Dubai boasts more big brands than ever

Dubai is one of the world’s most desirable destinations; it has fast become synonymous with luxury, quality and unrivalled levels of service and hospitality.

A landmark in its own right, it has transformed itself from a small fishing port into one of the world’s most iconic destinations, attracting visitors from both the leisure and business markets. It is therefore little wonder that so many global brands are keen to capitalise on the emirate’s worldwide acclaim by establishing themselves in Dubai.

Ian Scott, director UK and Ireland for the Government of Dubai, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), isn’t surprised by the big names establishing themselves in Dubai: “Dubai continues to witness a year-on-year increase in visitor figures, with 2008 set to be our best year yet. The emirate has worked hard to establish itself as a leisure and business destination, and this broad offering means that a range of luxury brands are showcased to a diverse audience, as well as being able to take advantage of the state-of-the-art hospitality and robust infrastructure that has been put in place to support them. With each new project unveiled, interest and investment in Dubai continues to grow and more brands see the rewards of establishing themselves in the emirate.

“The DTCM stand at World Travel Market will be playing host to representatives from many big name brands within the hotel and leisure industries in Dubai; this year as many as 120 co-participants are involved, more than ever before.”

Leading the charge of Big Brands maximising their presence in Dubai are the hotels, some of whom will be on Dubai’s stand at World Travel Market. Many of the world’s major upmarket hotel groups now have flagship developments in Dubai. Most recently, Atlantis The Palm (from Kerzner International) opened its doors and its status will be further reinforced by its spectacular unveiling at the end of November, including a turn by global superstar Kylie Minogue.

Other big names looking to open in Dubai include the world’s first Armani hotel (part of the Burj Dubai tower development) and projects by Brad Pitt, Versace, Boris Becker, Elie Saab and Donald Trump. The impending arrival of QE2 on 26 November, to be moored off The Palm Jumeirah as a floating hotel and conference venue, will stand as another iconic development alongside other impressive structures such as the distinctive Burj al Arab.

Hot on the heels of the hotels are the restaurateurs. Some of the world’s leading chefs are bringing their acclaimed restaurants to Dubai – Gordon Ramsay, Gary Rhodes and Vineet Bhatia already have Michelin-starred presence in the emirate, and they are now joined by Nobu, Locatelli, Ossiano and Michel Rostang, all of whom have opened as part of Atlantis The Palm. Other big names set to unveil flagship restaurants in Dubai include London’s celebrated celebrity hang-outs The Ivy, Le Caprice and Alan Yau’s famous eaterie Yauatcha.

As the sporting capital of the Middle East, top sportsmen are also lining up to lend their names to projects in the emirate. Golf courses have been designed by some of the world’s top players including Colin Montgomerie, Ernie Els and Tiger Woods – whose Al Ruwaya course will open in 2009 as part of the Dubailand development. Dubai Sports City is also home to the first Manchester United Soccer School outside Europe and the Headquarters of the International Cricket Council (ICC). This integrated sporting hub will also feature a David Lloyd Tennis Academy, ICC Global Cricket Academy and the Butch Harmon School of Golf alongside state-of-the-art stadia which will host top tournaments and accommodate up to 10,000 spectators.

Another growing sector for big brands is entertainment. Dubai is set to become the world’s leading family destination by the year 2012 and the future completion of Dubailand will herald the opening of 45 mega projects across a three billion square feet development. Already planned are theme parks from DreamWorks, Universal Studios, Six Flags, Legoland and Marvel, with more set to follow. Elsewhere in Dubai, designs for an aquatic themed island to house SeaWorld, Aquatica, Busch Gardens and Discovery Cove on The Palm Jebel Ali have been unveiled to universal acclaim and developers of The Palm islands, Nakheel, are to create their very own 1,800-seat capacity Cirque du Soleil to present a permanent show on The Palm Jumeirah (the first ever Cirque resident show to be staged outside of the USA, Japan and China).

Dubai’s retail offering is well-documented: the emirate boasts over 50 shopping malls, accounting for over 50 per cent of the UAE’s shopping footfall. These outlets house everything from high-street favourites such as Boots, Debenhams and H&M, to boutiques showcasing the world’s top designers from Dolce & Gabbana to Prada, Versace to Gucci. And with the recent opening of The Dubai Mall (November 2008) – one of the largest in the world – even more will be on offer. The creation of Al Maktoum International which is set to be the world’s largest airport, will increase Dubai’s Duty Free capability, providing more opportunities to shop till you drop. Chanel’s creative director, Karl Lagerfeld, is one of four artists to lend their names to a major new project in Dubai: Isla Moda which will be part of The World, the man-made archipelago of 300 islands. Isla Moda will pamper the world’s elite fashion community with its fashion resort, themed residential villas, haute couture boutiques and luxury hospitality facilities.

That Dubai can boast such a plethora of global and luxury brands across such a broad spectrum of sectors is testament to its attraction as one of the world’s leading destinations – and with new landmark developments on the horizon, more is yet to come.

For further information about Dubai, log on to Dubaitourism.ae.