Dubai: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Twenty years ago, Dubai was still a fledgling city: a new Wild West in the scorching Middle East. Today, it attracts residents from all over the world, lured by the prospect of life in a sun-soaked land of opportunity. 

Business titans and intrepid entrepreneurs alike are tuned into the beat of Dubai 2.0, where wellness, sustainability and forward-thinking technology are shaping future development, and a virtually limitless supply of dining and entertainment options make life exceptionally comfortable for those who live there. 

IMPRESSIONS OF DUBAI

Joe Mortimer: Dubai set out to transform itself into a world-class travel destination in the 1990s. When I first visited in 1996, the skeletal outline of Burj Al Arab was beginning to take shape, soon to become the symbol of ‘Brand Dubai’. Its completion just before the dawn of the millennium marked the beginning of a new era in more ways than one.

Twenty years later, things look very different. The ensuing decades saw a wave of construction, new openings and innovation. Free trade zones dedicated to finance, media, IT and healthcare were established, glamorous sporting and cultural events were born, and projects like Palm Jumeirah and Palm Jebel Ali reshaped the city’s coast.

Mall of the Emirates and Ski Dubai opened in 2005, followed a year later by Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates. By 2010, Dubai Metro and Al Maktoum International Airport were up and running, and the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, had once again drawn the world’s imagination to unstoppable Dubai, where anything was possible.

ATMOSPHERE OF THE CITY 

JM: In a city as dynamic and fast-paced as Dubai, 'work hard, play hard' will always be the guiding philosophy. But today, the city has a much gentler side that’s increasingly sensitive to the wants and needs of its residents.

Much greater emphasis is placed on personal wellbeing and holistic wellness than it was 20 years ago, and people spend more time doing the things they love as well as the things they must. Dubai has kept up with the shifting priorities. As well as world-class hospitals, the city’s spas and wellness centres cater to residents’ physical, mental and nutritional wellbeing, and the year-round sunshine means Dubai’s beaches, parks and the inviting waters of the Arabian Gulf provide a playground for sports and outdoor activities.

OUT AND ABOUT IN DUBAI

JM: Active expats spend their weekends under the stars amid the rolling desert dunes, hiking in the sublime Hajar Mountains or sending golf balls down the driving range, while the ever-growing collection of spas, beaches and yacht clubs provide plenty of opportunities for luxury-laced wellness.

From the recently minted selection of Michelin-starred restaurants in the region’s first Michelin Guide, to food trucks, pop-ups and casual beachfront dining, the city offers a smorgasbord of delectable dining offerings. Dubai’s shopping malls are filled with everything from independent designers and emerging regional labels to stores bearing the names of the world’s leading fashion houses.

Art aficionados will find a wealth of galleries and studios in Dubai International Financial Centre and the Al Serkal Avenue cultural district, and unsurprisingly for a city with an affluent population, there’s a huge choice of boutiques specialising in bespoke home furnishings and decor.

Karim Adi: Since I relocated here in 2014, the quality of life has really improved. There’s a lot of emphasis on outdoor lifestyle, things like cycle routes, places to walk and sports like padel tennis, which is extremely popular. It’s also a great place for families to thrive. Dubai is a very safe city – in fact, the whole UAE is very safe. Education for kids is good. Also, you have all the help that you may need, for example if you need a nanny or someone to help you on a daily basis. We’re quite spoiled here to be honest with you!

MOVING TO DUBAI

KA: Setting up a business here is easier and more affordable today than a few years ago since a lot of processes have been digitised. And now you can be the 100% owner of your business. The UAE government has also introduced the Golden Visa, which grants residency to investors and skilled professionals.

In terms of industry, there are plenty of start-ups and various incubators for certain fields like fintech. Events in Europe are also encouraging people to look at alternatives. If you want to relocate and have a good quality of life, and set up a business, where do you go? There aren’t many places with this dynamic or so many opportunities.

JM: Dubai’s location certainly makes it an incredibly convenient hub for travel to Asia, Africa, the Indian Ocean and Europe, served by the multiple award-winning Emirates airline, which has played a crucial role in Dubai’s meteoric growth.

For foreign residents, it is the more subtle changes of the last 20 years that have made the biggest impact. New rules introduced in 2006 meant non-nationals were permitted to own real estate on a freehold basis, providing investment opportunities for long-term residents for the first time. Special economic zones created to lure foreign enterprises have made the process of starting a business much more straightforward and affordable in the last few years, and as of 2021, companies can be incorporated without any local ownership.

The Golden Visa and Green Residency programmes designed to attract more skilled workers to the UAE have made it possible to live and work in Dubai without a corporate sponsor, making it easier for entrepreneurs and the self-employed to do business, while the Job Exploration Visa means skilled workers can enjoy residency without a local host while looking for employment.

Worldwide, the way we live and work has evolved significantly in the last two decades: changes accelerated by the 2020s pandemic and the worldwide lockdowns that ensued. We’re all digital nomads now, in one form or another. Doing business remotely is easier than ever, and whether you’re the CEO of a global brand or the founder of a fledgling start-up, the world is your workplace.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

JM: Transforming our homes into workplaces caused many to reassess the importance of indoor and outdoor space, and the need to juggle private and professional lives in a single location saw the invention of concepts like flexible working hours. Mindful of the shifting priorities of discerning investors, developers are also changing the way they look at residential real estate and borrowing elements from the luxury hospitality industry to make homes where residents and their families can live to their full potential. Intentional and sustainable design and architecture is also finding its place in the city, with a growing collection of buildings and mixed-use projects being developed with these principles in mind.

As new ways of working unshackle us from offices, more professionals are looking at the world map and wondering where to write the next chapter of their lives. After years of whirlwind growth, Dubai is rolling out the red carpet for those prepared to take the leap.

Feeling inspired?

Take a closer look at somewhere you could call home in Dubai, or if you're planning a shorter break, we have four havens that can provide the perfect base.

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