UAE: cinema ticket prices go up to Dhs 35

[kaytee]

Dubai: The increase in ticket prices imposed by the UAE's two cinema operators in recent days is the first price rise for at least six years, officials have said.

The price of a standard ticket at Cinestar cinemas went up from Dh30 to Dh35 on December 28 while at Grand Cinemas the same increase in ticket prices begins today (January 1).

Salim Ramia from Grand Cinemas, which has 16 theatres spread across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah, told Gulf News that prices had not gone up for a long time

"This is the first increase in six years. For six years the price hasn't gone up. Running expenses are more than 25 per cent higher. Living in Dubai is becoming expensive.

"The rent, the operating expenses, they all went up and yet until now we haven't increased the prices. We never increased anything," he said.

Ramia said that cinema ticket prices in the UAE, even after the increase, were still good value compared to those in many other countries.

"We are still cheaper than in Europe or England," he told Gulf News.

Cinestar's regional cinema manager Toni Al Masih said the price rise was the first one the company had introduced since it began operations in the UAE in 1999. The company has two cinemas in Dubai, one in Ajman and one in Abu Dhabi.

Deterrent

"There has been an increase in rents, an increase in housing allowances, in operating allowances, an increase in the film hire that we have to pay.

"We haven't had an increase since we opened seven years ago in 1999. It was Dh30," he said.

Al Masih said he was not expecting cinema audiences to dwindle in the wake of the price increases.

"We haven't had any complaints. It is business as usual," he said.

Peter Alcock, 38, a British expatriate who goes to the cinema about once a month with his nine-year-old daughter and five-year-old son, said the price rise might deter him from going to the flicks.

"I wouldn't say Dh35 is unreasonable for a ticket, but it does mean that the cinema is a bit more expensive than some alternative things to do. The cinema is competing with video and it might make me more likely to buy a DVD instead.

"With the cinema, I certainly feel that if it cost a little bit less it would go a lot more often - if it was Dh20 we would probably go once a week instead of once a month," he said.

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Comments

I think the increased price of a cinema tickets in the UAE is absolutely ridiculous. These are the first cinemas I have heard that have increased prices.
Salman Kenth
Manama,Bahrain

I can watch four latest movies in Balcony in the Cinema here in Kuala Lumpur for the same price. That's high inflation.
Amyn
Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia

This increased price-hike would deter many people from going to the cinemas. Cinemas are meant for recreation and with the prices increasing, students like me, would have no option but to watch DVDs at home. Considering the eatables which one purchases at the cinemas (which are overpriced too), the government should give students some discounts. A Dh20 ticket would be the best option.
Aisha Qureshi
Dubai,UAE

Why do we always compare uae to Europe or England? There is a big difference in salary compared to those countries which Salim Ramia has mentioned in your report.
Moc
Dubai,UAE

I am very much a movie-loving person. I do watch movies in theatres almost every week. This is definitely bad news for me as well as for those who love going to the cinemas. I might now go on alternative weeks instead of every week.
Ram Gurung
Dubai,UAE

Why is always any sort of cost increase compared to Europe / England, whereas most of the residents are from the sub-continent, where cinemas and other entertainment are very cheap.
Ismail Dangra
Abu Dhabi,U A E

I would like to give a piece of free management advice to the cinemas in UAE. Most of the costs associated with running a cinema are fixed cost. i.e. those costs cannot be avoided even if some shows are not having any audience. Why don't they just try reducing the ticket rates of morning and afternoon shows. I am sure the cinemas would attract more customers and they won't be losing anything as the evening and night show customers would continue going to those shows. It would definitely be a gamble worth taking.
Mohammed Rashid
Dubai,UAE

[X.]

I paid AED35 for a movie ticket today.

With additional (conservative) purchases at the snack bar, my total came to AED50.

That's highway robbery if you ask me.

The cinemas here have it all wrong. They are acting like the local landlords -- foolishly hiking up the tariffs. The art of remaining profitable and competitive is manifold, and does not require a blanket increase in ticket price.

[shariqq]

Even simple responders have more grey-matter than these greedy opportunists of cinema owners. Those two ideas I have read here: decrease prices for morning/afternoon shows due to fixed costs & to decrease prices to get more audience  - both would definitely give them a MUCH higher turnover and a bottom line.

Much more the reason to stick to that Mashreq Bank card now. Wonder if they gonna change anything (most probably from AED 15.00 per ticket, they'll go to AED 17.50 per ticket)

[madali]

The problem is also the very expensive snack bar. Paying AED 50 for a movie is painfully expensive.

I would not mind the high cost if there were more choices. I would not mind AED 50 if I'm going out with my friends or taking a girl. But if there were other cinemas (dumps) that had cheaper alternatives, I would go watch more movies.

[kaytee]

Well I was supposed to go watch Apocalypto at 11:30 pm and once I reached the ticket counter they told me that their POS machines were not working and they can't use the card today.
I decided to pay the 35 bucks coz I had driven all the way to watch the movie and she tells me that they had to cancel the show of Apocalypto and the reason was technical. I was pissed coz I had called and checked if they had the show playing. The manager was not available so I blew away all the steam on the ticket counter Filipina.

Recently when I visited a multiplex in Mumbai I paid only Rs. 150 which is equilant to Dhs 12 for a movie ticket. I was sitting in the 5th row and I was suprised to know that they had Lazy Boy's type seats which actually reclined so that they hurt the neck.

The cinemas keep comparing themselves with England and America but why never Singapore or India where the ticket prices are actually cheaper.

[X.]

I saw the printed note about the POS terminals being out of service.

I figured that it was an excuse until they and Mashreq Bank figured out what the new discount should be for the VIP WOW! cardholders.

[ozzylogic]

Jeez. I really wanted to watch Deja Vu AND Children of Men...I changed my mind and decided to wait for their DVD release. *sigh*

Shreq, I need one of those Mashreq Bank discount cards ASAP!

[vibhuk]

So anyone tried the Mashreq Bank WOW card? Is it 17.50 off or 15 off or no off at all (hope not)?

When I got the card originally- it had a note *

* Terms and Conditions are subject to change.

[kaytee]

So anyone tried the Mashreq Bank WOW card? Is it 17.50 off or 15 off or no off at all (hope not)?

When I got the card originally- it had a note *

* Terms and Conditions are subject to change.

Last I spoke to them and they mentioned that they are in talks with Mashreq Bank on how they want to continue.

[ozzylogic]

I'm looking for someone to watch Children of Men with, is anyone going? I wouldn't mind paying 35...but...

[kaytee]

I wanna watch it but, Dhs 35 is just too much. I rather wait for .kff.

[captainhowdy]

*tsk* *tsk* *tsk*

Greed. The other name for your wonderful little Arab city.

[sandeep]

Not only has the ticket price increased, the snack counter prices have also increased... whats the deal with that? Nonsense...

I dont they will ever learn the economics or dynamics of doing effective entertainment business here...

[X.]

Grand Cinemas has launched their eTicket service. You pay online with your Visa credit card, print ticket and go see the movie. No queues.

What's interesting is that they are issuing a AED5 voucher with every ticket bought online. This acts like a rebate which bring the ticket price price down from AED35 to AED30 after 7 consecutive visits to the cinema. Simply put, your 8th visit is free.

There's also -- finally -- a loyalty scheme under the MyGC Club moniker. Read here for more.

Though not fixes in any way, but, at least, these are steps in the right direction. I wonder if the CineStar management has anything similar in the works...

[fizz]

From 7 days:

Cinema bosses have slashed the price of tickets by dhs5 to dhs30 after customer complaints about the high cost.
The price of a standard ticket was increased to dhs35 at the beginning of the year after cinema operators complained they had not raised the entrance fee for the past six years.
And one cinema chain admitted that pressure from customers had forced the theatres to reconsider their increase.