Friday brunch back on the menu as Dubai's Covid restrictions ease further

New circular from Dubai Municipality has announced that all food establishments can resume buffet services

The weekly essential for many thousands of expats living in the city was one of many victims of the pandemic as authorities cracked down on the travel and hospitality sector.

The Friday brunch, an institution in Dubai which was suspended in February amid tougher restrictions to contain the spread of coronavirus, is back on the menu.

The weekly essential for many thousands of expats living in the city was one of many victims of the pandemic as authorities cracked down on the travel and hospitality sector.

But now as Covid cases continue to decline in the UAE, a circular from Dubai Municipality has announced that all food establishments can resume buffet services.

“In conjunction with the current situation and easing restrictions based on epidemiological status, Dubai Municipality directs all food establishmentsa to resume buffet services with necessary precautionary measures,” said a statement without giving a specific date for the resumption.

Precautionary measures include the use of hand sanitiser dispenser at the beginning of each section of the buffet and the regular changing of utensils such as spoons, spatulas and scoops that are shared by customers.

The announcement comes as the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced that it recorded 124 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the UAE to 737,890.

MoHAP also announced one death due to Covid-19 complications, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 2,114.

The ministry also noted that an additional 182 individuals had fully recovered from Covid-19, bringing the total number of recoveries to 731,295.

The brunch announcement is the latest positive news for the UAE tourism industry after being hit hard by the impact of the pandemic.

UAE hotels hit 62 percent occupancy in the first six months of 2021 as the tourism sector continued to rebound.

UAE hotels hit 62% occupancy as tourism industry continues Covid-19 recovery

Nearly 8.3 million guests visited the UAE’s hotels and tourism establishments in first six months of the year, a 15 percent growth compared to the first half of 2020

Nearly 8.3 million guests visited the UAE’s hotels and tourism establishments in the first six months of the year, a 15 percent growth compared to the first half of 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic-induced lockdowns prevented much travel and tourism.

The UAE outperformed other global tourism destinations in the first half, including China (where hotels reached 54 percent occupancy), US (45 percent), Mexico (38 percent), the United Kingdom (37 percent), and Turkey (36 percent).

Expo 2020 Dubai, which opened its doors to the world on October 1, is expected to further boost the country’s tourism sector.

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