Gold is particularly cheap and caviar, pashminas, digital cameras and DVD players are also good value. Shopping is a central part of the emirate’s plans to reduce its reliance on oil. The ruler, Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum, intends to treble tourism to 15 million visits by 2010. Last year, 620,000 Britons visited – double the number from any other country. This winter, the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) is rating Dubai among its “hot destinations”.

Sean Tipton, of Abta, said: “Dubai has some of the best shopping worldwide, particularly for jewellery and luxury goods. They have also invested a lot of money in building new hotels.” Despite the increasing competition, New York’s consumer credentials – famous department stores and affordable designer clothes, sportswear and technology – is still very popular with long-haul shoppers. However, the exchange rate means that the US is 12 per cent more expensive for British visitors than it was last Christmas. Two nights in a New York hotel ($400) and a serious shopping trip ($900) would cost £759 this year compared with £667 last year, according to the foreign exchange broker HIFX. Regardless of where you go, anyone returning to the UK with suitcases laden with gifts should beware of the taxman, as well as environmentalists.

The Customs and Excise limit for general goods, excluding alcohol, tobacco and perfume, is £145 Anything over that may accrue duty. New York versus Dubai * POPULATION New York: 8 million Dubai: 997,000 * LANGUAGE New York: English Dubai: Arabic (English spoken widely) * AREA New York: 785 square miles Dubai: 35 square miles * TIME DIFFERENCE New York: Five hours behind GMT Dubai: Four hours ahead of GMT * SAMPLE BARGAIN Nike Air Max Breathe trainers Dubai: (Nike Shop, BurJuman Centre) $108 New York: (Macy’s) $110 Britain: (Sport-e) $206 (£119). The 3,000 or so residents of Bir al Mshash are distinctly unmoved by the prospect of Israeli elections next March. The villagers, who like all their fellow Bedouin in the Negev desert are Israeli citizens, many of whom serve in the Israeli army, normally vote Labour. “I don’t want to vote for any party now,” says Ibrahim Abu Speyt, 48. “I want to boycott the elections.”

The reason isn’t hard to find.