Turki Al-Dakheel
Al-Riyadh newspaper
SAUDI visitors flooded Dubai this Eid vacation. Shopping malls were open 24 hours a day. Workers inside the mall wore pajamas as a way to greet visitors after midnight.
The huge number visiting Dubai means only one thing: that Dubai is a city of many choices. The number of visitors is evidence of its touristic accomplishments.
Dubai achieved miracles in attracting Arab and non-Arab tourists. Officials in the city worked day and night to see this miracle happen.
The moment a visitor enters Dubai airport, he is greeted with a smile and good treatment. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, is using Twitter to welcome Gulf visitors to the city. UAE residents also welcomed Saudi and Gulf visitors through Twitter hashtags.
Dubai is recovering from the economic hiccup that it went through in many sectors. As for those who were sure that the Dubai bubble had exploded, one can now see the millions of visitors coming to the perfect family destination and the city of many choices.
Dubai is not a city with an attractive weather. The heat and humidity of Dubai during summer is similar to any coastal city in Saudi Arabia. There are no forests or lush natural greenery in Dubai, but it is a city that built itself. The officials worked hard to develop the city. They overcame the many challenges they faced that could have left life paralyzed.
Dubai became a perfect destination for children, girls, men and women. Those who want malls, open shopping places, hotels, coffee shops can easily find it in Dubai, especially that a number of Arab capitals that once were favored tourism destinations are now facing unrest, such as Tunis, Beirut and Cairo.
A Saudi local daily published a news report about airline and hotel reservation in the city of Dubai reaching 100 percent. A number of airlines were forced to increase flights from and to Dubai. An official in Dubai festival expected one million visitors to the city during Eid vacation.
In conclusion I will say that Dubai is not built on a bubble. Many detractors were hoping it was. It is a city that built itself to become an attractive location. We in Saudi Arabia have many places with good weather and natural landscape, but these need real development. Dubai should be an example to follow.
