Dubai restaurants must value human rights

Dubai restaurants must value human rights

Years ago, businesses inside Dubai malls began to panic when smoking was banned. They were worried they'd see their customer base cut in half...

July 30, 2012 12:28 by kippreport

Countries in the Middle East may have slowed down during the Summer time at one point or experience slower business scales during Ramadan but year after year the pace is picking up. Recruitment is still strong, hotels left, right and center reporting an increase of hotel occupancy and a boost in tourism.

In Dubai, restaurants and Cafes have been hit with a recent warning that if not complied with; will lead to fines or a temporary shut down of the premises; the new law entails that all restaurants and cafes will have to warn customers through an external sign of some sort, if they allow smoking on their premises.

This rule will be officially implemented from August and is aimed particularly at non-smokers and children who should not be forced to suffer.

Walid Abdul Malik, a senior official at the Department of Economic Development’s consumer protection division, told The National: “The campaign aims to protect basic human rights, including the right to take informed decision.”

Will restaurants and hotels take this badly or will they carry on as normal?

Interestingly enough, several years ago when a law that banned smoking in the malls was implemented, many businesses began to panic as they visualized their customer number sliced in half. Although in the long run, it did not appear to have an effect on their stream. “They were worried that people would stop going and it would ruin trade, but that never happened,” said Abdul Malik.

Over 600,000 people die of passive smoking every year according to the director of health regulation at Dubai Health Authority. The authorities will take this matter seriously.