Marketing is all about turning adversity into opportunity. No famous person has said this, but a restaurant chain in Dubai seems to be abiding by this credo. They're incentivising residents to get the Covid jab by offering them food discounts in return.
Three restaurants run by Gates Hospitality in Dubai are offering a 10 per cent discount to residents who have taken the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine -- it increases to 20 per cent if you've taken both.
"Spread love, not Rona," read their flier circulating on social media. Customers would be asked to show a proof of the inoculation through a medical certificate to avail the discount.
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People on Twitter have split two ways: some disparaged this as just another marketing stunt, others thought the owners were genuinely motivated to get more people vaccinated.
Despite an increase in cases in Dubai since New Year's, the emirate is open for tourism and the hospitality industry is operating with social distancing guidelines.
The UAE began its inoculation drive in December after approving vaccines by US drugmaker Pfizer and German partner BionTech, along with the one by Chinese firm Sinopharm
Dubai's health authority said this week have announced a scaling back of vaccinations after Pfizer announced shipment delays due to works at its key plant in Belgium. The Sinopharm vaccine is still available.
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The UAE currently has 3,579 Covid-19 cases, a new high for the 13th consecutive day.
