United Arab Emirates consist of seven emirates, one of which is Dubai. It is one of the most important tourism destinations in the Middle East. Dubai is a highly lucrative location in terms of cultural, leisure, sports, business, and shopping tourism. Over the years, Dubai has seen rapid development and captured the attention of the world community. It is the most innovative city-state of all the emirates. In order to examine the most significant types of tourism in Dubai, it is necessary to provide a brief overview of Dubai’s history of development, to determine the basic factors of its development, as well as indicate the cultural differences, which most tourists face when traveling to Dubai.
Brief Historical Overview
Several decades ago, the United Arab Emirates was an underdeveloped region (Zaidan 77). However, in 1966 oil was discovered there, with the UAE forming five years later. Over the years, the development of infrastructure has gained a tremendous pace. High-risers, luxurious hotels, and many other remarkable architectural projects, as well as the launch of the Emirates airline in 1985, and the only seven-star hotel in the world are merely several benchmarks of Dubai’s success.
Before the discovery of oil reserves, the old city of Dubai was a prosperous commercial port and a local hub, thriving on the trade of various goods, such as gold and pearls. However, according to Insight Guides, the discovered oil resources were rather limited and had been decreasing since 1991 (par. 2). Despite the modesty of the reserves discovered, it was an excellent opportunity for this city-state. Sheikh Rashid, Dubai’s ruler at the time, seized this opportunity provided by the discovery of oil resources, and invested in the city’s infrastructure. Today, oil profits account for approximately four percent of Dubai’s GDP, with infrastructure and tourism sector flourishing as ever. In 1980s, the first ‘free zone’ was created in the Jebel Ali port, which paved the way for the city’s current system of free zones. Each free zone is governed by a different legislation; a different legal code is binding in each zone, with most of them adhering to the Western manner of business, including English as an official language and US dollar as an official currency of free zones (Brook par. 13). Development of separate financial zones marked the development of Dubai as the business capital of the region. Boosting the economy by means of such diversification also led to enhancing the prospects for the tourism sector. In 1979, Sheikh Rashid backed the initiative to build the Dubai World Trade Center, which was to become an important center of government training and political research (Matly and Dillon 3).
The remarkable pace of development has led Dubai to establishing its position as the Middle Eastern leader in business, finance, and tourism. However, certain issues are yet to be addressed. Increasing inflation rates, currency revaluation, proper integration of expatriates, cultural differences, and allocation of financing are some of the most serious problems faced by Dubai today.
Factors of Development
The history of Dubai’s economic growth indicates that the state’s developmental character and neopatrimonial nature of government are the essential driving forces of Dubai development (Hvidt 398). A developmental state is motivated by the developed countries and their rate of progress. The government plays an active role in a developmental state by intervening in the business sector and providing regulations and financing. Neopatrimonial character of the state implies the importance of a single ruler, or a sheikh in the case of Dubai. The tremendous pace of development of the tourism sector is due to the progressive business outlook of the government of Dubai regarding strategic financial and policy decisions. Introduction of legislative free zones with Western-based legal code facilitated the economic development and increased the amount of investments in the economy. One of the most prominent policy decisions aimed at adapting the economy to the political circumstances was made after the 9/11 terrorist attack. After the New York events, a decline in tourist inflow from the US and the UK was predicted. However, in order to prevent a significant downfall in profit, the Dubai Tourism Department modified the promotion strategy, designing it to attract wealthy tourists from the countries that were less concerned about acts of Islamist aggression, i.e. the countries of the former Soviet Union (Dluzewska 57). Thus, the economic downturn was rather mild.
Cultural Differences
Dubai is a multinational city-state, with high percentage of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi population. Approximately three percent of population is of “Western” origin. As Dubai is the most popular tourist destination in the Middle East, culture clashes occur on a regular basis. Tourists from Europe or the US often ignore the local Muslim customs, thereby subjecting themselves to public scrutiny, or even official arrest. Public manifestations of affection by a couple, or an insufficiently covered body in public places are only two examples of “Western” behavior deemed unacceptable in a Muslim society. Studies conducted by Dluzewska revealed that tourists from France, Great Britain, USA, India, and Germany displayed relatively good knowledge of the Muslim customs and the proper behavior. Tourists from the countries of the former Soviet Union displayed a lack of knowledge (Dluzewska 58). Cultural differences can be a source of serious conflicts. Therefore, they should be explored further and their significance should be stressed to those who intend to travel to the UAE.
Cultural Tourism
Despite the popularity of the beaches and shopping malls of Dubai it has a lot to offer from the cultural standpoint. This city-state has a diverse history and rich heritage, which is exciting and intriguing to explore. The Dubai is split by a creek into two parts, Deira and Bur Dubai. The area surrounding the creek provides various sightseeing possibilities. The Heritage Village is a site that is designed to resemble the old city of Dubai.
The Dubai Museum, located in the historical Al Fahidi Fort, provides an opportunity to dive into the history of the region. Historically a home for the merchants of gold, spices, textiles, and the pearl divers, Dubai is worth exploring in detail. The Dubai Museum presents and explains various aspects of everyday life, offers to discover traditional Arab buildings, mosques, and a special exhibit devoted to the remarkable feats of the pearl divers.
The historical district Al Fahidi offers a possibility to visit the Al Fahidi Souk and admire its architecture. The buildings are made of sandalwood, teak, gypsum, and palm wood, with characteristic high towers and folklore details. The historical neighborhood of Al Fahidi is a significant tourist attraction.
The Traditional Architecture Museum offers an overview of the characteristic features of local architecture. The museum boasts a rich collection of sculptures, drawings, and aerial views, providing visitors with an opportunity to explore the urban development. This cultural site offers an opportunity to appreciate the architectural uniqueness of the region, to learn to distinguish between rural and coastal style, and to admire the skills and originality of architectural heritage of Dubai.
The Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili offers an exciting opportunity to discover the writings and the surroundings of the daily life of one of the most prominent poets of Dubai. This house, one of the most remarkable heritage sites n Dubai, is decorated with rich ornaments and various writings that create a unique atmosphere (“Museum of the Poet Al Oqaili” par. 1).
Concerning religion, Dubai stands out from the other emirates. This is the only emirate that has Hindu and Sikh temples. In general, Non-Muslims are welcomed to Dubai, as long as they do not practice their chosen faith in an ostentatious manner.
The Coins Museum located in Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood offers a rich collection of coins from different historical periods. The exhibit displays the coins along with detailed information on its characteristics and the historical context. The collection comprises nearly five hundred coins, and provides an opportunity to learn about the development of the monetary system of the region.
Business Tourism
Apart from various cultural choices, Dubai offers many possibilities in business tourism. Conferences, summits, business meetings, and other business events are offered for the various purposes (Horner and Swarbrooke 107). Due to its location, Dubai proves to be the most convenient city for the meeting of international delegates (“Dubai’s Thriving Tourism Industry” par. 7). It is situated between east and west, making it a strategic location. Moreover, nearly 150 airlines serve Dubai International Airport, which is considered to be one of the most busiest airports in the world. The world-renowned exhibition, World Expo 2020 is to be held in Dubai. 25 million guests are expected at the event.
Corporate tourists enjoy the business facilities on offer in Dubai, as they are of high quality and impeccable customer service. Nearly half of the middle-eastern expositions take place at the Dubai World Trade Center. Nowadays, many describe this city-state as the leading location in business tourism (“Dubai Establishes Itself” par. 1). As the infrastructure develops, this emirate becomes increasingly significant for the purposes of corporate events organization.
Dubai’s excellent infrastructure helps maintain its position as the leading business tourism destination. The state-of-the-art underground public transport is the first metro system to be developed in the region. Buses and water taxis provide efficacious public transport. Introducing technological innovations and ongoing management of traffic congestion ensure the cost-efficiency and environmental safety of the public transportation system.
Shopping Tourism
A considerable number of shopping festivals held in Dubai demonstrate the significance of this city in terms of shopping tourism. Sangeeta and Anandkumar distinguish several factors contributing to Dubai’s popularity as a shopping tourism destination (3). Strategic location, relatively stable political situation, the government policy on economics and tourism, cultural heritage, excellent tourism infrastructure, retail trade outlets, and various events and shopping attractions are among the critical factors that help capture the attention of tourists interested in combining tourism and shopping experience (Sangeeta and Anandkumar 4).
A key Middle Eastern flight hub, Dubai’s location is an important aspect of its popularity. It can be reached in less than ten hours from every continent. Moreover, the political situation is rather stable in comparison to the other countries in the region (Sangeeta and Anandkumar 3).
The approach towards economy and tourism development adopted by the government of Dubai has yielded excellent results. Dluzewska emphasizes that the rapid growth of Dubai’s economy happened in the course of one generation (57). In the years 1994-1996 the key tourism investments were made, which led to the fast-paced development of the tourism sector.
Rooted in Islamic cultural and religious tradition, Dubai’s cultural heritage is an important tourist attraction. While visiting Dubai, tourists have the possibility to see the Muslim traditions, customs, and religious practices. However, significant part of the population is constituted by the so-called ‘incomers’ (Sangeeta and Anandkumar 4), which are foreign immigrants from various countries. The multinational character of Dubai’s demographic provides a cultural mix, which is quite interesting to experience.
The tourism sector in Dubai boasts a highly developed infrastructure. According to Sangeeta and Anandkumar, shortly after gaining independence from the Great Britain, the government of Dubai put the emphasis on the infrastructure development (5). An impressive airport system, an efficient public transport network, a modern metro transportation system, as well as diverse accommodation opportunities are the principal assets of the infrastructure in Dubai.
Shopping in Dubai offers a variety of choices. The broad range of shopping experience includes the high fashion luxury brands, as well as shopping centers providing low- and medium-cost products. State-of-the-art shopping malls and various shopping festivals are a major attraction for visitors from around the world.
Leisure Tourism
Aside from business, shopping, and culture, Dubai offers an array of exciting choices in leisure tourism. It is the only location in the world providing an opportunity to enjoy indoors skiing, with temperatures rising up to 50 degrees Celsius on the outside (Oxford Business Group 179). A broad range of remarkable experiences in Dubai is a major draw for tourists. Every visitor has the possibility to go on a desert safari, try camel riding, or dune bashing (“Dubai’s Thriving Tourism Industry” par. 17). The Jumeira residential area boasts remarkable beaches, such as Jumeira Beach Park and Jumeira Open Beach (England 252).
Oud Metha area provides a wide range of leisure and entertainment possibilities (England 258). Various recreational and social facilities can be found here. Places such as WonderLand Theme Park, SplashLand Water Park, and the Grand Cineplex provide various possibilities for family leisure and entertainment.
Dubai Aquarium provides tourists with an opportunity to swim with sharks, while a thrilling skydiving experience is offered in Palm Jumeirah. Each year the unique and memorable attractions draw an increasing number of tourists from around the world. The world’s largest Ferris wheel and an enormous frame allowing visitors to look at the Old City from one side, and the New City from the other side, are some of the most exciting attractions in Dubai (Oxford Business Group 179). The Burj Khalifa provides a possibility to go on the observation deck and admire the view of the city from the top floor of the building. The captivating experiences in leisure tourism of Dubai are the principal reasons for the popularity of this tourist destination. Indeed, Dubai is a unique location, where one can combine skiing, desert safari, and spending time on the tropical beach in one day (“Dubai’s Thriving Tourism Industry” par. 19).
Sports Tourism
Dubai sports activities are incredibly diverse. Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club is one of the most important golf resorts in this city-state. Various sports activities include karting on the Dubai Autodrome, kayaking in the Sandy Beach Hotel and Resort, an increasingly popular sport of kitesurfing in the Dubai Kite Club, motor sports, many martial arts centers, motorcycling, and mountain biking (England 347). An endless list of the sports activities is appealing for tourists of all ages from various countries. Group sports such as paintballing and Pursuit Games are offered here. Parasailing and sailing in Palm Jumeirah provide convenient and safely managed sailing experience (England 348). Those who wish to look at Dubai from a bird’s view can explore plane tour options. Fujairah Aviation Center can arrange tours with an overview of the mountains and coastline.
Conclusion
In the course of mere several decades, the city-state of Dubai has seen a rapid growth of economy. The progressive attitude of the government, as well as substantial investments in tourism, contributed to the impressive progress of Dubai. Due to the variety of attractions in business, culture, leisure, shopping, and sports tourism, this city-state has an incredible appeal to globetrotters of all ages and nationalities. The WorldExpo scheduled for 2020 in Dubai is a sign of global recognition of this city as an important business and leisure destination. A rich variety of events and entertainment play an important role in tourism sector of this city-state. However, Dubai might face competition from the other countries in the region that are attempting to follow its example by investing in tourism economy (Sangeeta and Anandkumar 8). Nevertheless, visionary policies, a stable government system, and a multinational society will help Dubai maintain its leading status in the Middle East in the years to come.
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