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So what do you think?

Dubai: The good... the bad... the ugly
by Susie Harwood, Conference & Incentive Travel 10-Nov-08

Susie Harwood reveals mixed opinions on Dubai from an exclusive C&IT perception study of corporates and agencies

With its plethora of luxurious hotels, seemingly endless wealth, ongoing construction, and year-round sunshine, there are few destinations that garner such mixed opinions as Dubai. It's a bit like marmite - buyers seem to either love it or hate it. To gauge how the UK C&I industry perceives the Emirate, C&IT asked 20 key event planners from both the corporate and agency side what they think of the destination. These included buyers from the likes of Barclays, BAE Systems, AXA Life, Ernst & Young, and Royal Mail on the corporate side, with Maritz, CCD Conference Reservations, Motivaction, Oxford Motivation and Octopus Events contributing from the agency side. Planners were interviewed anonymously to encourage the most honest responses, and here, C&IT shares highlights from our exclusive research.

The good...

By far the best thing about Dubai, according to the UK buyers, is the wide range of top quality, luxury hotels it offers. Unsurprisingly, the Burj al Arab, is the first hotel that comes to mind for most buyers, with the Atlantis also generating a lot of interest. Other hotels that stand out for buyers include the Grand Hyatt, Madinat, Jumeirah Beach, Intercontinental and Westin Excelsior.

Dubai is also seen as a versatile destination, ideal for both conferences and incentives, for small and large groups and for all demographics. The good weather is also largely seen as a positive, with many picking winter sun as one of Dubai's more appealing assets. One corporate buyer interviewed perfectly sums up what's good about Dubai when asked the first thing that comes to mind when they think of the destination: "Year-round sunshine, top quality hotels and a quality airline in Emirates."

The bad ...
While Dubai's hotel offer is impressive, many buyers expressed concern about how expensive accommodation is, with one going as far to describe it as "extortionate".

It's also seen as a very glamorous and extravagant destination, which previously might have worked in its favour in the incentive market, but the current economic climate has changed that. "I wouldn't take anyone nervous about their corporate image there, especially at the moment. It is perceived as a rich man's playground and associated with extravagance," says one corporate buyer. Another buyer says the destination is unsuitable for "ecologically-concerned groups", while others comment that it's opulence means it is not appropriate for the pharmaceutical industry. Other concerns buyers have about Dubai include: traffic and congestion, lack of repeat appeal, its location in the Middle East can make shareholders nervous and the Arab culture might put off some groups.

The ugly ...
While some buyers see ongoing construction as a positive feature, because the destination always has something new and fresh to offer groups, it was largely seen as a negative. It's been widely reported that around a quarter of the world's cranes are currently in Dubai, and certain areas of the city's skyline do seem to be dominated by building sites. When asked the first thing that came to mind when they think of Dubai, almost half (45%) of buyers we asked said construction. "Construction and building sites are the first things I think of. Everything with Dubai is a bit of an unknown in that you're never sure whether a hotel is going to be full of building work," commented one buyer, while another adds: "Building sites and a future that might not be as appealing in ten years time as it is now, due to traffic and over-development."

KEY FINDINGS
Have you ever pitched Dubai?
Yes 65%
No 35%

What sectors would you feel comfortable taking to Dubai?
Finance 55%
Telecoms and IT 15%
Luxury sector 10%

What sectors would you not feel comfortable taking to Dubai?
Companies that might be concerned about Arab culture 15%
Clients nervous about corporate image 15%
Pharmaceuticals due to ABPI regulations 10%
Do you see it as a conference or incentive destination?
Both 95%
Conference 5%

What sort of group size is Dubai ideal for?
Up to 1,000 delegates 25%
All group sizes 15%
Up to 5,000 10%

Does Dubai have repeat appeal?
No 55%
Yes 35%
10% said they would wait ten years before a repeat visit

BUYER VOXPOPS
"I have no hesitation about Dubai. It even feels safe for our female execs"

"Winter sun, high standards of service, plus a dash of Arabian mystery"

"Nightmare construction and a bloody great airport"

"Dubai is one of the few places in the world that can cope with groups up to 3,000"

"It's far too expensive. It's pricing itself out of the market and its offer is limited"

"No repeat appeal - it's a poor man's Vegas"

http://www.brandrepublic.com/InDepth/An ... -bad-ugly/

sage & onion wrote:It's been widely reported that around a quarter of the world's cranes are currently in Dubai,

Whenever I read that, I know that the reporter or media source is lazy at least, if not deliberately fabricating sensationalism at the expense of accuracy. It should have been obvious that it was a nonsense statistic the first time it appeared.

bonk wrote:

sage & onion wrote:It's been widely reported that around a quarter of the world's cranes are currently in Dubai,

Whenever I read that, I know that the reporter or media source is lazy at least, if not deliberately fabricating sensationalism at the expense of accuracy. It should have been obvious that it was a nonsense statistic the first time it appeared.

You are absolutely correct, I visited China a couple of months ago and I can tell you that they have the majority of the worlds tower cranes.