COSMOPOLITAN & CREATIVE

ourists the world over know about Dubai’s sky-grazing architectural gems and boundless shopping, but this year we take a holistic deep dive into Dubai’s lifestyle as the Emirate prepares to open its doors, though later than expected, to Expo 2020’s millions of visitors. Without a doubt, Dubai is the world’s retail destination; in September 2019, Dubai was named, yet again, the top spot for tourism spending. According to MasterCard’s Global Destination Cities Index 2019, tourists in Dubai spent USD30.82 billion that year, over USD10 billion more than the second-place destination, Mecca. Surely, shopaholics play a large role in making Dubai the fourth most-visited destination globally. Patrick Chalhoub, CEO of Chalhoub Group, notes Dubai’s clear strategy geared toward the luxury segment, in large part thanks to its airports.

The shift toward a more digital experience began before the outbreak of COVID-19, and this will be a major advantage Dubai Airports and related stakeholders as the industry looks to bounce back. Emirates has resumed some passenger flights, and Dubai Duty Free (DDF) has the pleasure of welcoming the majority of visitors. DDF provides an increasingly innovative retail experience, particularly as younger travelers demand a more convenient and individual experience. Retailers from all segments are feeling the pressure to digitize and innovate. No longer is the retail experience confined to the physical mall or shop space.

But a city does not reach—and more importantly, maintain—a top-five spot through retail alone. The Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cul

Ttural Understanding is excited about Expo 2020 as a means of offering Emirati hospitality and educating more people about local culture. Furthermore, Dubai is reestablishing its efforts to become an art hub in the region and beyond, be it art-centric events at the dusitD2 Kenz hotel or building creative communities through Art Jameel and Dubai Design District (d3).

d3 is one of TECOM Group’s many business communities to offer a new freelance visa scheme, and within d3, this regulatory update is meant specifically to support and incubate creatives in the early stages of their careers and businesses. d3 was also instrumental in Dubai’s listing as a UNESCO City of Design, the first Middle Eastern city to achieve such status in 2018. While d3 draws its inspiration from several other leading design cities, it is a unique ecosystem— one that cities like Singapore and Milan would like to emulate and draws further investment into Dubai’s art scene.

Numerous events, like Dubai Design Week and Art Dubai, are key to making Dubai the vibrant cultural capital of the region, and 2020 marks the beginning of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority’s second decade.

Bisecting both art and entertainment, local film and television industries are in the initial stages of development, with growth driven by a younger, tech-savvy demographic. A greater emphasis is being placed on local content development rather than attracting outside film and television production. Just like in art and design, formal communities for film and television are facilitating a virtuous cycle of creation and investment. ✖