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German web site on Dubai a hit

Launched almost an year ago, by Soraya Leupi, an Iraqi-Swiss lady residing in Dubai, the web site www.hallodubai.com is entirely a private initiative introduced by her to paint an attractive picture of the Dubai's tourist spots in the eyes of the German tourists.

The response almost an year later has been overwhelming.

"Considering that German-speaking tourists is the second largest segment of tourists arriving in Dubai, my web site is the only one that offers useful information and is being provided by someone who is actually a resident of Dubai.

"The other German web sites offering information on tourism in Dubai have been designed by tourists who have spent only a few weeks here.

"This is the first time that an Arab who has a good idea of what German tourists are looking for has actually designed a web site for them."

And the results are there for all to see. Leupi said the 26-page web site has a host of picture galleries with maps listing beach-resorts to restaurants to medical facilities and practically all types of information that are of interest to international tourists.

There is a section on picturesque spots in the UAE, pictures of various wildlife species found in the UAE, news updates regarding the emirate, currency converters, interviews with various organisations and VIPs. There is also a family tree of the ruling family of Dubai.

Visitors to the web site, can also make a search on the subject that they are interested in.

For example gold for which Dubai is known for, is a subject that is well-researched by the portal creator and almost all forms of designs, its makers and gold souks are enlisted on the site.

Interestingly Leupi has also written a book on the evolution of Dubai since its early stages, a 440-page document called e-volution eines Wustenstaats that is available online through her web site.

Leupi who was working on organising chartered cruises before she settled in Dubai eight years ago, said she visited Dubai a lot of times and was attracted to the immense facilities that the emirates offered to its tourists.

"All the pictures posted on the web site are those I have taken myself, though Dubai Municipality has recently approached me to post some of their pictures on the web site as well."

The creation of the web site, Leupi said, was done entirely by herself and through self-study. "I had a lot of friends in Germany, Austria and Switzerland who wanted to know more about Dubai before their visit.

"So I decided to put all the information that I had gathered into the web site. But I am developing the content constantly."

One advantage that the German portal has over the others is that it is developed by someone who has a good perception of both the German as well as the Arab culture. "I know what the German tourist is looking for and at the same time I know the attractions that are worth promoting here in Dubai."

Initially Leupi was surprised at the kind of images that Dubai generally portrayed in the mind of the international tourists.

"They thought that Dubai was not a place where women tourists could feel free and enjoy themselves," Leupi added.

Discussing her future plans, Leupi said that she would like to write more books on Dubai and of course she hopes that more Germans will visit her web site for useful tips that they can carry for their trips.

• UAE