UAE releases map of London's danger zones for tourists
The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a map of London's "dangerous areas" for tourists to avoid.
Areas highlighted as the most dangerous include Oxford Street, Edgware Road, Piccadilly and Soho, while the safest places for Emiratis to visit were Shepherd's Bush and Queensway.
Speaking to The National, Dubai resident Mona Al Ali, 29, said: "I will definitely be avoiding those areas the next time I go to London because this is like an official warning from the ministry.
"I will take it seriously because I can't imagine going to such places without getting scared or worried."
But Westminster Council, which runs the "most dangerous" places, insisted these areas are safe for tourists.
Community safety spokesperson Nickie Aiken told the Evening Standard: "We do not recognise the picture that the UAE Foreign Ministry is painting. Westminster is a safe city, and we welcome millions of tourists every year to see world-renowned landmarks and attractions, including Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Street."
The release of the map comes after three Emirati sisters were attacked by a burglar with a hammer at the Cumberland Hotel near Marble Arch. Two weeks later, an Emirati couple were robbed at gunpoint at a flat in Paddington.
A report from VisitBritain earlier this year showed that UAE residents made 256,000 visits to the UK in 2012 and spent £467 million. It hopes that by 2016 the spending figure will increase to £1.3 billion.
Related articles
No men allowed: London hotel launches women-only rooms
In pictures: London's weirdest attractions
