Business
Israeli investor glee met with Emirati caution after deal on ties
TEL AVIV/DUBAI (Reuters) – From a proposed rail link to the Gulf from the Israeli port of Haifa, to quick-hop direct flights from Tel Aviv, the prospect of formal relations with the United Arab Emirates is stirring excitement in Israel.
In the UAE, which Israeli business executives with foreign passports have visited for years, companies that are likely candidates for above-board deal-making with Israel are taking a more cautious line, apparently awaiting government guidance on future policy.
Israel and the Gulf State announced on Thursday they would normalise relations under a U.S.-sponsored deal that still awaits negotiations on details such as opening embassies and travel links before it is officially signed.
Israeli officials have been quick to play up the economic benefits of the accord, which once formalised would also include agreements on tourism, technology, energy, healthcare and security, among other areas.
Some Israeli and Emirati businesses have already signed deals since Thursday, and several small-scale medical and defence collaborations were announced in the weeks preceding the normalisation agreement.
But Emirati state entities and private businesses have been circumspect in discussing investment opportunities before ties are official, with many declining to comment.
Conglomerate Al Habtoor Group, which has several hotels in Dubai, is in talks to partner with Israeli carrier Israir, a spokeswoman said, declining to provide further details. It was too early to discuss expanding the group’s business into Israel, she said.
Abu Dhabi state fund Mubadala declined to comment about potential business opportunities emerging from the deal, and some government departments deferred requests for comment to the foreign ministry.
‘Significant upgrade’
Israeli Finance Minister Israel Katz said official ties with the UAE “could be a basis for a very significant upgrade of Israel’s economy, alongside, of course, the things they need from us – in water technology, agriculture, hi-tech”.
On Israel’s Kan Radio, Katz highlighted the potential for grand, regional transportation projects – “a rail connection between Gulf countries and Haifa port” – that he said would make Israel the UAE’s “gateway to the Mediterranean”.
Such a rail network would have to cross Saudi Arabia, which has no relations with Israel and has so far been silent on its deal with the UAE.
An Israeli delegation is expected to travel to UAE within weeks to work out the modalities of normalisation, a historic shift that could reshape Middle East politics from the Palestinian issue to the fight against Iran.
The UAE would only be third Arab state in more than 70 years to establish relations with Israel, after Egypt and Jordan.
‘Not going to bet their shirts’
But there are sensitivities for businesses in openly welcoming Israeli investment in the Arab world’s second-largest economy when public opinion in the Middle East is largely pro-Palestinian.
Some in the UAE have called for boycotting Israel over its treatment of Palestinians in occupied territories.
Robert Mogielnicki of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington said UAE businesses would carefully gauge regional reactions to the deal to avoid tensions in existing relationships.
“Established UAE companies and family-owned businesses are not going to bet their shirts just to enter Israeli markets,” he said.
Israeli investors acknowledge that new trade agreements would likely take time to strike, but say Israel’s booming high-tech scene and innovations in agriculture would be tough for the UAE to pass up.
Jon Medved, CEO of Israeli crowdfunding firm OurCrowd, said “co-investment talks are ongoing (with Israelis) throughout the Arab world, not just with the UAE” – alluding to Israeli expectations that Bahrain and Oman would follow in normalising ties.
Tourism could also stand to benefit, some analysts say, though it would take time to kick off given the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on global travel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday Israel is preparing for direct flights, over Saudi Arabia, to the United Arab Emirates, but gave no timeframe for their start.
Saudi Arabia does not recognise Israel and its air space is closed to Israeli airliners.
Asked about flying to Israel, Dubai’s Emirates said it had nothing to announce. Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways had no immediate comment when contacted by Reuters.
Reporting and photo: Reuters
Business
Feydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space
Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has announced the opening of Feydhoo Hall, a landmark event venue at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives, redefining the possibilities for meetings, celebrations, and destination events in the Maldives.
Designed to bring scale, flexibility, and creativity to island gatherings, Feydhoo Hall represents a bold step forward in positioning the Maldives as a dynamic destination for conferences, weddings, and large-scale social occasions.
Feydhoo Hall offers a versatile event complex designed to accommodate a wide range of gatherings, from corporate meetings and conferences to weddings and social celebrations.

At its core is the 390 sqm Main Hall, capable of hosting:
- Up to 300 guests in theatre-style setup
- Up to 240 guests for dining and banquet-style events
- Up to 200 guests for cocktail-style receptions
- Up to 144 guests in cluster-round configuration
Enhancing the flexibility of the venue are additional dedicated spaces, including:
- A 110 sqm Veranda Terrace, ideal for welcome receptions, breakout sessions, and pre-event gatherings, accommodating up to 100 guests for cocktail-style events.
- A spacious 1,000 sqm Lawn Space, perfect for large-scale outdoor celebrations, destination weddings, and open-air events, accommodating up to 400 guests for cocktail receptions and up to 350 guests for dining setups.
- The 55 sqm Ekugai Meeting Room, designed for smaller meetings and executive sessions, accommodating up to 30 guests in theatre or dining setup and 24 guests in cluster-round format.
Together, these integrated spaces create a seamless indoor-outdoor event experience, allowing planners to design dynamic and personalised event journeys.
True to the dusitD2 brand’s lifestyle-driven philosophy, Feydhoo Hall introduces a fresh approach to meetings and events — where productivity meets creativity in an inspiring island setting.
The venue offers flexible meeting formats designed to suit different event needs, including:
- Half-Day Meeting Package (4 hours) — ideal for focused sessions, executive meetings, and creative workshops.
- Full-Day Meeting Package (8 hours) — designed for immersive conferences, extended workshops, and large-scale corporate gatherings.
These thoughtfully structured packages provide planners with the flexibility to create impactful and seamless experiences, whether hosting intimate strategy sessions or dynamic full-day events.

Located just seven minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives combines accessibility with vibrant lifestyle energy, offering event planners and guests a rare balance between convenience and tropical escape.
With the introduction of Feydhoo Hall, the resort strengthens its position as a versatile destination — not only for leisure travellers but also for international conferences, creative retreats, luxury weddings, and large-scale social celebrations seeking something refreshingly different in the Maldives.
Business
BBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet
Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) opened a new wholesale store in Hulhumalé Phase 2 on Monday.
The outlet is located on the ground floor of Lot 20286, Nirolhu Magu, and is intended to improve access to BBM’s imported goods for residents of Hulhumalé Phase 2 and for businesses operating in the area.
According to the company, the opening forms part of its plan to expand services closer to customers in line with population growth in Hulhumalé.
With the opening of the new store, BBM’s full range of imported and distributed products will be available at the Hulhumalé Phase 2 location. These include consumer goods from international brands such as Lifebuoy, Vaseline and Unilever.
The store will also stock wholesale food products from brands including Daily, Cavin’s and Redman.
BBM has supplied goods to resorts, hotels and retail outlets across the Maldives for several years.
Action
Ataraxis Grand & Spa hosts integrated work-and-dive corporate retreat in Fuvahmulah
Ataraxis Grand & Spa recently hosted a week-long, closed corporate offsite in Fuvahmulah for a US-based artificial intelligence company, highlighting the island’s growing suitability for integrated work-and-experience retreats. The retreat brought a group of 36 international professionals to the property, which was reserved exclusively for the programme.
Designed as a private company offsite, the stay combined structured daily work sessions with guided diving and beginner-friendly surf experiences, creating a balanced format that blended focused collaboration with physical reset.

A notable component of the programme was dive training and certification. During the retreat, 17 participants completed their Open Water certification, while a further six undertook the Advanced Open Water course, with training and dives scheduled alongside work sessions as part of the integrated itinerary.
Throughout the week, participants worked on-site using dedicated shared spaces supported by reliable high-speed internet, allowing meetings, informal collaboration and scheduled activities to take place within a single, uninterrupted environment. This setup enabled teams to move seamlessly between work periods and organised ocean activities without leaving the property.

Fuvahmulah’s natural and operational advantages formed a key part of the retreat’s appeal. As one of the Maldives’ largest inhabited islands, it offers immediate access to pelagic dive sites, internationally recognised shark diving and surf breaks suitable for instruction, alongside the infrastructure required to support extended group stays.

The offsite reflects a growing preference among technology and knowledge-sector teams for small-scale retreats that prioritise concentrated work environments and team cohesion over traditional conference formats. Such programmes typically involve longer stays and higher per-capita spend, aligning with sustainable, quality-driven tourism models.
The retreat also demonstrates how locally operated properties such as Ataraxis Grand & Spa are supporting this shift by delivering unified environments where accommodation, workspaces, connectivity and curated experiences operate as a single programme rather than separate services.

As organisations continue to explore alternative formats for strategy sessions, team resets and creative offsites, Ataraxis Grand & Spa’s experience positions Fuvahmulah as an increasingly viable destination for integrated corporate retreats.
Ataraxis Grand & Spa offers work-and-dive retreat programmes in Fuvahmulah that combine accommodation, dedicated workspaces, high-speed connectivity and organised diving and surfing.

Further information on retreat formats and dive-inclusive stays is available via the Ataraxis Grand & Spa website.
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