Paris Hilton: ‘I respect UAE culture’

Just one day in Dubai and the city's infinite charm is already beginning to rub off on Paris Hilton.

The celebrity, who landed in town on Tuesday wearing a western outfit, surprised everyone when she turned up at a press meet at Hotel InterContinental on Wednesday evening wearing long-sleeved Middle Eastern attire designed by Sarah Belhasa, Vice-Chairman, Belhasa Group.

To make the transformation complete, she even addressed the media with an emphatic Assalam Alaikum.
“I love the Middle Eastern culture and want to learn more about it. The women here are very beautiful and their dresses are certainly a lot more elegant than what women wear in Hollywood,'' said Paris, 28, who is in town to film the Dubai version of her Reality TV show Paris Hilton's My New BFF (Best Friend Forever).

Paris said she'd get a henna tattoo, ride a camel, go skiing, swim with the dolphins and “perhaps even look up a few properties'' during her 21-day-long stay here. “I am a businesswoman and would love to open a hotel or night club here. It's such an exciting place. Dubai is hot, hot, hot and not just literally,'' she said, at the press meet anchored by Emirati filmmaker Nayla Al Khaja.

The hotel heiress, however, refused to disclose how much money she'll make from the show, saying: “A lady is not supposed to discuss money.'' She also ducked salvos fired at her about her personal life and much publicised fling with footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.

Talking about her show, Paris said she's looking for a friend who's loyal and has good intentions, adding that the Middle East version would be very different from those held in the US and UK. In the American version of the show, set in Las Vegas, female contestants had to strip down to their bikinis and perform a raunchy dance in front of a group of men. Asked if the Dubai version would be as racy, Hilton replied: “What happened in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas. I will not make my girls [the 22 finalists] do anything like that as I respect the culture of the UAE and Dubai is a far classier place anyway.''

Paris Hilton is obviously besotted with Dubai. Hopefully, in the days to come she will also learn to get the name right as she has spelt the name of the city as Dubaii in all her posts on Twitter.

Paris Hilton has endorsed Emirates airline on Twitter by posting a photograph of their logo with a caption ‘this airline is amazing'. A publicist guessed the endorsement was worth $1.5m (Dh5.51m) in free publicity for the airline.