ABU DHABI, January 15 (RIA Novosti) – The visit of U.S. President George Bush to Dubai cost the city $120 million as businesses closed down and ordinary life ground to a halt on Monday, the local Gulf News newspaper said.
Bush’s visit to the United Arab Emirates took place among heightened security, and the local authorities made Monday a day off.
All the major motorways were closed in Dubai, along with two bridges across the bay, which divides the city into two parts, and the tunnel underneath.
Tourists staying in Dubai were recommended to stay inside at certain hours. Traffic was completely paralyzed.
The security measures led to conferences, exhibitions and business meetings being canceled. The Dubai International Financial Center, the workplace for 7,000 employees from 500 companies, was also closed, causing financial losses for around 100,000 firms.
Only hotels profited from Bush’s visit, as tourists had little option but to sit in their restaurants all throughout a long, rainy Monday.