Dubai Scraps 30% Alcohol Tax In A Bid To Boost Tourism

Dubai is the monetary, commerce and tourism hub of the United Arab Emirates (File)

Dubai:

Dubai has dropped a 30 p.c tax on alcohol gross sales in an obvious bid to lure vacationers as competitors rises between main cities within the rich Gulf.

The lower, introduced by distributors however not confirmed by authorities, seems set to slash costs which might be among the many world’s highest, with beer routinely costing greater than $15 a pint, or half-litre.

The non-public liquor licence, accessible to non-Muslims aged over 21 and required to purchase alcohol at Dubai’s small variety of licensed retailers, is now free, in keeping with distributors MMI and African and Japanese.

“Shopping for your favorite drinks simply bought simpler and cheaper!” MMI mentioned in a Fb publish detailing the cuts. There was no instant remark from Dubai authorities.

Dubai is the monetary, commerce and tourism hub of the United Arab Emirates, a Muslim nation and main oil exporter which has progressively loosened the shackles on consuming.

In contrast to neighbouring Saudi Arabia, a lot of the UAE is much from being a dry nation, with alcohol bought in licensed venues together with resorts, eating places, bars and designated retailers. It can’t be consumed in public, nevertheless.

Of the UAE’s seven Emirates, solely Sharjah, neighbouring Dubai, forbids alcohol utterly.

The transfer to make consuming cheaper comes because the Saudi capital Riyadh pursues a sustained drive to draw overseas guests and corporations, and weeks after gas-rich Qatar raised its profile by internet hosting the soccer World Cup.

Dubai attracted greater than 12 million worldwide in a single day guests within the first 11 months of 2022 — greater than double the 6.02 million who visited throughout the identical interval in 2021, in keeping with Dubai’s Division of Economic system and Tourism.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)