Larry Page and Sergej Brin (founders of the company) nicknamed their new search engine Google, originating from a misspelling of the word googol – the number one followed by one hundred zeros, which was picked to signify that the search engine was intended to provide large quantities of information – cause the URL googol was already occupied.

The current official Google logo has been designed by Ruth Kedar, and is a wordmark based on the Catull typeface. The company also includes various modifications and/or humorous features, such as cartoon modifications of their logo for use on holidays, birthdays of famous people, and major events, such as the Olympics. These special logos, some designed by Dennis Hwang, have become known as Google Doodles.

But.. how to write Google in Arabic?

Being not a standard Arabic word, the word Google has been transliterated by the English phonetic sound /ˈguːg(ə)l/

So the transliteration of the word Google has four letters: g, u, g, l.

In Arabic we have two kinds of “g”:

• ج ǧīm a sort of letter g (as in the word “gentle”)
• غ ġayn  (as in the Spanish word “general”)

The other letters are:

• و wāw for the u
• ل lām for the l

Unlike cursive writing based on the Latin alphabet, the standard Arabic style is to have a substantially different shape depending on whether it will be connecting with a preceding and/or a succeeding letter, thus all primary letters have conditional forms, depending on whether they are at the beginning, middle or end of a word, so they may exhibit four distinct forms (initial, medial, final or isolated).

So we can have tow kinds of transliterations of the word Google:

According to the phonetic, the correct transliteration should be the second one, the one with the غ. In the Arabic newspapers and magazines you can easily find Google written in such a way. Whereas, if you try to digit غوغل in Google, you will be suggested to correct in جوجل. Even if you try to put Google in the Google Translate, you will have the translation جوجل.

A 3 hours seminar, with contributes by people of the Google team. Not only statistics, but considerations, news, useful idea.. in one word:

INSPIRATION

how consumers are finding, interacting with, and feeling about your brand on line? brand advertisers and online salesmen need more meaningful parameters to learn what is working.

should we really consider nowadays online vs offline? or we are all always on line..? even while eating or doing other? Television no longer commands our full attention 77% of viewers watch TV with another device in hand. In many cases people search on their devices, inspired by what they see on TV. So we have no more to consider if a customer is online or not, but how many times is switching from one device to the other, how many times is looking at his smartphone, and so on.

should the web content be adapted for many devices, or we have to consider a multi-devices content? 90% of people use multiple devices to accomplish a goal, 43% use devices sequentially when planning a trip . Probably they start making a research with a smartphone or tablet while waiting a train, but then they finalize from a desktop (for safety reason, cause they feel more comfortable in using a credit card from a “safe connection” or other). 

if the Ipad is a real mobile device, why 80% of the people use it at home? why some tablets are so small as a smartphones and so smartphones are so big as tables? which difference there is between a tablet with a keyboard and a netbook? and so on…

The Google Think Travel Event – which took place at the Technology Theatre – revealed also results of a special Google-commissioned IPSOS survey into the internet travel habits of both business and leisure travellers. Google and IPSOS are the latest to try and get a handle on the new, more elusive mobile consumer. In a piece of research released earlier this week, Google and IPSOS reported that 90 percent of consumers now move “sequentially” between different screens the same day. In particular during the event they have been considered data of KSA and UAE.

The last iterations of Google Hotel Finder and Flight Search were also unveiled directly by the product managers in charge for those projects.

The event has been introduced by Marie De Ducla, Travel Industry Manager for Google in MENA.

I do thank you all the Google staff and the organizers for the kind invitation and for the inspiration. I hope to bring my job at a higher value after today.

Program

15.00 – 15.30 – Opening Address

• Introduction & overview of the MENA Market. Sharing the findings of the Goolge-commisioned research study conducted by IPSOS and revealling how travellers in MENA make decisions when it comes to travel and purchase behavior.
  
  Speakers: Mohamad Mourad, Regional Manager Gulf, Google
  Marie de Ducla, Industry Head, Travel – Gulf, Google

15.30 – 15.50  - UK Focus

• The UK Travel Market is the largest feeder market for MENA region. Discover user behaviours, online user trends and key facts to help you tap into this important market.
  
  Speaker: Nigel Huddleston, Industry Head, Travel, Google

15.50 – 16.20 – Worldwide Vision

• The Google perspective on worldwide trends in the travel industry and how to stay aheadSpeaker: Dr Bernd Fauser, Global Head of Travel Top Accounts at Google

16.20 – 16.35 – Break

16.35 – 16.55 – Product Demo

• Discover the latest google product as they demo their new flight search and hotel finder online tool.Speaker: Maciek Nowakowski, Product Manager for Google Hotel Finder, Google

16.55 – 17.15 – Mobile Focus

• Is mobile the future for travel marketing? Find outthe full value of mobile for the industry with Google’s Edouard Mailfait.
• Case Study: Cleartrip.Speaker: Edouard Mailfait, Top Account Mobile Lead, Google
  Subramanya Sharma, CMO, Cleartrip

17.15 – 17.45 – Social Branding Online

• Building your brand online to engage travelers in their world.Speaker: Alfonso de Gaetano,Industry Head – Gulf Region, Google

17.45 – 18.00 - Closing Address

• Marie de Ducla

Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2013, the region’s leading travel industry showcase, opens its doors on Monday 6 May, with four days packed with activity dedicated to the future of tourism, while honouring industry milestones from the last 20 years.

Celebrating two decades of regional industry milestones as the Middle East’s pre-eminent tourism and hospitality platform, Arabian Travel Market runs until 9 May at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Center. The show welcomes over 2,500 exhibitors from 87 countries, covering 22,000 sqm of floor space, compared with just 300 companies and 2,000 sqm of the first edition, in 1994.

A total of 25 international tourism ministers will participate in the second annual UNWTO/ATM Ministerial Forum on Tuesday 7 May, with the theme of setting a common growth agenda for tourism and aviation. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the forum will look at how tourism policies and aviation can work together more closely in order to support sustained economic growth and sector development.

Photo caption: HRH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai (middle), cuts the ribbon to mark the opening of Arabian Travel Market 2013 in the presence of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, CEO and Chairman, Department of Civil Aviation, The Emirates Group and Dubai World (Left) and HE Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, DTCM & CEO DWTC (right).

Visitor numbers are also set to break records this year, with Reed Travel Exhibitions, organiser of ATM, looking to build on the 2012 figure of 17,000 registered visitors. “This is a far cry from the 7,000 tourism professionals who visited for the very first time in the early 90s and a glowing testimony to all of our stakeholders,” said Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions.

His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre said

For one week in May every year the travel industry arrives in Dubai to take a look into the future of travel and tourism. As Dubai has grown, the show has grown with it and become one of the most important events on the global industry calendar. For those exhibitors and visitors who attended the first ATM, the Dubai of today would have been a city beyond imagination.

Echoing that sentiment, Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East & Iran said, “ATM has served as a catalyst for attracting key industry figures from across the globe, while underlining Dubai’s position as a regional centre for major events, especially as the city bids to host Expo 2020. Emirates has been a pivotal player at ATM since its inception, and for 20 years we have celebrated many milestones at ATM. It’s an ideal platform to showcase our constant innovation and new initiatives across the Emirates Group.”

Ali Abu Monassar – Chairman, The Vision Destination Management, added “ATM will continue to play a major role in the growth of the tourism sector as the industry platform that connects this region to the world.”

Arabian Travel has been an annual fixture on the Dubai calendar for 19 of its 20-year history, relocating only once – to Bahrain – in 1995.

This year’s event will be both a retrospective and an opportunity to look ahead at industry trends, with a strong focus on technology. Today’s line-up opens with a panel session entitled ‘20 Years: Now, Then and Tomorrow’, featuring the expert insight of industry leaders including HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, CEO and Chairman, Department of Civil Aviation, The Emirates Group and Dubai World; HE Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, DTCM & DWTC; Iain Andrew, Divisional Senior Vice President, dnata; HE Marwan Al Sarkal, CEO, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority – Shurooq; Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice President, Passenger Sales Worldwide, Emirates; Gerald Lawless, President and Group CEO, Jumeirah Group and Mark Walsh, Portfolio Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions.

The introduction of the all-new Digital and Technology Day will see sought-after speakers from some of the world’s most influential tech companies including Tech Theatre sponsor, Google, as well as senior executives from TripAdvisor and Amadeus, share invaluable industry insight.

Toufic Tamim, Vice President Sales & Marketing – Middle East, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, the official host hotel for ATM 2013 commented – “After a successful association with ATM over the last 12 years, it has been remarkable for us to watch and experience on a first-hand basis how the show has evolved. Regionally and internationally, it remains an extremely important, show for anyone in the inbound and outbound tourism business,”

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the show has grown to become the largest showcase of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the world.

Arabian Travel Market 2013 will be held at the Dubai International Exhibition and Conference Centre from 6-9 May.

Nathalie Viselé, Director of Shamal Marketing Communications Dubai

If you do not see your photo, check back tomorrow am for the latest uploads from the ATM event

Good luck

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed affirmed the UAE has succeeded in placing itself amongst popular tourist destinations on the global map of tourism. He also observed that building a solide infrastructure with high capacity and providing quality high-end services to all the visitors of the UAE is an ongoing process that also necessitate keeping up the pace of development to meet the requirements of the global markets, bearing in mind changes that may occur in such requirements so as to preserve the country’s gains and earn more achievements in the tourism sector that is full of opportunities. the increased number of visitors is strong evidence to this, as Dubai was able to double the number of tourists from only five million yearly to ten million tourists a year during the past eight years.

This approval comes just few days before the start of the Arabian Travel Market, the most important travel and tourism event in the Middle East, unlocking business potential for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. The Arabian Travel Market 2013 show will run from May 6th – 9th at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC). Arabian Travel Market is administerd by events organiser Reed Exhibitions (RE), which also organises a portfolio of other travel industry events including World Travel Market (WTM).

The Arabian Travel Market Events Programme brings together industry experts to debate topics and issues faced by the travel industry today.  With 2 dedicated seminar theatres as well as our destination briefings, the programme provides educational content and practical advice for all Arabian Travel Market attendees.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Arabic: أبوظبي سباق الجائزة الكبرى) is a Formula One race. The inaugural race was Formula One’s first ever day-night race, starting at 17:00 local time. Floodlights used to illuminate the circuit were switched on from the start of the event to ensure a seamless transition from daylight to darkness. Subsequent Abu Dhabi Grands Prix have also been day-night races.

To create an all-inclusive package, simply add the best availableEtihad Airways airfare to the below prices offered on etihad.com

A wide range of other 3*, 4* & 5* properties located on Yas Island, Saadiyat Island and downtown Abu Dhabi are available on request

Above packages include: 

• Accommodation from Friday 1st November – Monday 4th November based on twin/double sharing
• Daily breakfast
• 2 Day Abu Dhabi Hill Formula 1 tickets
• Access to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld
• Complimentary access to the F1® After Race Concerts as per ticket day
• All applicable taxes

Etihad Guest Miles Promotion Hotel + ticket only packages are also available.

Buy your tickets today and receive the following rewards*:

• For 2 tickets purchased get 5,000 bonus Etihad Guest miles
• For 4 tickets purchased get 10,000 bonus Etihad Guest miles
• For 8 or more tickets purchased get 15,000 bonus Etihad Guest miles

*excluding Abu Dhabi Hill tickets

For those customers wishing to make their own arrangements; tickets are available at the following prices and all race ticket holders have exclusive and complimentary access to the F1 after race concerts:

Additional ticket categories available on request

Email racing@etihad.ae or visit your local Etihad shop

Abu Dhabi Hill General Admission – NEW!!

Positioned opposite the North Grandstand trackside, Abu Dhabi Hill sits as one of Yas Marina Circuit’s iconic landmarks. Spectators will have one of the best views in motorsport as they watch the cars come up from turn 2 into turn 3 with full views of turns 4, 5, 6, 7, the north hairpin and longest straight in F1™. With open grass seating, general admission ticket holders will also be able to access all entertainment areas in the circuit including Yas Marina Yacht Club and the F1 Village™, the after race concert of that day’s ticket.
1, 2 and 3 day tickets as well as family tickets for families 3 to 6 available.

Includes:

• Race day access to grassed open area
• After Race Concert for each ticket day purchased
• Access to Entertainment areas and F1™ Village
• 3 day ticket gives access to public Pit Lane Walk on Thursday 31^st October and the Thursday night concert.
• Family option for families 3 to 6 people

Prices from AED 395 1 day individual

For further information: 800 YAS (927) 9am-6pm

Today, most of the proven oil & gas of the Middle East and North Africa is located within the countries of the Gulf Region – comprised of the Gulf Cooperation Council GCC countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE), Iran, and Iraq.

The Gulf Region countries collectively possess some 54% and 40%, respectively, of the world’s conventional oil and gas proved reserves, and large additional amounts of unproved and undiscovered reserves.

In 2010, the Gulf Region produced (according to BP 2011 Statistical Review) over 25.2 million barrels of oil per day, and 44.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, accounting for over 30% of the world’s oil production, 15% of gas production, and 32% of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports. The United Arab Emirates holds the world’s sixth largest proven oil reserves of approximately 98 billion barrels and seventh largest gas reserves of 215 trillion cubic feet. Oil and gas is a significant component of the UAE economy.

Oil was first discovered in Abu Dhabi in 1958. Onshore and offshore fields were developed quickly and it soon became a major oil exporter in world terms. Oil was discovered offshore Dubai in 1966, with exports starting in 1969, while its onshore production of oil and condensate began in 1983. Sharjah production commenced in 1974, from the Mubarek Field, which was discovered by Crescent Petroleum in 1972.

The Arab Petroleum Investment Corporation (APICORP) review of energy investment needs in the MENA region over the period 2012-2016 is $525 billion, and given the distribution of hydrocarbon resources within the world, most of these energy investments will be in the Gulf. Of the potential $525 billion in investment, the oil supply chain accounts for 42%, the gas chain 34%, and the power generation sector accounts for the remaining 24%, according to APICORP Economic Commentary January 2012.

According to International Energy Outlook projections, world energy consumption is projected to increase by over 50% by 2030 from 2008 figures, an average increase of 1.6% p.a. Fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal) will continue to supply much of the energy used worldwide. Global demand for liquid fuels is expected to grow by only 1.0% p.a. across this period, and the total share will decline from 34% (in 2008) to 29% (in 2035). We expect that to meet the world’s growing energy demand, the Gulf Region’s share of world oil production will increase above 30% as Iraq returns to full production in the coming years.

We expect that to meet the world’s growing energy demand, the Gulf Region’s share of world oil production will increase above 30% as Iraq returns to full production in the coming years.

Global demand for natural gas has risen at a rate even greater than that of crude oil, experiencing an average⁴ increase in demand of 2.7% per year over the 1973-2010 period compared to 0.9% for crude oil over the same period. Natural gas consumption worldwide is forecasted to continue increasing at an average rate of 1.6% annually up to 2035, as compared with a continuing 1.0% per year for liquid fuels.

The expansion of the gas industry in the Gulf Region itself will continue to be immense, due to the rapidly growing power requirement of the GCC population and increasing substitution of gas as a primary fuel for power generation around the world due to lower cost of natural gas on an equivalent basis, efficiency considerations, and environmental considerations.

While hydrocarbon industry continues to form the backbone of these economies accounting for more than three fourths of their government revenues and over half of their exports, the hydrocarbon industry on its own has witnessed a subtle shift from core upstream projects into downstream activities of refining, petrochemicals and storage tanks, each vying with the other to enhance their refining capacities to exploit this trend to the maximum. Investments in the energy sector across the GCC total US$ 470 billion between 2010 and 2015, of which oil and gas accounted for 47 percent and 36 percent, respectively of the total. Contracts worth US$ 39,405 million were awarded across the GCC hydrocarbon sector in 2012 of which downstream projects accounted for 82 percent with a large focus on petrochemicals, overtaking the earlier emphasis on refining, reflecting the maturing nature of the industry and its need for diversification. The GCC petrochemicals sector has witnessed promising growth with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 26 percent between 2007 and 2011 despite financial instabilities across the region and among its trading partners and continues to demonstrate strong potential in spite of the worsening global economic conditions, especially its key trading partner Europe with its financial woes and other prime markets. The challenges likely to be faced by the industry in the prevailing economic climate are manifold, including external financing, retaining economic growth while reducing vulnerabilities to external shocks.

For more information on the petroleum industry, read the article About oil and gas industry and http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6538jx/gcc_oil_and_gas

Interchange No. 1: Take Interchange No. 1 (Defence Roundabout) towards Hatta/Oman with the Dusit Hotel on the left. Continue straight until the Exit for the Hatta/Oman (Highway 44) heading towards Abu Dhabi. Follow this road towards Abu Dhabi until the road meets Emirates Road at the Al Khail Road roundabout. Turn right onto the Emirates Road towards Abu Dhabi. Continue along Emirates Road until you reach the large Green Community roundabout. Take the roundabout around to the left towards the Green Community signboard. Take the slip-road off to the right just past the signboard. You will then see the main entrance to Green Community approximately 1 km further.

Interchange No. 4: Take Interchange No. 4 towards Al Barsha on Um Suquiem Road. Continue past Al Quoz area. You will arrive at Emirates Road on the Dubai Autodrome Roundabout. Turn Right towards Abu Dhabi. Continue along Emirates Road until you reach the large Green Community roundabout. Take the roundabout around to the left towards the Green Community signboard. Take the slip-road off to the right just past the signboard. You will then see the main entrance to Green Community approximately 1km further.

Interchange No. 7: Take Interchange No. 7 (Jebel Ali Free Zone & Jebel Ali Industrial Interchange). Follow the Brown Dubai Municipality signs to Dubai Investments Park and Green Community under the fly-over bridge and then to the right which will take you up on to the fly-over bridge towards Emirates Road. Continue straight on this road until you reach Emirates Road. You will reach the large Green Community roundabout. Take the roundabout straight towards the Green Community signboard. Take the slip-road off to the right just past the signboard. You will then see the main entrance to Green Community.

Click to enlarge the map

This area – inside the Dubai Investment Park – is very popular due to its secluded and quiet surroundings, with a large Marriot Hotel, a Fitness First gymnasium center, a dive center, shopping mall, mosques, office towers, residential towers, family bungalows and large two-storey mansions.

Green Community aims to provide a way of life within a working and living secure community which encompasses landscaped gardens, peace and tranquility. It is relatively traffic free environment, but when you have to go out of the community to reach the main road: cause only 2 exits are at the moment available, in some peak hours you can take 5 – 15 minutes to drive 1 km road; or – especially in the morning – you can find traffic when going in direction of Jebel Ali, cause of lots of trucks going into the same direction.

Many parts of the Green Community are still under construction. And some of them seem to be suspended. But completed facilities and services work pretty well.

Green Community is located within the environmentally clean, self supporting development of the Dubai Investments Park. The Park is a multi-phased project, which is being developed at a total cost of AED 1.5 billion and has a total land area of 3,200 hectares. The Park is a mixed use business, industrial, residential and recreational development offering investors pre-serviced sites, world class infrastructure, state-of-the-art facilities and quality services for academic, housing, manufacturing, research, distribution and logistics purposes.

Green Community is developed by Properties Investment LLC, a joint venture company between Union Properties PJSC and Dubai Investments PJSC.

Dubai Investments Park Development Company LLC, a subsidiary of Dubai Investments, came into existence with a mission to operate and manage a self-contained and comprehensively planned business complex, offering investors a range of quality services and amenities unique to the Gulf.