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The war has led many expats to look beyond Dubai. In Italy there is already a city willing to take advantage of it

April 8, 2026 by usatoday24

He skyline It may be Dubai’s most recognizable feature, however in recent decades the city has gained something much more important (and complicated) than its skyscrapers: prestige. For years the expats half the world has seen in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) a destination in which to settleattracted by their tax advantagesadministrative facilities, luxury and stability of the country. Now the shock wave of the Iran war is erasing some of that image and has led some expats to look for alternatives in safer cities. An Italian city already appears on the horizon. The other bill of war. As with all wars, that of Iran It looks a lot like a set of dominoes. Operation ‘Epic Fury’ launched on February 28 by Washington and Tel Aviv on Iran ended the life of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of the Islamic regime; but that was only the first step of the war. The first in a long chain of pieces. Since then the conflict has escalatedaffecting international markets, skyrocketing the price of crude oil and infecting the rest of the Persian Gulf. We had the most graphic proof in the first days of the war, when Iran harshly punished some US allies in the region, including the UAE. Their attacks blocked Gulf airspace, unleashed the biggest crisis of aviation since the pandemic and left images that until recently were unimaginable, such as luxury residences attacked by Iranian drones. Reputation blow. The casualty toll in the UAE is relatively low (the Emirati authorities numbered at 13 those killed during the attacks launched by Iran), but the reputational damage has yet to be measured. For decades, the Emirates knew how to carve out a niche for itself as a favorite destination for expats from other countries. As explained a few months ago Guillaume Giroux, of the Dubai Inmo firm, in cities like Dubai, fortunes found tax facilities, bureaucratic agility, stability, an attractive real estate market and a high standard of living, especially for people accustomed to luxuries. Some of that magnetism remains, but the Iran war has tarnished the image of a safe, reliable and ‘boring’ (in a good way) destination created by the UAE. Has it changed that much? Public discourse certainly has. If it is news for hosting more than 81,000 millionaires or attract thousands of residents wealthy in just one yearDubai has made headlines for the chaos unleashed by the Iranian war. At the beginning of March Financial Times spoke of people driving 10 hours to cross the border into Oman, desperate to leave the region. In Guardian even they assured that a jet company was asking 85,000 euros (triple the normal amount) for a flight to Istanbul. They are specific cases, but they punish the UAE’s global projection. Looking for alternatives. It is unlikely that Dubai will suddenly lose the image that has been built up for years and it remains an unknown what the effect of the war will be in the medium and long term. there are those already warn that he is not considering leaving the Emirates. None of the above means that there are already millionaires looking for alternatives. I confirmed it recently Guardian in a chronicle explaining that as Dubai sees its reputation as a safe haven erode, there is expats thinking about the best way to return to Europe. The article, signed by Lauren Almeida, focuses on British billionaires, but still leaves out an interesting idea: when looking for European destinations, there is one in particular that seems to be winning. Which? Milan. “Those leaving the UAE can easily imagine themselves living in Rome or Milan, metropolitan and international centres,” point Armand Arton, who is dedicated to advising millionaires on citizenship and investment plans. Why’s that? For a sum of factors. In a way, Milan offers the rich a package similar to the one they find in Dubai: a attractive tax regimea rising real estate market (something especially interesting for those who buy with an investment mentality) and above all luxury. It’s nothing new. In September the Italian edition of Idealista explained that Milan was becoming one of the most attractive destinations in Europe to attract great fortunes. “Italy offers the best advantages: single tax and good quality of life,” insist Arton. “It’s a beautiful country. Milan has a very developed financial services sector, many of the things that are attractive in London, Milan also has them,” adds Marc Acheson of Utmost Wealth Solutions. This sum of factors, added to its environment, schools, services and cosmopolitan lifestyle, explains that the Italian city be home now from some of Europe’s biggest investors and bankers. Also the increase in price of your home. Luxury and something more. The attractiveness of Italy as a city is not the only factor that explains its ability to attract expats. Another is its tax policy. In 2017 the country introduced the “single rate”also known as “Ronaldo tax” and that it is designed precisely to attract wealthy foreigners. In summary, the regime allows new residents (foreigners and returned Italians) to pay 300,000 euros annually for income obtained outside the country. It may seem like a high tax, but as its name indicates, it is applied in a fixed manner, regardless of the base amount, which makes it an interesting option for large fortunes. Until recently, its amount was also lower, making it even more attractive. When it was introduced, the “single rate” amounted to 100,000 euros annual. In 2024 that figure rose to 200,000 and did not reach its current level, of 300,000 euros, until this year. This tax advantage can be enjoyed for only 15 years, but it has extras. Marking distances. It’s not just about what Italy has done. As explains the Golden Visas platform, the Italian system gained attractiveness after in 2024 United Kingdom review its tax regime for non-domiciled residents and for Portugal to also rethink its system. Reuters precise that in 2023 around 1,500 people took advantage of the single rate regime in Italy, … Read more

Dubai was a mecca for expats. Now they are driving 10 hours and paying thousands of dollars for a flight to escape from there

March 2, 2026 by usatoday24

Iran has shown it needs very little to upend Middle East air traffic and hit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where it hurts the most: the image of reliability that has been built for years at an international level, with great benefitsby the way. The wave of attacks launched by Tehran to neighboring countries that facilitate US military deployment in the region, such as Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait or the UAE itself, has affected thousands of flights and left a curious image: expats desperate to leave Dubai. There are those who are shelling out large sums to fly on private jets and those who have even driven 10 hours to get to Riyadh and get on a plane there. What has happened? If Tehran wanted to damage the image of stability of neighbors like the UAE, it was completely right. Although the country managed to intercept most of the drones and missiles launched by Iran, the truth is that some of the projectiles reached Dubai, the tourist and financial heart of the region. In practice, this translated into fires in luxury hotels, towers with windows shattered by explosions, a knocked out airport and, above all, considerable reputational damage for a city that has spent years building the image of a safe and comfortable destination for expats. Sums it up beautifully Elizabeth Rayment, a consultant caught off guard by the Iranian attack in Palm Islands: “You never expect to hear missiles flying overhead in Dubai.” Have there been more consequences? Yes. The most serious are undoubtedly the victims. Arab News I was talking yesterday about three deceased and 58 injured in the United Arab Emirates. There are not many if you take into account that the country’s authorities claim to have detected a total of 156 ballistic missiles and several cruise missiles, in addition to more than half a thousand drones, most of them intercepted and destroyed. The other consequence is the chaos generated in air traffic in the Persian Gulf, where some airports and airlines have had to suspend their operations, affecting both customers in the region and others who had planned to pass through Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Qatar to take connecting flights between Europe and Asia. Have many been cancelled? FlightAware estimates that around 2,800 operations and on Sunday more than 3,1500. Added to these are the flights canceled and suspended today by Gulf airlines. For reference, Financial Times assured this morning that more than half of the services that had been booked for today in the region have been cancelled. The Iranian attacks have altered to a greater or lesser extent the programming of Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways and the airports of Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, as well as other terminals in Kuwait and Bahrain. The BBC has chatted with travelers who have found flights canceled upon arriving at the terminal. There are those who already talk about the biggest crisis aviation since the pandemic. How do I leave the country? That is the question that expats and tourists have been asking themselves since Saturday. The Iranian attacks have surprised them in the region and now they find that there are few (or no) regular flights that take them to other parts of the globe. Faced with such a scenario, there are those who have armed themselves with patience, those who have drawn on their checkbook and those who have resigned themselves to traveling kilometers and kilometers to reach airports with flights. So I told it a few hours ago FTwhich speaks of “tens of thousands of passengers” stranded in the region and assures that there are Dubai residents who have traveled to neighboring Oman to get a flight. What’s more, some have even driven 10 hours to get on a plane in Riyadh. They don’t have it easy. Most scheduled flights these days between Muscat (Oman) and Europe are reserved. And what do they do? The wealthiest, pull out their checkbook and try their luck with private jet companies. EnterJet, which is dedicated to intermediating between customers and available planes, says that reservations have skyrocketed 40% since the weekend. The problem is that the sector also has its limitations. Its founder explains to Financial Times that “the only viable option” to operate is the Muscat terminal, which makes it difficult to obtain landing slots. Added to this are the difficulties in finding ships. The businessman hopes that as traffic recovers in the Gulf, private flights will increase. Are they very expensive? The situation in the Gulf has caused a curious effect: while the price of airlines such as International Airlines Group or Air France-KLM they resent the price of private services skyrockets. The JetVip agency (Oman) explains to Guardian that a flight to Istanbul on a small Nextant jet costs around 85,000 euros, about three times the normal price. The same media reveals that seats on private charter flights to Moscow are paid for about 20,000 euros… per person. Rates vary depending on the company, but they usually always range in the five digits, or even more. It may sound strange, but we must keep in mind that Donald Trump has hinted that the offensive against Iran could continue even further. “four weeks” and the question remains as to how Tehran will respond. Added to this is that over the last few years the UAE has managed to position itself as a priority destination for thousands of expatsa position largely based on reliability and stability that Tehran has now managed to damage with missiles. Images | Michael Ranzau (Flickr) In Xataka | The arrival of the B-2s to Iran can only mean one thing: the search for the greatest threat to the United States has begun

Saudi Arabia has realized that to attract wealthy expats and Western tourists it needs something: alcohol

January 7, 2026 by usatoday24

Maybe the Spanish we are moving away little by little from alcohol, but beer, wine and spirits continue to be a pillar of Western leisure. Saudi Arabia knows this well, as in its efforts to modernize and gain appeal to Westerners (both expats wealthy as tourists) has decided to make more flexible access to the drink in the country, where its purchase has been radically restricted for more than 70 years. The change is being made timidly, silently, almost underground; but it tells us a lot about how the kingdom is transforming. The news that they are coming in drops to the West they leave a resounding reading: foreigners will be able to buy alcohol in Saudi Arabia… as long as they meet a series of requirements that focus in your wallet. Looking to the 20th century. If you like to share a few beers with friends, have dinner with a glass of wine or drink a cocktail when you go out, Saudi Arabia is not your country. Or it hasn’t been at least for the last seven decades. The kingdom is governed by shariawhich vetoes alcohol. Even Foreign Affairs reminds Spaniards traveling to the country that public consumption “is strictly prohibited” and landing with bottles can lead to “severe fines” and an accusation of smuggling. Saudi Arabia’s zeal to ban the drink dates back to at least the mid-20th century. And not only because of Koranic law and the fact that the kingdom claims to be the guardian of the sacred places of Islam. In the early 1950s, King Abdul Aziz banned the sale of alcohol after one of his sons, Prince Mishari, assassinate a diplomat British drunk. For diplomats. Although getting alcohol in Saudi Arabia is much (very much) more difficult than in Europe or even in Dubaisomething is changing in the Islamic kingdom. The first sign came just two years ago, beginning of 2024when the Saudis saw the first liquor store in more than 70 years. Of course, the business was launched with certain limitations. To begin with, the establishment only sold alcohol to non-Muslim diplomats. In fact, it opened precisely in the neighborhood of the city where they work. At least at first The Executive also intended that customers would have to register through an app, obtain an authorization code and respect certain quotas. A small (big) step. That first store may not look anything like the liquor stores of Europe, but its debut marked a milestone in Saudi Arabia and began to break the long taboo that prevailed in the kingdom around alcohol. Last November that opening was confirmed when agencies such as Reuters either Bloomberg revealed that the country planned to open two new liquor stores: one in Dhrahan, in a complex owned by the oil company Aramco, and another in Jeddah. The first would be designed for non-Muslim employees of the company. The second would be located again in an area frequented by diplomats. Expanding the market. In November, both Reuters and Bloomberg reported another relevant news that is now has confirmed The Wall Street Journal: The Riyadh liquor store that was theoretically intended for foreign diplomats will also sell bottles to certain residents of Saudi Arabia. To whom? Especially non-Muslim foreigners with Premium Residence. These residence permits are basically granted to businessmen, large investors, wealthy foreigners and qualified professionals who work in strategic sectors or for the Government. In December Bloomberg needed In fact, customers who want to buy wine or spirits in Riyadh have to prove that they earn at least 50,000 riyals per month, about $13,300. Reporter Vivian Nereim, from The New York Times, came in person outside the Riyadh liquor store and spoke with customers of the business who (among other issues) confirmed that one price is applied to diplomats and another, higher price, to the rest of the buyers. A bottle of mid-priced white wine cost about $85, about five times the US price. “Something was coming”. Against this backdrop, recently TWSJ public a chronicle which goes one step further. According to the American newspaper, Saudi Arabia plans to continue making its relationship with alcohol more flexible with another historic decision: allowing its consumption in luxury hotels and resorts in the Red Sea. “We always knew it was going to happen, that Saudi Arabia was preparing for something,” explains Michael Ratneyformer US ambassador, who speaks of “physical signs” that have been seen for years: “You went into restaurants and they all had bars. They didn’t offer alcohol, but the infrastructure was emerging.” The example of Dubai. The objective is clear: to reinforce the country’s attractiveness for expats, investors and tourists as part of the policy promoted by Prince Mohammed bin Salman to modernize the nation, diversify its economy and reduce your fiscal deficit. In recent years the kingdom has already taken several steps in that direction in different areas (in 2018 allowed women get behind the wheel of a car and in 2034 will host the World Cup) and there are those who point that in terms of leisure and alcohol will look to the United Arab Emirates. Especially to Dubai. In part of the UAE, access to alcohol is limited, but it is relatively easy to obtain in Dubai, a city that has stood out for its ability to attract tourists and wealthy foreigners. For years, those who wanted to access alcohol in Saudi Arabia had to resort to the diplomatic courierartisanal manufacturing at home or the black market, with the risks that it entails. The question is to what extent the kingdom is willing to change that to attract foreign assets. Images | سيف الظاهر (Unsplash), Ambitious Studio*-Rick Barrett (Unsplash) In Xataka | There is an age at which we should stop drinking alcohol forever. Neuroscience is clear why

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