The Positive Role of the Tourism Industry for Dubai City in the United Arab Emirates
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International Journal of Economics and Management Systems Harith Yas Khudhair, Abbas Mardania http://www.iaras.org/iaras/journals/ijems The Positive Role of the Tourism industry for Dubai City in the United Arab Emirates HARITH YAS KHUDHAIR,*, ABBAS MARDANIa aAzman Hashim International Business School, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor Bahru, Johor, MALAYSIA *Corresponding author email: [email protected] Abstract: Dubai has emerged to be the most influential and popular destination in the tourism industry within two and a half decades. The city has outdone most of the other cities which were involved in the tourism industry for many years ago. However, Dubai is highly favored with its natural structure which attracts tourists, for example the Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab which are regarded as the most structures that attracts tourist the most. Moreover, Dubai has invested a lot in infrastructure to encourage more visitors in the city including the development of gorgeous beaches as well as best hotels to cater to accommodation, fast technology and communication facilities. The good transportation system is also an added advantage and the shopping festival. Notably, Dubai is highly favored by the political system they have which supports and invest in tourism, for example, sheik Muhammed vision 2020 was based on improving the number of travelers to reach twenty-five million and double the revenues generated with tourist by the year 2020. The award of expo 2020, which the city received motivated them and made them believe in developing the industry. Similarly, Dubai is investing in sustainable development goals; therefore, through tourism, the city will establish renewable power and sustainable water generation strategies to manage tourist needs. Although, most researches have been performed regarding the performance of tourism in Dubai as well as the strategies Dubai should put in place to improve on tourism, there is a gap which needs to be researched regarding the roles tourism plays in Dubai. Keywords: Dubai, Tourism, urban development, Culture, Management, urban planning. ISSN: 2367-8925 185 Volume 6, 2021 International Journal of Economics and Management Systems Harith Yas Khudhair, Abbas Mardania http://www.iaras.org/iaras/journals/ijems 1. Introduction with relevant tourism information to aid in the growth of Dubai. The research will focus on Dubai is situated on Persian Gulf; to the descriptive analysis and the data used in the northeast of United Arab Emirates at the same research is secondary data. Similarly, several time being roughly at the sea level provides it a literatures are reviewed to find any other related more significant advantage to the tourism information and the extent to which the topic industry (Dhabi, 2016). Dubai is well-known for has been explored. Most of the statistical data its diverse culture and the fundamental will be attained based on Dubai tourism in the milestones that have become a symbol of the year 2019. Like many other contemporary cities, resurgence and core of making Emirates appear Dubai is working to establish its position within in the picture of the world (Potter, 2009). the global economy. In many respects, however, However, the tourism industry is the Dubai is also in a unique situation. In marked foundational area of Dubai. Therefore, the contrast with older industrial cities of the west UAE's government works at its best to develop and former Communist cities that are seeking to the seven emirates in Dubai to help capture the effect urban regeneration, Dubai is engaged attention of the tourist (Stephenson and Ali- primarily in a process of urban generation. Knight, 2010). Similarly, Dubai has also shown Similarly while, in common with many cities of significant development in infrastructure that the Third World, Dubai is facing the challenge aids in the tourism industry, such as the tourist of providing adequate infrastructure in a context facilities, including improving the level of of rapid urban growth and expansion. services they offer in transportation and the Worldwide approximately 200 national hotel sector (Connell, 2006). Moreover, Dubai economies are competing in the destination is also known as the city of many faces as it is market. In 2006, global government and capital the home of the tallest tower worldwide, the expenditure exceeded US$1,480 billion making Burj Khalifa, and full of adventure opportunities destination branding an important concept that (Elsheshtawy, 2004). These activities arise from still remains fragmented and unplanned. Dubai, activities such as the desert safaris through the an emirate of the UAE in the Middle East has golden Arabian dunes, reef and wreck diving, been chosen as a case study to explain some skydiving over the beautiful palm as well as elements of successful destination branding wakeboarding (Walsh, 2018). The paper will (Balakrishnan, 2008). research the roles tourism has played in Dubai and the growth of tourism and its future together ISSN: 2367-8925 186 Volume 6, 2021 International Journal of Economics and Management Systems Harith Yas Khudhair, Abbas Mardania http://www.iaras.org/iaras/journals/ijems 2. Literature Review regional and international communications and having leaders who have visions. According to Zaidan and Kovacs (2017) have Mieszkowski and Mills (1993), the location of researched the impact of tourism on culture and Dubai been situated between East Asia, and local society. Over many years, tourism has Europe has also favored it as well as high- always been claimed to be an enemy of cultural quality infrastructure, attractive winter climate identity and authenticity of people as it and environmental landscape. Dubai again dramatically involves modernization. However, encourages tourist because of the low import the view of tourists has had significant changes duties as well as traders are inspired to do and is currently seen as supporting people’s business in the town due to absence of taxes on culture (Pritchard and Morgan, 2001). Tourism corporate and personal incomes (Zaidan, is referred to as the temporary movement of 2016b). All tourists always require a pleasant people from their usual place of habitation to environment that can make them feel secure other areas as well as other activities with their properties and also safety for their encountered with them to satisfy their needs lives. The safe means of getting things also (Zaidan, 2016a). Therefore, when these people encourage tourists to go to Dubai as they will move from their place of habitation, they will get all their needs. According to Sheikh have adverse effects in areas that they have Mohammed, the vision for Dubai is to make traveled to hence affecting either positively or twice tourists number by year 2020 negatively the culture of other people and their (Balakrishnan, 2008). economy (Du et al., 2016). Tourism has, therefore, increased the practice of the host Karmakar (2015) posits that population using their culture and progressing infrastructure tourism has resulted in their values and traditional lifestyles. Dubai has development of infrastructure in Dubai. For the excellent characteristics that favored the tourism sector to advance, it relies heavily on population growth, which acted as a primary the infrastructure of a country such as the right driving force fueling the successful Emirates roads, electricity availability, potable water, a tourism development strategy (Randeree, 2009). proper sewage system and airports. Therefore, The town has utilized a lot of time as well as through Dubai working tirelessly, they can money in developing modern cities (Sokhanvar enhance their infrastructure and thus attracting et al., 2018). Besides, there has been the rise of more tourists (Kazim, 2007). However, although Dubai’s political progress, such as having good ISSN: 2367-8925 187 Volume 6, 2021 International Journal of Economics and Management Systems Harith Yas Khudhair, Abbas Mardania http://www.iaras.org/iaras/journals/ijems the competition of tourists has dramatically Dubai should perform research and realize increased in past few years, Dubai has which type of infrastructure is needed most and progressed in supply chain of infrastructure develop them. Finally, is to improve on the from transport to environmental and social quality they offer, most of the tourists are infrastructure (Khanna, 2016). According to always on the move for better services in places Elgaali et al. (2019), there exist several where they go; also better services offered activities that should be performed to guarantee makes the tourist need to be back in the region sufficient tourist and related infrastructure again. Anuradha (2017) argues that tourism including; one, building new accommodation development improves the country as well as capabilities within the country that will favor eager to learn and provide high-quality services. both classes of people. Correspondingly, Tourists come from different areas and hence certifying easy accessibility to the destination of have diverse cultural backgrounds that require travel and also within the destination by use of the hospitality members to learn and different forms of transportation. Thirdly is to acknowledge the diversity of people. According elevate the existing accommodation capabilities, to Tsang and Qu (2000), the hospitality such as using modern equipment's and also department is highly developed to meet upgrading it with the latest technologies international standards through