Conclusion
In terms of marketing, Dubai is at the forefront of positioning itself as a tourist destination. The 7-star rating of the Burj Al-Arab, pristine white sand beaches of Jumeirah, an indoor ski slope, the tallest building in the world and the number one airline of the Middle East are some of the images people may recall when hearing the name Dubai. This attracts a lot of foreign tourism and investment. As a Dubai-born individual that immigrated to Toronto in 1985, I found no one knew what Dubai was. Classmates would laugh, thinking I said I was born at The Bay, a Toronto store owned by the Hudson Bay Company. Today, just mention of the city brings uncontrollable salivation and mental imagery of a desert utopia.
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| Photo: A night-time ariel view of Jumeirah residence construction (2006) |
The truth is, where Dubai succeeds so well also is the root of many of its problems. A boom of unexpected proportions has brought about a surge in population growth and construction to meet accommodation demands of the influx. A manicured landscape is built on the backs of imported low cost labour from third world countries. Those same employees once unemployed are shipped back to where they came from. Racism and an underlying cast system is very apparent. High paying jobs are often given to Caucasians and Arabs while many educated South and East Asians perform menial labour or roles in lower management positions.
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| Photo: Dubai creek showing aabras which
are used to transport patrons between Deira and Bar Dubai |
Dubai lacks a major component to make it a world city, population. As the population continues to grow, the urban planning is naturally forming to the needs of the people. Integration of communications technology is well underway, but there is still a major need for face-to-face communication. Roadways and public transportation fail commuters miserably in this aspect. Expensive private schools are located near the city while low cost education for non-Arabs is at least 30 minutes without traffic. There is a very good chance Dubai will reach the ranks of a beta city by 2015, but affordable housing is scarce. No expatriates can truly call the United Arab Emirates home. They are there to work and leave when age or visa validity becomes and issue.
