Introduction to Living in Dubai

Established in the 1950’s to serve a tiny coastal settlement, Dubai is the second largest of the emirates that makes up the United Arab Emirates.  Today Dubai is a modern metropolis of around 700,000 people of which only around 20% are Bedouins, the original Emirati’s.

The rest of the population is made up of an eclectic mix of other Arab nationalities, Southern and Eastern Asians and Westerners.  Known as a playground for the rich, Dubai is also a well paying location for expats working overseas, but what is it like to really live in Dubai?

In this article we provide a new introduction to the city and emirate of the same name for would-be expats thinking of exploring new horizons…

Dubai is made up of two areas separated by the Dubai Creek.  Deira lies to the north and houses the city centre and Bur Dubai is to the south.  Both districts offer those living in Dubai the chance to explore bustling souks and to see traditional architecture.  Along Sheikh Zayed road is the expanding area known as Downtown Dubai, lined with brand new office buildings, where a myriad of expats are now working in Dubai.

Oil reserves in Dubai are expected to run out within 20 years so the emirate has been aggressively marketing itself as a cosmopolitan city, and the ultimate destination for luxury travel.  Up until recently this tack has been working with hotel occupancy normally in the 90% range year round and visitor numbers increasing from 1.8 million visitors to 5.4 million over the last decade.  But while the city’s commercial branding has attracted large amounts of cash, it has inflated rental costs for expats living in Dubai to such an extent that many are now moving to nearby Sharjah and commuting to work in Dubai each day.

As oil revenues dry up the Dubai government has plans to make the emirate the World’s most popular tourism destination by 2020, and as a result expats living in Dubai have a host of festivals and special events to attend all year round.  During the last 2 years the World Trade Centre in Dubai has not seen a week during which it has not hosted a special event.  Having a focus towards tourism, unlike neighbouring states the city is not dry and people visiting Dubai can enjoy a drink during their stay.  If you are living in Dubai you will need a permit to buy alcohol that allows you to spend a certain amount of your monthly salary on booze.

So what does the future hold for those living in Dubai?  Construction projects continue as Dubai forges ahead with its building programs and the projection is that the country will receive 50% of its GDP from retail sales as its reputation as a tax free shopping Mecca grows.  However, current news coming out of Dubai is not rosy.  The United Arab Emirates blocks many websites but there are reports that visitor numbers in Dubai are being affected by the current global recession, and the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing are now to “take the initiative of providing statements about the tourism in Dubai in general.”  Some people are asking if perhaps the mirage is fading along with property prices and well paying jobs!