Fly and try Dubai - just for the weekend

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The award-winning carrier has just gained Dubai Government authority to issue 96-hour turnaround visas for visitors arriving on Emirates from most countries where visas are still needed.

This means visitors still needing visas, including those from countries in Africa, Far East, South America and some in east Europe, will be able to take a long weekend break simply and affordably.

In a new initiative to woo the fast-growing weekender market, Emirates has relaxed conditions of its Dubai Stopovers so they can be used by 'out and back' visitors as well as people flying via Dubai to other countries. The pioneering move should increase Stopovers sales by more than half their present total, to some 35,000 a year.

The unbeatable Stopovers packages offer rooms at a choice of 19 high-quality hotels, from self-catering to luxury 5-star. The range includes six additions to the programme and five beach hotels.

Stopovers are specially tailored by Arabian Adventures, the premier Emirates Group inbound tour operator, which pioneered inbound tourism to Dubai and can fix anything from a desert picnic for a couple to an incentive dinner for 9,000.

Its range include city tours, desert safaris, overland trips, special interest breaks, transfers, hotel reservations and car rentals. It is the preferred ground handler for the major worldwide tour operators featuring Dubai.

Ghaith Al Ghaith , Emirates' Commercial Operations Director, said: 'The government wants to attract 15 million people a year to Dubai by 2010.

'Dubai is firmly established as the quality leisure hub of the Middle East, and these innovative new weekend breaks will build up its lead. It's a perfect weekend destination with a huge number of potential customers only six or seven hours' flying time away.

'Already Emirates is breaking records. We've just carried the largest number of customers on the largest number of flights in our 17-year history. Now we are highlighting the appeal of this 'safe and exotic' destination to the many new customers for long weekends here.'

Dubai had already eased visa rules so visitors from many countries can enter without obtaining a visa in advance. Instead a visit visa valid for 60 days is stamped directly in their passport on arrival.

Emirates continues to offer a visa service for those visitors needing one, and trained staff at its worldwide offices complete the formalities directly with Dubai immigration authorities.