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A Regional Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian
Birds of Prey |
Information Note for Participants
Further information may be added to
this page and a PDF document will be produced in due course
Venue
The venue of the meeting is the Yas Island
Rotana Hotel, Golf Plaza, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
www.rotana.com.
The hotel is located on Yas Island, next to Yas Marina Circuit
along the Yas Leisure Drive. By car, the hotel is 10 minutes
from Abu Dhabi International Airport, 20 minutes from Abu
Dhabi’s Business District and 1 hour from Dubai.
Accommodation
Arrangements have been made for sponsored
delegates to stay in the meeting venue hotel. Non-sponsored
participants are offered standard rooms in the Yas Island
Rotana Hotel at special rate of AED 350 (+16%) which includes
breakfast. There is a limited number of such rooms and they
will be filled at first come first serve basis. The code
to obtain the special rate will be sent to the pre-registered
delegates – make sure you have pre-registered here.
Once you have received the code, you can proceed making
the booking via hotel website. Meeting venue contact details
are below - see also map at the end of the page.
Yas Island Rotana
Golf Plaza, P.O. Box 131755
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Tel: +971 2 656 4000, Fax: +971 2 565 1414
Website
Other hotels in Yas Island can be found here
Arrival at the airport and transportation
For information on custom rules and airport
regulations, please refer to the United Arab Emirates page
of the the IATA
website (click here).
Metered taxis can be obtained outside the
terminal at the Abu Dhabi International Airport. The estimated
cost of a taxi ride from the airport to the designated hotel
should not exceed 50 AED (ca. 15 USD). Likewise, metered
taxis can be obtained outside the terminal in Dubai International
Airport. The estimated cost of a taxi ride from Dubai to
Abu Dhabi city should not exceed 250 AED (ca. 70 USD). For
details of prohibited and restricted items and duty free
allowances, please check the information on Abu Dhabi and
Dubai International Airports’ websites:
http://www.abudhabiairport.ae/travelinfo/index.asp
http://www.dubaiairport.com/en/passengers/airportguide/Pages/home.aspx
Visa requirements
For information concerning which nationals
require a visa to enter the UAE and information on the procedures
for applying for a visa, please visit the immigration information
page of the Abu
Dhabi International Airport website (click here).
To facilitate the issuance of visas, the
Secretariat will issue, upon request, invitation letters
to be attached to the visa applications.
Note: Please ensure that your passport is valid
for a period of at least 6 months beyond the intended period
of stay.
Working languages
Simultaneous translation will be provided
in the working languages of each meeting. The meeting will
be conducted in English and French.
Participants are required to possess a good knowledge of
one of the working languages of the meeting because there
will be no simultaneous translation into any other languages.
Other Practical information
Overview of Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi is the
capital of the United Arab Emirates and is the sister city
of Dubai. The capital is the country’s largest emirate
with over 1.6 million residents of which less than 15% are
Emirati (UAE nationals). The other 85% are expatriates from
Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and Australia.
Weather: Abu Dhabi has
a sub-tropical, arid climate with average temperatures ranging
from 13°C in the winter to 42°C in the summer. Hence,
the city’s facilities are completely air conditioned.
The sun can be particularly fierce during the day so consider
bringing along a suitable hat, sunglasses and sun protection
cream. You might also consider bringing appropriate clothing
to keep yourself comfortable and warm in the city’s
air conditioned facilities (hotels, malls, offices, etc.),
especially during the short winter season.
Dress Code: Abu Dhabi
is generally conservative, but tolerant when it comes to
dress code. The attitude towards attire worn in public is
therefore relaxed, however clothing should be modest. Both
women and men are advised not to wear excessively revealing
clothing in public places, as a sign of respect to local
culture and customs. It is respectful for men and women
to cover shoulders and knees when in public.
Working and business hours:
The working week is from Sunday to Thursday. Weekends usually
vary according to whether the sector is public (Friday and
Saturday) or private (Friday only). Government entities
operate from 08:00 to 15:00, banks from 08:00 to 13:00 (excluding
banks in malls which may remain open until 19:00) and commercial
shops from 09:00 to 20:00 (a break might be taken during
the day from 13:00 to 16:00 whereas shopping malls can be
found open until 22:00).
Local time: UAE is four
hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC +4).
Electricity: Electric
current is 220/240 V at 50 Hz, utilising 3-pin plugs (see
photo). Socket adapters are usually available in hotels.
Water: Tap water in Abu
Dhabi is generally considered safe to drink but bottled
mineral water is widely available.
Travel and health insurance:
All participants are responsible for their own travel insurance.
It is recommended that all participants take out comprehensive
travel and medical insurance before arriving in the UAE.
Medical services and healthcare:
Medical facilities are of high quality but are expensive.
Private health insurance is essential. Pharmacies are well
supplied and many pharmacists speak English. Note: Some
prescription and over-the-counter medicines are illegal
in the UAE. For further details contact the UAE Registration
& Drug Control Department: drugcl.csc@moh.gov.ae.
Regarding any possible vaccinations you may require before
travel, please contact your physician.
Alcohol: The UAE is a
Muslim country, therefore it is a serious offence to drink
alcohol or to be drunk in public and the penalties are severe.
Alcohol is served only in licensed outlets associated with
hotel restaurants and bars, and a few clubs and associations
where non-Muslims may legally drink.
Cultural sensitivity:
The UAE is generally a tolerant society. However, it is
important to show respect for cultural and religious preferences
and bear in mind that it is an offence to swear and make
rude gestures in public. For more information, please refer
to the website of the UAE Embassy in the USA (click here).
Currency and foreign exchange:
The official currency in the UAE is the Dirham
(AED). The Dirham is subdivided into 100 fils. Coins are
in 5, 10, 25, 50 fils and AED 1. Notes are in denominations
of AED 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000. The Dirham
is pegged to the US dollar i.e. 1 USD = AED 3.67.
Banking facilities: The
network of banking facilities in Abu Dhabi is extensive.
There is also an ATM at the meeting venue on the ground
floor
Useful links: www.abudhabi.ae
, www.abudhabi.com
, www.visitabudhabi.ae
Note: The content of this Information
Note was accurate at the time of writing (1 August 2012).
Maps
Abu Dhabi
Yas Island - Rotana Hotel
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