Editor’s Letter: In Defence of Dubai

In a city of 3.54 million people, every opinion counts – here’s mine and we want yours.

With so many talking points across the United Arab Emirates, it’s my pleasure to introduce a new series of op-eds from the FACT editorial team and our network of industry insiders.

Most of us have topics that irritate us and that we feel need to be vocalised. You know, the things that really get your goat. So, whether you’re fed up with food wastage at buffet brunches, the treatment of delivery drivers, and how long it took to wait for a taxi during Expo 2020, we want to hear from you.

I’m therefore going to inaugurate this new column by defending Dubai.

Like most people, I moved to Dubai with a two-year plan. The intention was to embrace the tax-free lifestyle, save as much money as possible and head back home. However, the reality transpired to be very different and a decade on, I affectionately refer to Dubai as my home rather than rainy London.

Dubai and the Middle East are difficult to comprehend for someone who has never visited. The Western media would have you believe that we all drive supercars, live on Palm Jumeirah and earn excessive amounts of money. Yet my Dubai life is far removed from the stereotypes of extravagant wealth that we see on television shows like Dubai Bling and The Real Housewives Of Dubai. 

Confession: I have never been inside a Lamborghini or a Ferrari, unless you count the world’s fastest rollercoaster at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. Sure, my job provides me with access to places that I may otherwise be unable to afford and I have been fortunate enough to enjoy experiences reserved for VIPs and the elite, from the Grand Reveal Weekend at Atlantis The Royal to sitting in the Mercedes Lounge with Lewis Hamilton at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Yet this is not my world.

Whilst many might suggest that the UAE has no culture. To those people, I would suggest a visit to the Al Fahidi historical neighbourhood in Dubai, where you can view traditional wind towers and a fort on the banks of Dubai Creek, visit the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding or take a tour of one of the numerous museums specialising in everything from coffee to coins. Venture further afield to the capital and you have Saadiyat Culture District, where Louvre Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat and the soon-to-open Guggenheim Abu Dhabi await.

Other naysayers will call out Dubai as a place of artifice, rising from the desert sands. Again, I suggest these people put down their copies of the Daily Mail and venture to the deserts of Al Marmoom Conservation Reserve or the Hajar mountains in Ras Al Khaimah. With almost 365 days of sunshine guaranteed, the UAE is home to a wealth of natural beauty that ranges from natural mangrove forests to wadis and desert islands with powder-white sands and perfectly blue waters.

I’d much rather take the safety of the ‘bubble’ than the streets of East London from where I came. A recent survey by Numbeo ranked Dubai as the seventh safest city in the world, trailing behind Sharjah in fifth, Ajman in fourth and Abu Dhabi in first place – all of which are in the United Arab Emirates. Aside from safety, Dubai and the UAE are among the most inclusive places in the world to live. With over 200 nationalities residing in the emirates, tolerance and inclusivity are promoted and cherished. Just look at the recently opened Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, which houses a mosque, church and synagogue on the same site, open to all, no matter your faith.

Just last week, HSBC compiled a survey from more than 7,000 interviews which saw the UAE rated highest for expat lifestyle, earnings and family stability among the nine global markets. I’m inclined to agree. As a Dubai resident for more than a decade, I’ve found my home away from home. It is the place I choose to raise my kids and I can’t see myself leaving anytime soon.