In March, cinemas, bars, restaurants, malls and attractions shut down across the UAE due to the global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
In country where retail and tourism make up a substantial portion of industry, employment and GDP, the economic impact was always going to be significant.
Time Out’s UAE-wide Social Distancing Survey, conducted from May 4 to May 31, 2020, completed by 1,090 UAE residents, saw more than 60 percent of respondents say they had been financially impacted by the pandemic.
We asked you 53 questions about everything from finances to shopping, rent to staycation plans, to your thoughts on dining out and how you’ve got on home schooling your kids. We found out whether you’d connected more with friends and family around the world and found that despite staying at home, many of us saw more of the people we love.
And the results were enlightening. What did you say? Did others agree? Click here for the results of the survey.
As restrictions have eased, with the UAE government announcing the end of the National Sterilisation Programme and nightly curfew on June 24, many people now feel comfortable enough to return to the Emirates’ restaurants, hotels and beaches.
The pandemic is far from over in many countries, and the economic impact will undoubtedly be felt worldwide for some time to come.
But with tourists allowed to enter Dubai from today (Tuesday July 7) and citizens and residents now permitted to travel outside the country, there’s a cautious optimism spreading across the UAE.
It’s on all of us to go about our lives and business responsibly, and follow social distancing advice, to see that continue.
To see the results download the Time Out UAE Social Distancing Report 2020 here.
