Identified in the collective imagination with the Burj Al Arab Hotel, one of the few hotels in the world having 7 stars, the second largest in the Emirates in terms of size, but undoubtedly the first in terms of world fame, Dubai is in effect a city which is unique in the entire Middle Eastern panorama.
Apart from oil, its economy is based on flourishing international trade and elite tourism. Its numberless infrastructures make it an ideal centre for important sports tournaments, conferences and international events. It is therefore not surprising that, etymologically, its name derives from Daba or prosperous market, to which in recent times the nickname City of Gold has been added.
Numerous international awards in the sphere of tourism - among which the World Travel Prizes and the Silver Medal for best tourism and congress centre in the Middle East – have contributed to make Dubai one of the most fascinating and in-demand destinations in world tourism.
Not to be missed is the Dubai Shopping Festival and the Dubai Summer Surprises which are just two of the very wide range of events taking place in Dubai, among them a good number of sporting events as well as music & cinema festivals, scientific conferences & medical congresses and, last but not least, trade fairs & exhibitions. Steadily at the highest international level, undoubtedly.
Photograph provided courtesy of Imre Solt