In an earlier article Votes from the Internet - the Most popular Middle Eastern Gulf country, I talked about the popularity of different Gulf countries using a keyword research tool. Dubai is the clear top choice. To push the idea forward, here I’d like to talk about what governments can do to promote their country on the Internet

Why should governments care about online promotion? It is important from Nationals identity perspective!

The Middle East gives a not-so-good impression to foreigners. Let’s look at the numbers

Top keywords associated with the Middle East or Africa or Iraq

It is a pity that all the top 10 keywords related to the Middle East, Africa and Iraq are negative associations. Because of sampling methodology, this may not represent the views of most Internet users, but it does reflect the views of a large number of Internet users. To change how their countries are perceived by foreigners, governments in the Middle East should act

Other benefits from promoting a country online

To name a few, governments can benefit from

• Increased foreign investment
• More tourists and higher tourism spending
• Improved foreign relations

What governments should do - use online marketing techniques like businesses do

It is not rocket science. Governments can take simple steps to promote their countries online

• Create English websites for government departments. Websites of many ministries are in Arabic. One example is Kuwait’s Ministry of Planning. It provides very useful information about the Kuwaiti economy for businesses and potential investors. Yet the information is only in Arabic. The English version has little information, and it was updated in 2001
• Advertise on the Internet targeting specific keywords. Dubai is attracting lots of Internet traffic. If another Gulf country wants to increase its exposure, one good way is to target keywords related to Dubai. If a place like Qatar is competing with Dubai for businesses and tourists, it should advertise on search engines, and aim to display Qatar websites when people search for Dubai keywords. These are the top 10 keywords on Dubai that other Gulf countries can target
  • Dubai
  • Cheap flights Dubai
  • Dubai map
  • Burj Dubai
  • Jobs in Dubai
  • Dubai jobs
  • Dubai hotels
  • Jobs opportunities in Dubai
  • Map of Dubai
  • Dubai hotel
• Create portals to promote their countries. If I google Qatar, Qatar Airways shows up on top. This shouldn’t be the case when a government is serious about promoting its country. On this aspect, Gulf countries can learn from Singapore. If I type Singapore on google, the first result is an official government portal promoting tourism called Uniquely Singapore. The third result is called Singapore Infomap, an all-purpose portal for foreigners interested in playing, working, studying and doing business in Singapore. It is run by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts

Online promotion needs to be met by offline delivery

If a government really takes the steps to promote their country online, perhaps a country like Bahrain can match the popularity of Dubai with relatively little efforts, at least on the Internet. More importantly, online marketing should be met by actual experience. From the moment when visitors come to a country, they should be able to experience good hospitality. Again, Dubai’s e-Gate is a great success

Read what other bloggers write about the Middle East, some posts touch the government’s stance towards the Internet (good and bad, un-censored and un-official, but these are the stories they tell over the Internet)

Crosswords Arabia

The same technology that enables liberalization and democratization also enables terrorism. Programs that provide almost perfect encryption to reformists in China also hide information about terrorists

An Englishman In Saudi Arabia

Dear Saudis, be ashamed. Be very ashamed. You’re almost as fat as the British and we’re one of the fattest groups of fat fatties you’ve ever seen

Internet Anthropologist CEO

The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs has announced the upcoming launch of a website aimed at fighting extremism and to reform individuals with extremist views. The website, which will have sections in Arabic and in English, is aimed at Muslim audiences worldwide

Expositions of Arabia

Whereas before the advent of the internet, poorly paid expatriate workers were forced to use the services of the MOC to call home at expensive rates to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Philippines to name a few places, they now have the opportunity to use cheap internet telephony such as Net2Phone or international calling cards that connect through the internet. However, the MOC has criminalized the use of such services and blocked access to websites of internet telephone services

Deera Chat

Here in Kuwait we have all the basic components we need to have a free internet service for every single person living in the Kuwaiti soul … so why it is not happening and what it happens, how it would benefit me and you?!

Boycott Batelco

The Bahrain Internet Society will be hosting Fahad Al-Shirawi, the managing director of 2Connect at the BIS’ premises in Umm Al-Hassam tomorrow evening (18 June) from 1900 - 2100 to talk about his company’s offering Internet for free in Bahrain

Harith Digest

Oman plans to license several new Internet service providers, in a further liberalisation of its telecommunications sector, state news agency ONA said on Friday

Which is the most popular country among the 6 Middle Eastern Gulf states?

Bahrain? Kuwait? Oman? Qatar? Saudi Arabia? Or the United Arab Emirates?

Everybody has a different answer in their mind. I did a little keyword research to find out what Internet users think. Here are the results generated by a tool called Wordtracker Free Keyword Suggestion Tool

Voice of the Internet - Dubai, Dubai, Dubai

Surprising? Dubai, which is a small emirate (not even a nation), attracts almost as much traffic of all other countries combined. Saudi Arabia, which exports more oil than any other country in the world, is far behind. Another noteworthy observation is that the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the country in which Dubai belongs to, attracts only 1/10 of the attention that Dubai does

Note that the Wordtracker network only captures a small portion of web searches, so the absolute number of daily searches is probably much higher. Relative to each other, the ranking tells a good story about popularity of Gulf countries against English-speaking Internet users. My guess is that, if the searches were done in Arabic, Saudi Arabia will be number 1, due to the sheer size of its population

Why is Saudi more popular than Oman? Is it related to GDP? No

I tried to uncover what is driving the frequency of searches. Let’s first look at the GDP of the 6 countries by digging through the World Bank database

Saudi, by virtue of its massive oil reserves, is clearly the largest country in terms of GDP. While data is not available for Dubai, it’s reasonable to assume that Saudi has at least 3 times the GDP of Dubai. This is because the Dubai is the 2nd largest among the 7 emirates within the UAE (Abu Dhabi is the largest), while the whole of UAE’s GDP is USD130 billion

Money does not translate into more interest by web surfers. What attracts their attention then?

Is it related to population? No

If a country has more people, this should result in more interactions with them by the outside world. Is it true? Another World Bank database tells the story

The fact that Qatar’s population is less than 1/3 of Kuwait doesn’t deter it from being a more sought after place by Internet users. A similar contrast can be drawn between Bahrain and Oman. Clearly, other factors play a key role in attracting Internet users to websites of one country over another

Internet users should surf the sites less-traveled

Beyond the symbolic Dubai, there are lots of places worth looking at. They have rich cultural traditions, diverse populations, and huge economic potential. It’s always good to exchange ideas with websites in Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. You will learn a lot from them, and discover their unique charm

If you want to know more about lives in the Middle East, here are a few blogs that talk about the 6 Middle Eastern Gulf countries

Oman Community Blog - latest developments, good and bad, of the country

“Omanis in general are diverse and their experiences are assorted. My views come to you from across the world, usually in the form of a proud Omani looking at the developments and change from far away”

Bahrain For Ever - Views on Bahrain’s social and political issues

“Now I refuse to believe that all Bahrainis won’t work as labor. Just look at ALBA for example, they work in the heat of August and in front of melting Aluminum pots, much worst then construction, yet most of the workers there are Bahrainis”

Cat in the Gulf - life in Qatar and Dubai, mainly on the lighter topics

“Some things in life can be truly learned only by your own experience. Here is some midnight knowledge for you:

1. The opposite of love isn’t hate.
2. Desperate Housewives and Godfather have answers to all possible midnight questions”

Forza Kuwait - Kuwaiti with some free time and much internet browsing

“In an Interview with Alwatan Daily in Kuwait for the Week Topic ( which was about blogging , more like attacking bloggers ) , the Secretary of the Kuwaiti Journalists Association said what is on his mind about bloggers .
which is amazing what he think of blogs , and how many times he show that he demand they be closed or controlled , and that coming from a guy who is supposed to ask for more freedom of speech is priceless irony”

Saudi Jeans - Blog on Saudi, from Saudi

While working on this blog over the past three years, many people have complained to me about the small number of available resources on Saudi Arabia in English, online and offline alike. I think this is one of the reasons behind the increasing popularity of Saudi blogs, mine included

UAE Community Blog - voice of the community

No more sex in dubai
It appears Etisalat has decided to block the popular blog Sex and Dubai

I dread going to the dentist, especially the lying on the dentist chair watching scalpels moving in and out of my mouth. I know it is a necessary evil, but at least I want to lessen the pain

Visiting the dentist in Kuwait - Summary

I have recently visited the Gulf Clinic in Kuwait City. It’s the least painful dental visit I’ve had in the Gulf. For an business traveler in need of dental help, I believe this is as good as one can get

Dentist

Dr. Aneesa, a Kuwaiti national, did the major operation (I don’t want to go into details…). She patiently explained what she’s about to do before working on it, which helps

Nurses

Initially, a junior nurse was trying to help. Apparently she didn’t know how to operate the machine. That made me feel nervous. Later on a senior nurse came by and took over. The pain was still there when they’re cleaning the gum. Just that their friendly attitute made me feel less nervous

Prices

KD 85 (~USD 300) for the whole thing - expensive for a minor job. Still, I’d rather pay than go to some public hospitals, queue up receive horrible treatment

Contact

It’s not difficult to schedule an appointment by calling 563-0002. There are English-speaking receptionists

Location

It is 15 minutes from the major centers of Kuwait City. Go to their website to check it out

Other bloggers talking about their dental experience in Kuwait - mostly bad, some good

Hugs from Kuwait - horror story. I hope it won’t happen again

“My first experience at the dentist’s in Kuwait was horrendous. I went to the government clinic. The doctor gave me like 4 shots of anesthesia but I could still feel the pain. She did not believe me and held my head down while she drilled. Meanwhile, the nurse had that suction pipe on the other side of my mouth.”

Hugs from Kuwait - another bad experience

“The only thing they did was charge me 10KD to open a file and another 7 KD to take an X-ray. Then, the doctor said that I need to see a specialist. She recommended another dental clinic. So, I was out 17KD and for nothing!”

A leaf from my journal… - Dentist from devil’s kingdom …

“Visiting a doctor in Kuwait is always more painful than the ailment itself. By pain, I am referring to the mental trauma one has to go through during these visits. All the more so when the doctor is an Arab. They’re very unbiased I feel, don’t make a damn difference between humans and animals!”

Mark and Nat, a married Lebanese couple who are living in Kuwait - Finally, some good experience

“He is a cool dentist and has a sense of humor which is why I keep going back to him. For anyone who’s interested I go to the Bayan Dental Center in Salmiya opposite Sultan Center.”

The health of Kuwait - a wake up call (Part IV) - situation of public health care system in Kuwait

“Due to an excessive workload and time constraints, our clinic practitioners rarely follow their patients and are often unable to request certain basic diagnostic tests typically part of the armamentarium of such providers.”

A typical taxi-cab

The most common form of transportation in Kuwait is by private car. But if you don’t drive, or don’t want to look bad driving a Toyota next to your friend’s BMW, taxis are the only viable alternative. Buses are infrequent, slow, and the routes they go are very limited. Usually only blue-collar expatriate workers take them

Here are some tips that may help you improve your experience with Kuwaiti taxis

1. Call taxi (241-3414) instead of waiting for street cabs
When I am in Kuwait City, this is the number that I call the most: 241-3414. It is the phone number of one of the larger taxi companies. It is probably the most important number for visitors. I use them for the following reasons
- After you call, they usually come pick you up within 5 minutes
- Cabs are coordinated centrally and are connected to a radio system. They have some English-speaking operators in their call centers. So when I want to go somewhere, as long as I have the address, the driver will find a way to get there through radio

Alternatively, you can wait for street cabs, but you have to believe that you’re lucky. Sometimes they come within 5 minutes, while sometimes they never appear

2. Negotiate the fare before going anywhere
Taxis have meters, but the drivers don’t charge by the meters. At the end of the journey, they’ll just tell you what the fare is. It is EXTREMELY important that you and the driver agree on the fare before you start moving, or you’ll probably pay more than you have to

Here are the going rates, based on my personal experience
- Kuwait International Airport - Kuwait City, 5 KD
- Short distance within Kuwait City - 2 KD
- Long distance within Kuwait City and vicinity - 3 - 4 KD

If they charge you more than that, bargaining helps. Street taxis are usually cheaper than the call-in taxis

Licenses of a taxi driver, photo taken from the back seat
Taxis are heavily regulated in Kuwait. Drivers are required to apply for various licenses (I counted 4) before he can carry passengers in a taxi. This red tape has driven up the price. Comparing journeys of similar distances, fares in Kuwait are up to 50% higher than fares in Dubai. For short-distance journeys, the difference may be even higher

One of the most frustrating things that can happen to travelers is delay at the airport. The issue has been particularly serious in Kuwait for arriving visitors who’re non-GCC Nationals. There have been times when I had to wait more than 2 hours at the airport before being allowed to enter the country. So I decide to find out and share some tips to help other people save time. Hope this is useful for you

The problem - lengthy visa procedure at Kuwait International Airport

Kuwait has a visa process that is restrictive by international standard. Every non-GCC visitor has to apply for visa in advance before entering Kuwait. In 2004, the Ministry of Interior has adopted a policy to open up its borders. Nationals of the following countries can apply for visa at the airport

1. USA.
2. UK.
3. France.
4. Italy.
5. Germany.
6. Canada.
7. Australia.
8. New Zealand.
9. Japan.
10. The Netherlands.
11. Belgium.
12. Luxembourg.
13. Switzerland.
14. Austria.
15. Sweden.
16. Norway.
17. Denmark.
18. Portugal.
19. Ireland.
20. Greece.
21. Finland.
22. Spain.
23. Monaco.
24. the Vatican.
25. Iceland.
26. Andorra.
27. San Marino.
28. Liechtenstein.
29. Brunei.
30. Singapore.
31. Malaysia.
32. Hong Kong.
33. South Korea.
34. China.*

*They recently excluded China, but the decision was not publicized. Customs officials told me they originally did not plan to restrict Chinese visitors. However, thousands of prostitutes and criminals flock to the country and stay there using the loophole. Therefore, when you arrive at Kuwait International Airport today, you will see notice boards stating people from these 34 countries can obtain visa there, with big crosses covering the word “China”. Moreover, Nationals of Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong were screened in extra caution (that means extra wait time!), because Kuwaiti officials are concerned that Chinese may try using fake passports of these 3 countries to enter Kuwait. They have no way to tell from the look, whether someone is from Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong or China

Usually people need to wait for 1 - 1.5 hour to have a visa issued. If you don’t want to wait, here is a good service to use

Solution - Hala (Meet-and-greet) Services
Realizing this problem, entrepreneurs have found a way to speed up the visa process. This is a service run by a private company called Hala Services Kuwait. User can register online or call them at +965-842-842 (Ext. 304) to ask for help. Of all the services they provide (from welcoming you by flowers and dates at the gate to wheelchair assistance), I recommend the airport visa service

I tried it myself. As soon as I stepped out of the plane, I saw a lady holding up a cardboard with my name on it. Then she escorted me directly to the visa counter. Instead of waiting in line with the other ~100 travelers, we bypassed the whole process by using a special counter. 15 minutes later, I was already outside the airport

It costs 1 KD (~3.5 USD), but it’s worth it as I don’t have to worry about waiting. Now I don’t have to worry about arriving after a 747-400 from Amsterdam, and how long I have to wait until they give you a visa

For more information,

Hala Services in Kuwait’s International Airport

Kuwaitah website on Kuwait visa procedure

Kuwait is a major oil exporting country, and it’s economy is highly dependent on the oil sector.

Here is a piece of interesting statistic that I’d like to share. Below is a list of the 10 largest industrial and service sectors in Kuwait, and their contribution to GDP. Oil is the largest sector, bigger than all the 9 other top 10 sectors combined

While the economy is booming now due to high oil price, this situation should not be taken for granted. If oil price plummets, the economy will face big problems. It should diversity its economy away from oil to better react to oil price fluctuations

GDP contribution from each sector
2005 figures, in USD millions

1. Energy, Mining and Quarrying (24)
2. Public Administration, Sanitary and Personal Services (8)
3. Business Services (3)
4. Real Estate & Dwelling (2)
5. Petroleum Refineries (2)
6. Financial Institutions (2)
7. Retail Trade (2)
8. Wholesale Trade (1)
9. Communications (1)
10. Transportation & Storage (1)

The data can be obtained from the Central Bank for free, or international data vendors, e.g. Global Insight, at a cost

Central Bank of Kuwait

Ministry of Planning

Having spent many years in East Asia, cities in the Gulf are amazing to me. Highways are everywhere, everybody drives, the poorer people take taxis. I still miss being able to walk across the street and buy groceries, travel to work by subway, and going to remote tours by train

Density in Gulf cities are a lot lower than in Asia. You’ll quickly notice this when looking at Google Earth, even without the help of official statistics. Zoom to the same scale, say, 5000 feet. East Asian cities like Tokyo, Singapore, and Taipei are full of buildings. In Doha, Kuwait City, and Abu Dhabi, it’s a yellow background punctuated by houses and grey highways

This means
- Gulf residents have to own cars to meet their daily needs
- The poor, elderly and disabled are more disadvantaged because they’re unable to drive or afford a car
- More roads are needed to move the same number of people

Even though oil is cheap for them, perhaps the heads of the Dubais should think about more compact city design, so their people will spend more time on the ground, less in their cars

Links on the topic of city planning
The Compact City and Social Justice
Melbourne 2030 - an important element in the plan is increasing pedestrian friendliness and use of public transport, while reducing use of private cars