The Emirate of Dubai.

The Emirate of Dubai

One of the richest of the Gulf States and a sporting nirvana, the formerly oil-rich Emirate of Dubai, is enjoying unprecedented good times as it diversifies away from black gold to cater for tourists looking for almost endless sunshine and five-star service.

Dubai has more than its fair share of world-class sporting events - the recent ATP Tennis Tournament, the Desert Classic Golf - replete with Tiger Woods last year teeing off from the iconic, [pounds sterling]790 a night Burg Al Arab's helicopter pad - and the annual, raucous Rugby 7s.

The latter - a global event featuring the shorter Union game, is also one of the few times in a year that alcohol can be consumed outdoors, and several sponsors, including Heineken and Jacob's Creek wine, make full use of the brief, liberal window to promote their products.

It is also an undeniably British and Commonwealth affair with tens of thousands of young people from the UK, Australia, South Africa et al, rendering the few French and German voices largely silent, and, in much the same manner as the Hong Kong Rugby 7s, vast quantities of refreshing liquids are consumed under a hot sun.

This year's event was a complete sell out - around 25,000 for the final day - with England even managing to walk off with the title - much to the unbridled joy of the Brit ex-pats, who by the time the final came around, would have frankly cheered anything.

But for those nonprofessional tourists, Dubai also offers virtually year-round opportunities to play sport, be it tennis, dune bashing and camel riding, while the benign climate allows for a whole plethora of water activities.

There are seven Emirates making up the UAE and of perhaps all Middle East countries, it is surely Dubai that powers the region in terms of tourism but also in a far more relaxed attitude than some of its more severe neighbors.

But Dubai - whose population is expected to more than double in 12 years to reach 3m - is a country that presents a bewildering series of contrasts and traditions. It might have all the essential ingredients of a first world, fabulously wealthy state, but look a little harder and a whole new environment opens up.

The Emirates has to tread a fine line between East and West but also has some pretty tough neighbors in Iran and Saudi Arabia. Its monarchy, headed overall by Abu Dhabi, recognizes that ex-pats - making up by far the largest element of the population - bring in enormous revenue and know-how - but they are still subject to strict controls. The beaches, world-class hotels and myriad sports are all patronized by non-locals, but there is a relatively constrained press and of course alcohol consumption is strictly regulated.

But at least residents - earning enough and with a permit - are allowed to imbibe. Other neighboring Emirates and countries do not allow alcohol at all and although Dubai's watering holes are almost exclusively in incredibly ostentatious hotels, the possibility is there to unwind after a day's work.

The State is pragmatic too. Oil is predicted to start running dry in a few years time, which explains Dubai's enormous push into tourism and the key driver of this, has to be Emirates Airlines. Having a 77-strong fleet, Emirates' massive expansion - along with one of the most impressive airports in the world - continues to astound. It has placed orders for 22 Airbus A380 and is spending $20bn on new aircraft . This growth has generated an enormous - everything in Dubai seems to be a superlative - construction program as hotel after hotel - mostly four and five star - rise from the desert in an endless succession of cranes and skyscrapers.

Dubai is a city where the numbers just get bigger and bigger and one of the most impressive examples of this is the fantastically successful Dubai Duty Free (DDF), now the world's third largest duty free business. DDF is growing 32% a year and sales for 2004 reached an amazing $500m on the back of 30,000 transactions per day - this figure is estimated to be $1bn by 2008.

In 2003 there were 18m passengers using Dubai International Airport and at the end of last year, that was expected to be 21.5m and forecast to rise to 60m by 2010. Currently around 110 airlines use the airport. DDF is also present in much of Dubai's sporting and cultural activities, including sponsorship of the Irish Rugby 7s team last year, amateur golf and this year's ATP Tennis Tournament. It also owns the Irish village - a much frequented watering hole by ex-pats and the Dubai Aviation Club. Emirates Airlines is key to DDF's development and represents around half of all traffic using the airport.

Hotels are what drive Dubai. You can't go anywhere without seeing their glittering edifices either complete or rising from the desert in an endless succession of building sites. The more business-oriented places are in the middle of the city, while touristy ones - such as the Hilton and the Royal Mirage - are by beautiful beaches, often complete with camel rides. Business and social activities are conducted through these enormous hotels and the tourist or visitor can receive the impression that this is all Dubai is about. Not at all.

For the future a palm tree-shaped resort island with 120 km of sandy beaches is on its way to completion. Palm Island (see above) will include shopping complexes, 2,000 villas, luxury hotels and the first marine park. It is built in the shape of 17 huge fronds extending five km into the sea south of Dubai City. Next to it, a new unique and amazing project, worth US$1.8bn, will be another artificial island, "The World", comprised of islands grouped together to resemble the world's continents, with themes reflecting the actual country that the island's shape is based on with some including replicas of monuments and landmarks from the specific countries. And, for 2006, the first underwater hotel in the world, a 220-suite, bubble-like Hydropolis Hotel which is to float just below the waters off the coast of Dubai's upscale Jumeirah area.

Dubai is a pulsating, exciting city, constantly evolving, constantly adding new and good features to its already-impressive CV. Worth a visit.

http://www.dubaitourism.co.ae