With news of the forthcoming opening of the Dubai Metro Red Line in September 2009, the bustling gulf metropolis is in the final phase of completing its transformation into one of the leading global cities of the modern era.

Connecting the central business district with both sides of the Dubai Creek, the new metro (with a further Green Line extension planned for 2010) will ease commuter traffic, and undoubtedly benefit property owners who are currently jammed on roads on their daily commutes.

In the long term, it is forecasted that potential Dubai investment will also have to reconsider their policies in view of this new “green factor”.

Another proof of India’s growing economic power is the success story of Cox & Kings. The British travel company was founded in 1758 for officers serving in India. The company will be conducting their IPO on the Bombay Stock Exchange next month. In order to make this stock offering possible the UK parent company of Cox & Kings had to be taken over by its Indian subsidiary. The company plans to raise $130 million in the IPO.

What’s even more interesting is that Cox & Kings has entered into a partnership with the state-owned Indian Railways to build a luxury Orient Express-style train. The train will travel from Mumbai and Rajasthan across to Varanasi and Kolkata. Right now India currently has only two luxury trains, and they only travel within single states.

In an article in the Telegraph, Peter Kerka, the chief executive of Cox & Kings said that while seven years ago the bulk of Cox & Kings’ UK business involved shipping passengers from Britain to India. Today more Indian families are taking vacations all over their country. The company plans to increase its travel franchises in India from 15 to 300 by the end of 2008.