to the UAE. They include everything from chains like Applebee’s, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit and IHOP to fine dining outlets such as California’s Urth Caffé and Sarabeth’s which began life as a small bakery-kitchen on New York City’s Amsterdam Avenue in 1981.” It is nice to see this, but I have to wonder why they never saw it when I saw the clear signs. And there is not the simple settings of “Although Abu Dhabi and neighboring Dubai are seen as being playgrounds exclusively for the world’s wealthiest people, the vast majority of their residents are far from billionaires.” I agree that is a clear setting, however lines like ‘Abu Dhabi’s real estate market records broad-based growth in first quarter’, ‘Abu Dhabi real estate is on fire in 2025 with deals soaring past Dhs51 billion in just six months’ and ‘Abu Dhabi and Dubai Ranked Top Emerging Global Data Center Markets in 2025 Report’ as well as the setting that 10,000 millionaires are replacing their ‘home’ towns with a proper setting in the UAE.

The is also happening in the last month alone. In support of it all we get ‘How Yas island is shaping Abu Dhabi’s real estate landscape’, as such, Forbes is telling the truth, but it letting certain parts take a backdrop to the larger picture. Abu Dhabi is the new place to be and America needs to realign the stupidity they are handling now. As I see it, their future is depending on it. 

But that is not the only parts. At this point Forbes gives us a side I never really looked at. They give us “It explains why data from the California-based Economic Research Institute shows that the average annual salary in the UAE comes to $48,993 (AED179,949) compared to $66,991 in the U.S., proving that you don’t have to be a billionaire to live there. The UAE has a wide catchment area to draw on as one-third of the world’s population is located within a four-hour flight of the country. It is also part of the largest global airline hub in the world, with 120 million passengers traveling through Abu Dhabi and Dubai each year. In order to welcome them as workers and tourists, the UAE has some of the friendliest visa regulations of any country.” Which is great for two reasons. Everyone likes a good show and an affordable show and the UAE is providing that. In addition, it shows how stupid the American VISA setting is now. As such, try to imagine millions of tourists giving up on America for the next 3 years and pointing their caps at the UAE. Millions of people who think that the hollow setting of America can be let go for at least three years. You wanna bet that this is scaring the theme parks in Orlando (and other cities) to death? 

That is the setting we see evoke the Forbes Article (in case you were willing to denounce what I gave you all). Yet Forbes gives you more. We are also given “The impact of this was laid bare in a separate report by the Khaleej Times in May which revealed that 23.7% of applications for visas to Europe’s Schengen area filed by UAE residents were rejected last year. That’s not because of the UAE, but the diversity of its residents as visa applications are based on nationality. The 11.5% of the population that holds UAE nationality benefits from having the world’s best passport, according to the Arnot Capital Global Passport Power rankings, with visa-free travel to 133 countries. The dark clouds aren’t just hanging over Europe. Recent data from the National Travel and Tourism Office revealed that the number of overseas visitors to the U.S. in July fell 4.9% on the previous year, only reaching around 86.6% of the pre-pandemic level despite it being one of the busiest seasons of the year. It is the latest development in a months-long trend which also saw international arrivals fall 6.6% in June.” As it can be seen, there is every chance that the operator on Yas Island will get a hell of a lot tourists more than it might have considered. All it needs it a great campaign and at present Warner Brothers could be chockablock full from this October until April 2026. Because people in Europe want to escape winter and as I see it, there is only Abu Dhabi as America is dealing with its political administration. As such the Canadians escaping Florida this Winter, these Snowbirds have just been advised of a much larger appealing destination this winter (and the next three years).

As this all comes to pass, America will merely see an incursion of debts, come and harassment, things the tourist does not need. 

As such I say YAY Yas Island, and ADNOC management seeking Dutch translators, please consider me as well.

The reasoning as is, is set to the joy of a vacation, As such the UAE is opening its borders to Abu Dhabi ad Dubai is a mere 30 minute train ride away. Have a terrific day today.

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As Hogwarts expands

That is the setting. We are given ‘Miral extends deadline for tender to build Abu Dhabi’s ‘Harry Potter’ land’ (at https://blooloop.com/theme-park/news/miral-construction-tender-harry-potter-land-abu-dhabi/) the quote is that “Miral has extended a bid submission deadline for a tender to build the new Harry Potter-themed land at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi on Yas Island. Per a report from Middle East media publishing company MEED, the deadline has been extended from 28 July to 4 August.” Implying that next week the Start of a  $545 million – $816m expansion is due to begin. And in addition we are given “Three new rides in Harry Potter land Miral announced the Middle East’s first Harry Potter-themed land in 2022. It will feature iconic locations from the Wizarding World, as well as three new rides, retail outlets, and F&B facilities. The 40,000 M2 addition to Warner Bros. World will join six existing zones in the park – Warner Bros. Plaza, Bedrock, Dynamite Gulch, Cartoon Junction, Gotham City and Metropolis.” As such The staff of Hogwarts will have to endure a rush of people howling “Yabadabadoo” whilst assaulting the death eaters. These death eaters are in a pincer setting as the other side will be shouting “Yibbity-Yabbity-Doo!”, those poor death eaters won’t know what hit them (nyuk, nyuk, nyuk)

And as I see it, the quote “Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Miral, said: “This is yet another testament to our commitment to continue to position Yas Island as a top global destination for entertainment and leisure, and a great addition to Abu Dhabi’s tourism offerings, contributing to the growth and economic diversification of the emirate.”” Is not entirely accurate. It is that international tourism will see Abu Dhabi as a much more appealing destination and with the ‘idiocy’ (as I personally see it) settings that America is setting with immigration, the costly ‘visa integrity fee’ and several other settings. So as I see it, Universal just dished out $7.7 billion USD (Hogwarts is merely a part of it) and the other park in Orlando will have a rather large problem. With the Hogwarts expansion, Yas Island becomes the most appealing choice for a whole flock of tourists, now definitely deciding that there will be a viable alternative for Orlando, and when Disney arrives in 2027/2028 also on Yas Island, Florida will see the largest downfall in economy they have ever had. When millions of tourists will select Abu Dhabi over Florida, the rest will become a mere escalation of something you could have seen coming miles away. But not to worry, I had the setting in view even as the media seems to be coming up short. In addition Abu Dhabi has the Formula 1® Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 4-7 December 2025. I have no idea yet when the 2026 race is on, but for a lot of people combining the two would be preferable. Also there is a lot more around Yas Island. And the UAE has a much better visa setting where it is offered at a mere fraction of what America offers it. The setting was debatable (at best) when America was the only option, but that hasn’t been the case for almost 4 years. So now as America is bleeding money in almost every direction, the people in Europe, Canada, UK, India, Australia, New Zealand and China will consider Abu Dhabi and Yas Island as their destination in 2026, 2027 and 2028. So how many million of people will seek their preferred choice in EuroDisney (Paris), Efteling (Netherlands) and parks in Belgium, Sweden and several others. A setting that was there from the start. 

A setting that will also propel the UAE as a global tourist destination. They already were that, but the millions of Harry Potter fans had Florida, London and Tokyo in their sight, with Abu Dhabi added to the HP arsenal, I reckon that Florida (at present) is allegedly decently  much done for.

Have a great day and when in Abu Dhabi try the Emirati Chabab, it is a famous dish and decently yummy. 

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More bad news?

Yesterday I got some news from FTN News that might spell bad news for America. America is at this moment drowning in tourism ‘debts’ (for a lack of a better word). At present the downfall is set to 29 billion dollar and there are several sources who give us that there is all likelihood that this will not be reversed until 2029. And that is merely the reversal of income (if America does an about face basically today) the loss of income will continue. America will bleed tourism revenue for years to come. And the bad news that is added is seen (at https://ftnnews.com/travel-news/aviation/inside-saudi-arabias-bold-plan-for-a-low-cost-airline-with-45-planes-by-2030/) giving us ‘Inside Saudi Arabia’s Bold Plan for a Low-Cost Airline with 45 Planes by 2030’ where we see “Saudi Arabia’s bold plan for a low-cost airline with 45 planes by 2030 is the Kingdom’s latest move to transform its aviation sector and boost tourism and connectivity” Now don’t think this is a silly notion, but at present in Europe, Canada, Asia, Australia and a few more countries people can only afford one vacation a year and the sewing of cheap holidays to a place where many like to see it, it means that most will contemplate Saudi Arabia against the unwelcoming grounds of America. Considering that the bulk of Muslims (who are about 1.8 Billion, close to 20%) they all will consider Saudi Arabia over America, especially if that comes with lower costs. As such this is almost a slam dunk win for Saudi Arabia. So when we see “The new carrier will be operated by a consortium led by UAE-based Air Arabia, in partnership with Saudi companies Kun Investment and Nesma Group. According to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation, this alliance was awarded the contract to launch the airline after a competitive bidding process that also included Jazeera Airways and other regional players.” It sets a setting that the UAE/Saudi Arabia connection could spell a lot more bad news for certain parties. As stated, base operations might be in Dammam, yet they are aiming to carry at least 10 million passengers per year once fully operational. Its 81-route network—comprising 24 domestic and 57 international destinations will set the fall to others up to 10,000,000 passengers annually and that is merely the beginning. As I see it, the 10,000,000 will grace Dammam, Riyadh, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Considering the simplest setting that many will now be able to afford a trip to Dubai with its 0% taxation and Apple growing there too I expect a boom of people trying to unite cheap vacation with cheap shopping and in that regards Abu Dhabi remains an option for these people. The could visit both with the High Speed train that takes you to the other UAE destination in a mere 35 minutes. So how interesting is that against any place in America? 

So is this a real threat against American revenue? I believe it is and after the bad setting that America pushed itself in, and the upcoming Vision 2030, I reckon that America might get a prolonged bad tourism time going through until 2032/2033, a few years after Disney and Harry Potter theme parks graced Yas Island totaling the amount of theme parks to 6 with the added Yas Island Mall and the F1 races there too. And Harry Potter to be expected to arrive late 2026 and as there is no date for the new Disney park, I expect that this will not happen before early 2027. But that sets a new danger for America getting relieve to its tourism downfall. 

The setting that SeaWorld is an unique place merely sets the premise towards a lot of tourists selecting Abu Dhabi over America and that is merely the start of this matter. So as I see it, whomever invested in the new airline (apparently The NESMA Group and Kun Investment Holding) seem to be riding an great profit venture and as this goes on the investment might turn out to be a golden one and that is before the impact is seen that Neom Bay airport will face and that means tourists will flock towards Trojena and its ski slopes. Yup, the Kun Investment Holding is looking towards the bright side of profits.

So could I be wrong? 
It is a fair question, but the reality is that nearly all people need a vacation and when the price goes down people can do more and as such these 10,000,000 annual places are 10,000,000 that America loses, pretty directly and that is after the losses it is already facing at the moment, as such I feel pretty confident that this will make it, even as it is not the only one in Saudi Arabia. There is also Flyadeal, Flynas and Air Arabia. The fact that Saudi Arabia is ready to expand the tourist game implies that they have been upgrading with a focus and I think it will drive people towards Trojena and Sindalah, which is besides the options that Abu Dhabi and Dubai offer. So as I see it, America will be facing several more hard years and that is if they do an about face on tourism as per today, when they do not, by 2028 Ski tourism will go towards Saudi Arabia as well. A nasty package is coming to the American shores. They did this to themselves, as such I feel it is their own fault. But to see this amount of damage due to the stupidity of America first is pretty laughable in any book you read.

As such have a great day and if you need a point of investment, I reckon having a better look at the Kun Investment Holding might not be a bad idea. Don’t ask me for advice, this is all I see and I am not the expert in investing, but there are good times ahead for Kun Investment Holding.

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The reality of the matter

That is at times a setting we hope to see, but it is only possible if you take the western media out of the picture. I have ‘debated’ this setting a few times earlier and as we discontinue considering the western media as a source we get a very different picture. To ‘support’ my view I had the microphone (or better stated the feather and ink jar, or optionally the keyboard) to AlJazeera who (at https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/11/fact-checking-trumps-claim-of-securing-10-trillion-in-investments-for-us) gives us ‘Fact-checking Trump’s claim of securing $10 trillion in investments for US’ there we see “The White House reports $5.1 trillion in promised investments, with $4.3 trillion newly pledged. But experts say $2.1 trillion may not fully happen.” This setting alone gives us a few ‘issues’. Is the 4.3 trillion part of the 5.1 trillion? But AlJazeera was on the ball, the give us “We tallied the White House’s public lists of investments; they amount to $2.1 trillion in corporate investments, or at most $5.1 trillion when including promised investments from other countries. Experts cautioned that the promised corporate investments are not guaranteed to materialise in full, or during Trump’s presidency, and some of them would have occurred regardless of who was president.” I am willing to ‘ignore’ the part the “some of them would have occurred regardless of who was president” and there is the setting of that sci-fi TV series that the world is investing 500B in called Stargate. But the larger setting is that either 50%, or optionally 41% may not happen, as such we wonder how long does America really have? It is an open question because I actually do not know. The hammering of tourism and small business will have an impact and it goes massively beyond the $21 billion of direct losses that is predicted.

So why bring this up?
Now we get to the real deal, with is given to us by the Arab News (at https://www.arabnews.com/node/2606252/business-economy) where we see ‘Saudi FDI net inflows jump 44% in Q1 to $5.9bn’ as we consider that we are given that “foreign direct investment in the first quarter of 2025, up 44 percent year on year, driven by rising inflows and sharply lower capital outflows”, as such I wonder if the Saudi government might pull investments out of America (a massive speculation on my side) and as I would see it, based on fictive claims by the American administration. And in this I see both the lessened and diminished losses that America will have to fess up to as well as positive investments that are unlikely to come through. It is like these salespeople who made claims in the 90’s that their sales pipeline was almost ‘full’ and that pipeline was riddles with people who were unable to make up their minds, people who are awaiting confirmations of new releases and that kind of ‘issues’. So that ‘full pipeline’ was not considering close to 50% that seemed to be the issues that customers were unable to find peace with. And investors are customers. The sort to not take kindly to corporations (and administrations) not delivering on their promises. That is the setting we might not seem to get a clear view on. All this is happening whist the Guardian gives us “Annualized inflation hit 2.4% in May, up from 2.3% in April, as Trump pushes ahead with controversial trade plans”, so whilst inflation is bringing down the house (as the expression goes) we see the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia getting a 44% boost of FDI in Quarter 1 2025. As such I wonder how many of the not coming through investors in America have decided to alter course and invest in Saudi Arabia. I do not pretend to know, because I do not. Yet the setting that somehow the people have ‘found’ $5.9 billion. It makes muck more logical sense that these so called investors have figured out that Saudi Arabia is a much safer fertile ground for their money trees than America is. That and the report that the UAE has reported that over 9,800 high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) are moving to the UAE. They both make sense and the setting that you do not put all your eggs in one basket (a rule I tend to live by) is speculatively in place. As such these people move to the UAE but put 40% in Saudi Arabia and 40% in the UAE. They are the places where money trees have a decent chance of prospering. That is what the cold data seems to imply to me. So feel free to call my insight wrong, but I feel I have to stand with that. And when you consider the impact that ADNOC has on the UAE and Aramco has on the KSA, these thoughts are likely to be a lot more correct that a journalist claiming that America is sound and safe. The data from the last 8 weeks give me a very different picture and I wrote about it. 

Now that the gloves seemingly come off in the caper between America and Canada seemingly proves me right. In one corner America has an administration that is in conflict with its own Pentagon and a few other matters (like a boasting president) and in the other corner we see Canada with PM Mark Carney who was the former Governor of the British Bank with more degrees than any thermometer has, or as I used to say ‘Marky Mark of the British Bank’, we all assign nick names for officials. My mother told me to not use bad language as such the nick name for a particular president is avoided.

The reality of the matter is that the ‘good’ setting cannot exist when we see the investment spree into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and personally I think that the investment in the KSA is the true one and both cannot exist. As such America is in a shape that is much worse than anyone is considering. I need to keep my eyes on this as I will have to adjust my views if other intelligence reaches me and I believe I need to keep you all updated on this. That is beside the point of me still trying to get the Kingdom Holding Company to buy one of my IP’s, we all have our own agenda’s and I am no different. We all have our farming plans and I am getting close to ‘mandatory’ retirement and it is a really sweet dream to retire to Yas Island enjoying 4 themes parks and a rather large mall to live out my days is relative luxury (luxury is a inherent satisfaction stage) and as there are 9800 millionaires coming to that nation there is a drive to beat them to it (preferably with a nice stack of coins).

So make of this all what you will, but two nations are showing that they have the results that matter, so where does that leave the people who hide behind the seemingly promise that America is doing fine? As such I have a lot more faith in Canada coming through this intact. 

It is the reality of the matter that is important and those stating that the reality of the matter will be that I am absolutely bug nuts is a fair call. Time will prove my views correctly. It is the benefit of a blog, it tends to be time stamped. 

Have a great day (even if it is Monday), except Canada. It is still Sunday there.

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At the right time

That is what we all seek (if we can afford it), that golden ticket that is out in the open and we are in time to grab it. I get it, it is not easy and you need to have feelers out, but that is at time the setting we face. For example, Disney Golden Oaks has had his new park settings with residences and houses out there for almost a year. This is nothing bad. The places look amazing and when you are approaching retirement, or a life setting where you get to enjoy life at least three months a year (basically before the Trump era) nearly everyone who has the money would grab something like that. They are still taking orders, so there is space. I am not criticizing the setting. Disney has made enormous strides with their Golden Oaks and these places are top notch. The setting that the Four Seasons is there as well, merely adds charisma and flavor to that place. So what gives? 

You see, the Emirati News Agency WAM, gives us (at https://www.wam.ae/en/article/15l6shd-aldar-announces-launch-day-sell-out-all-133-homes) a simple setting. They give us ‘Aldar announces launch day sell-out of all 133 homes at Waldorf Astoria Residences’ a setting where we see a launch day sell out? Don’t get me wrong, I cannot afford living there, so I don’t feel sad. I had my eyes set on Sama Yas (which I cannot afford either) but at least it is more affordable than either two. And lets be clear onboard this, as America slides down to a near third world stage, would you want to live in Orlando? Yas Island will be the new Saint Tropez. With its 4 theme parks (soon to be 5) and Warner Brothers being busy to add the world of Harry Potter to their Arsenal, that place will be da bomb (as the expression goes). Ferrari World, The Yas Mall (not as big as the Dubai Mall), but a cracker of a mall. WaterWorld with slides, lazy river and all, SeaWorld which might be the most impressive water zoo you have ever soon and the Warner Brothers Theme park, soon to include these rascals from Hogwarts. And in (an expected) 2027 Disney will grace that place too. So what is there to hesitate over? Well the 133 new owners of their Waldorf Astoria Residences had that same idea and on launch day it all sold out. The first ever branded residential development on Yas Island generating AED 850 million in sales. That almost a billion amounts to $232 million, which amounts to a little under $2 million per unit, there are different sizes, so the small ones are cheaper, the big ones larger and Golden Oaks gave us the setting that they started at 5 million. So it is a win in several ways. And it gets better if you get the Yas Annual Diamond pass, which gives you unlimited Quick Pass Access at all Yas Theme Parks and offers unmatched benefits, such as 25% off dining, shopping, and more. Plus, you’ll receive early park entry, special events, and exclusive member-only experiences. And the price (at present) is $900 a year, with all these benefits you would be crazy not to get it, especially as it gives 25% on loads of stuff, even in the Yass Mall. For an entire year? That pass will earn itself back in less than a month. As such, I reckon that the price goes up when Disney is added to the flavour. And as there are free busses all over Yas Island, the need for a car becomes debatable. 

So in that world where does Orlando stand? Nowhere as I see it and Abu Dhabi has a lot more to offer. As I personally see it theme parks in America are soon done and when the economy collapses (which is likely to be this year) there will not be any reason to go to America. So when you consider these news clippings that America is crawling up from the mud, consider that the Economic times gave us 4 hours ago ‘Adrian Mowat on why non-US assets are becoming more appealing than US equities & bonds’ you’re seeing merely a first and as the pressures on Yas Island to expand is clearly seen in many ways, we will need to consider that America is close to done for. 17 hours ago we were given ‘Half of the bond market is US Treasuries. Why it’s ‘not healthy.’’ Remember that I talked about the dangers of Japan or China dumping the bonds they have and the other one following suit as not too be left with (what I personally speculative see) as toilet paper. Well this is a first sign. The entire Waldorf Astoria setting was out in the open and it is gone on launch day. Orlando never pulled that off, not even when they were the luxury height of the residence markets. As such the oligarchs, the billionaires and others will soon get their own place there and perhaps several already have their place. In addition, the UAE is a zero tax nation, well not exactly, but you do not pay income tax, so the money you get is the money you get to spend and with a Diamond card it gets to be even cheaper. Don’t think you are stuck there. The high speed train ride takes you to either place in 30 minutes, so breakfast in Dubai and Dinner in Abu Dhabi (or the other way round) becomes a reality, although I was unable to find prices, but a normal train going at half the speed is also an option, as such you would be in a train for an hour. 

As I see it the UAE is not merely making waves, they are an economic tsunami about to unleash their good times and as I see it America (Europe too) will face the economic onslaught it makes on both of them and as I see it, with the F1 also on Yas island, the setting gets to me almost embarrassing for America. And feel free to look at the Abu Dhabi videos on YouTube done by hundreds of visitors. A city that is clean, safe and spacious. What more do you need? The article ends with “Commenting on the sales performance, Jonathan Emery, Chief Executive Officer at Aldar Development said: “The sell-out of Waldorf Astoria Residences Yas marks a significant milestone for Aldar and highlights the attractiveness of Yas Island both as an investment destination and prime residential address. As the island’s first branded residential offering, its overwhelming success is a strong indicator of the rising demand for luxury, hospitality-led living in Abu Dhabi and the universal appeal of the Waldorf Astoria brand.”” As such I wonder what will come next, because the intake of wealthy residents is merely at a start this implies that Abu Dhabi is looking at 3-5 new settings and as the Satellite photos show, between Zayed International Airport and Yas Island are several large ‘plots’ that might be the setting of more. The influx of wealth and economic good times are setting a new era for the United Arab Emirates and Abu Dhabi. Did anyone consider that when billionaires see new grounds, they tend to go from other places? Where does that leave America? You see, you can spin all you like, but when the wealth walks away they might be left with merely a dozen wealthy people and President Trump is not that rich, so when Elon Musk leaves, the expression about rats leaving the sinking ship comes to mind. Oh, by the way, I am not calling Elon Much a rat, or implying that he is leaving. But I think the setting comes across to all my readers (and its not my mum, cause she is dead).

A larger setting is coming to the shores of America and I have stated that as warnings for over the last 2 years at least, so whilst we now get “‘‘Death spiral’ nears as US debt service costs reach ‘unsustainable’ levels’” (source: Sky News) consider that I stated this danger es early as October 4th 2021 in ‘Utter insanity’ referring back to an article I wrote in 2013, it has been this long that the media could have informed you. Did they? Oh and the fact that October 4th is also World Animal Day is merely icing on the cake. I like my irony with a sweet tooth. I am a victim of circumstance. Still, the setting was clear years ago, you merely needed to learn to use an abacus, something that has been around for over 3000 years, no super computer needed.

So have a great day and enjoy your morning coffee in Toronto this morning (it is 06:00 there). 

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