A Different Kind Of Discrimination

While Dubai has its Women & Children cabin, London has its Quiet zone.

A different kind of ‘discrimination’. 

The Case For Culture

At the Arabian Travel Market 2016 session on ‘The Future of the UAE as a global tourism hub’, it was shared that the seven emirates do not compete but instead complement one another’s tourism offerings.  They sell themselves as seven emirates, one destination.

So while Dubai is the city of superlatives – the tallest tower, highest dancing fountain, biggest shopping mall, man-made islands etc., Abu Dhabi is going down the culture route.  Similarly Sharjah has the Heart of Sharjah, a heritage site that offers a different authentic experience.

Dubai

Dubai received 14.2 million tourists last year, and they hope to target 20 million visitors by 2020, which they would as Dubai is also hosting the World Expo in 2020 expecting 25 million visitors there.

Tapping on its rich heritage, Dubai started the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) with the theme ‘Open Doors, Open Minds’ to increase awareness and establish understanding between the various cultures that live in Dubai. Activities include a Heritage Tour at the Al Fahidi Historic District through its unique narrow sikkas and beautiful wind towers (olden days natural air-con), a Cultural Meal which allows you to eat and chat with a local Emirati host about its culture, customs and religion, and a guided tour of the Jumeirah Mosque, the only mosque in Dubai open to the public. It also conducts Cultural Awareness Programmes for companies in the public and private sectors. This is especially useful as the increase in investments and job opportunities in Dubai has led to a large proportion of expatriate community with the local UAE community comprising only 12% of the population.

Abu Dhabi

In comparison, Abu Dhabi received 4.1 million tourists (counted as tourists who stayed in the hotels).  It is ramping up its efforts to build itself as a tourism destination.  Abu Dhabi’s tourism development and investment company (TDIC) has developed the Saadiyat Cultural District on Saadiyat Island that will have the world famous Lourve and Guggenheim museums targeted to be ready in 2016 and 2017 respectively, as well as its own Zayed National Museum.  It already has one themepark – the Ferrari World in Yas Island and hosts the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yasmarina Circuit.

Sharjah

Sharjah, just beside Dubai is also building up its heritage with the Heart of Sharjah, the largest historical preservation and restoration project in the region planned over 15 years to be completed by 2025, by restoring historical buildings, constructing new structures following the Sharjah architecture and transforming them into hotels, restaurants, cafes, art galleries and markets.

Singapore

Singapore too, is promoting its brand as a narrative that draws from history, from pre-colonial and colonial times, leading to its independence and present times; a mix of nostalgia and modernism. This was shared at the recent Tourism Industry Conference 2016, “Tourists come to countries not to imagine what has been erased but to experience what has been retained.”

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Without a doubt, the case for culture makes sense in any tourism destination, and especially so for today’s well-travelled visitors. People travel to see the world, and buildings are only one aspect of the hardware. In most cases, it is the software - the interaction with its community that travellers look for to enrich their experiences.  So a destination would look to increasingly create opportunities to enhance these authentic interactions for its tourists with the local community.

At the SMCCU Cultural Meal experience, visitors were greeted by very enthusiastic and hospitable volunteer hosts, who assured visitors to “feel free to take any photos and videos, and ask any questions you want”, to clarify misconceptions that visitors may have of UAE, so they walk away with a better understanding and could better appreciate the rationale behind the things they see but don’t understand in the country.

It is a right step towards the ‘Open Doors Open Minds’ mindset.

Al Fahidi historical neighbourbood

Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding

guided tour through the Al Bastakiya neighbourhood

chat with local hosts

meal with local hosts

photo with local hosts

A Meal With A Local Emirati Mr Farhan Al Bastaki

Local emeriti Farhan hosted us to a local emerati meal at Al Fanar at Dubai Festival City.  It was an enriching experience chatting with him, and he gave some insights into the UAE culture.

Everybody Loves the Ruler

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, is much loved by his people.  His people see him as their father, they listen to him, trust in him, and will die for him if necessary. He is a visionary leader, who has created Dubai to be what it is today.  He is a people person, and tells everyone, that it is not the buildings or malls that he is proud of, but his people. He interacts with his people freely and regularly, and even hosts a live local radio station to answer questions from his listeners. Apparently, he also writes poems, and has published a book Flashes of Thought: Lessons in Life and Leadership from the Man behind Dubai.

On aspiring to be ‘number one’ and his ten best quotes:

“We, in the UAE, have no such word as “impossible”; it does not exist in our lexicon. Such a word is used by the lazy and the weak, who fear challenges and progress. When one doubts his potential and capabilities as well as his confidence, he will lose the compass that leads him to success and excellence, thus failing to achieve his goal. I require you, youth, to insist on number one.”

This love and respect for their ruler, is not just by the local emeritis, but also by the expatriate community at  large.

The Ruler Trusts the Young

There was a case story of how when Dubai first started out its plan to be a financial centre, it recruited the top talents from Britain to help it get started.  Then Qatar, also with the same vision, poached the same talents with three times their pay.  Dubai, in the next moment, recruited a 36 year-old for the job. The guy got people to work for him, they stayed in the office, slept in the hotel in the next building owned by the government, no one went home, their families got them their clothes. The only time they left the office was when they made appointments and flew to various countries to make sales calls to the top banks across the globe.  In a month, the financial centre hub was set up. Qatar took five years.  

Just look at its 22 year-old Minister for Happiness.  How many countries are willing to invest in a 22 year-old as a minister?

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum says:

“We are proud that the UAE is a young country. And we are proud of our youth. We invest in them and empower them precisely because they are our future. We believe that they are faster than us in acquiring and processing knowledge, because they have grown up with the tools and techniques that we lacked at their age. We entrust them with driving our country to new levels of growth and development, which is why we have now appointed a cabinet minister of their age and created a special council of youth.”

Left Pocket, Right Pocket

Dubai has deep pockets for it to realise its lofty dreams.  The Emirates Group, wholly owned by the government, has among its brands an airline, ground handler, hotel, travel agent, retail, food & beverage etc.  So its executives fly its national airline, stay in its hotels, booked through its agencies, host at its F&B restaurants.  Money flows, from the left pocket, to the right pocket. 

If God Wills It

I learnt a new word yesterday.  A group of friends were exclaiming how frustrating it is to work in Dubai.  “They don’t listen to you!” exclaimed one. 

They ask me, do you know what “Insha’Allah” means? 

“No.”  I replied.  “What does it mean?”

“It means “If God wills it”, and they use it for everything they do!”  Can you do this?  Insha’Allah.  When can you do it? Insha’Allah.  Do you speak English? Insha’Allah.  “It is so frustrating!”

I can feel their exasperation.

I looked it up, and Ibrahim Al-Ammar from Arab News gave a very good explanation.  He said, “Don’t fear the word!” 

He explained that Insha’Allah is part of a Muslim’s daily vocabulary as they were taught in Islam that only God knows what will happen, so they should not make any definitive statements about the future.  Also, it is more respectful to say “Insha’Allah” instead of plainly “OK.”

Ah … I see. 

But the problem is, people have come to see the word quite literally, and unfortunately, it has taken on a new, but undesirable meaning. 

So, Insha’Allah. Don’t worry.  Whatever will be, will be. 

#crossculture

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On another note, Dubai takes good care of its Women & Children, and the Rich.  As seen in the Dubai Metro: