Well, I've been at home for a week now and have been getting a lot of questions about my trip, of course. It's so fun to tell everyone about it, and I thought it might be a nice way to round out my blog posts if I did a recap, answering a lot of the questions I've received. Plus it will help me officially end my trip, because I keep reliving it every day through blog posts and pictures, not wanting to admit that it's over!
First off, the trip was absolutely incredible and to everyone who's asked: Yes, I am so happy I decided to go to Dubai/Abu Dhabi/Istanbul rather than the China or South America AGI (academic global immersion) trips. When I learned about the three AGI options, I couldn't decide which would be best for me. I'm sure those would have been incredible as well, but I never would have chosen to visit the Middle East had the opportunity not presented itself to me through my USF MBA program. It was truly an eye opening experience to see the "real Dubai" from a business perspective as opposed to just the beaches and shopping that tourists flock there to see, and it was amazing to soak in the ancient culture in Istanbul and be at the crossroads of east and west.
Other frequent questions have been: Which place did you like the most? Would you go back? Where would you recommend I visit? This is tricky because there was the business experience and the personal experience. So if you're asking in order to find out if you should visit for a vacation, my Dubai experience may not be relevant because it was very much focused on business.
Dubai
I definitely learned more from a business and economic perspective in Dubai, as compared to Abu Dhabi or Istanbul, because it is just so completely devoid of culture there that the focus was really on business. Plus, Dubai is obviously an emerging market and people from all over the world move there for the amazing business opportunities. Dubai was only just established in 1971 though, and with time comes culture so it will likely be vastly different in say, ten years. For those who think that Dubai's economy is still largely based on oil, it isn't, as there is an intentional emphasis on diversification. In the 1970's the majority of the economy was based on oil, but as of 2008, only 2.1% of it's GDP was a result of oil output. Dubai has successfully diversified into other markets, most notably hospitality/tourism, real estate and financial services. Additionally, they are making it easier than ever for foreign companies to do business in Dubai, when it used to be painfully difficult to do so. The ruler of Dubai had a vision to build a bustling city in the desert, and that's exactly what he's done. It is this oasis of luxury and business and opportunity for many, yet still a place of struggling to make ends meet and suffering for others.
The economy is certainly innovative, like nothing I've ever seen, where nothing is impossible and they are breaking all boundaries that have currently existed in the Middle East. For example, Dubai is a huge trading capital due to its location, and in order to attract even more trading in the existing port, they are just building more land out into the water to maximize capacity. Similarly, in order to create more ocean front property, the palm islands were built, and now The World is being developed. I was blown away by this, because generally if there isn't land to build on, then there isn't land to build on. But in Dubai, they just build more land.
As I mentioned in previous posts, there's a point where innovation is threatening the environment, and I was really turned away by that. There's a lot of contradiction in Dubai on this topic. Dubai has the highest carbon footprint in the world, yet they are touting their green initiatives and hosting green conferences to act as if they care, when all the while they're building the city with the "whatever it takes" mentality which is most certainly having an affect on the environment.
Despite this negative environmental impact which isn't quite talked about, there is so much to learn about innovation and diversification from Dubai's strategic business initiatives such as the Free Zone, Dubai Media City, and Dubai Academic City. So despite the real estate boom, and contrary to what I thought about Dubai's fluctuating economy before I visited, I now feel that Dubai will most certainly continue in its growth as an emerging market. The mentality is "bigger and better" and through that, they're putting themselves on the map over and over again, with things like "the most luxurious hotel in the world" and the "tallest building" and most recently, "the world's highest restaurant in the sky." The innovative marketing of Dubai as a tourist destination seems endless, and people all over the globe want to see what this unique place is all about. It's kind of an enigma, I think, to people who haven't there, because it just seems so unreal and different and truly intriguing as a result. And that's what Dubai wants.
So again, if you want my opinion about Dubai, it's very business focused. We did have some free time, and we'd go to the malls, the palm islands, the beaches...and the beaches were beautiful. If you want to spend your vacation at a place with beautiful beaches, world class shopping and a fun night life (you can drink at hotels which house all the bars and clubs), you'd probably love it. One thing to keep in mind though, is that for most people who visit Dubai, including me, it feels like Vegas. So I'm not sure it's worth traveling half way around the world to experience Vegas. If you're looking to really experience the Middle East, Dubai may not be the place to be. It's incredibly westernized, only 20% of the population is comprised of UAE nationals, and although I haven't been to Saudi or Iran, I'm sure those countries would present a much more realistic view of the traditional Middle East. If I were to sum up Dubai in one word, it would probably be "artificial." That said, I don't think there's any other place in the world quite like Dubai and it was truly amazing to experience something so unique, where there's this very interesting mix of east and west, old and new, desert and city, business and leisure.
Abu Dhabi
To present a completely opposite view of Dubai's neighboring emirate, I absolutely loved Abu Dhabi. We were only there for one day, but immediately upon entering Abu Dhabi, it just seemed real. We drove along the coastline for miles, and there was a never-ending "boardwalk" right on the beach where people were walking and running and riding bikes. As we drove closer to the city itself, there were parks and palm trees and ampitheatres. I love being outside so this balance of nature and business was really nice. We just visited one business, and learned about the cultural centers planned for Abu Dhabi including world class museums such as the Louvre and Guggenheim. It was plainly obvious to see the differences between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and that Abu Dhabi is being marketed as more of a family destination, perhaps for those needing a break from the bustling business of Dubai. So if you were to ask, I'd say absolutely visit Abu Dhabi, maybe around 2013 when most of the museums and parks are supposed to be completed. I would go back to Abu Dhabi. I wouldn't learn nearly as much as I did in Dubai, but I would most certainly go back there for a well-rounded vacation.
Istanbul
I would tell everyone to visit Istanbul and I would certainly go back. In fact, if I'd had more time, I would have loved to have toured the rest of Turkey because I hear it's beautiful. Turkey is interesting because the majority of the country is on the Asia side, and Istanbul is mainly on the European side. It was pretty cool to be able to be in Asia one minute and Europe the next! :) Regardless, I don't have a complete view of Turkey as a whole, given that we only just barely explored Istanbul.
From a business perspective, Turkey is one of the fastest growing markets in the world and the country is working hard to make this known around the world so that foreign businesses want to do business there. Compared to Dubai where we met with mainly expats, everyone we met with during company meetings, for the most part, was Turkish. Overall, I was much more engaged with the culture in Istanbul than with the business, maybe because I was oversaturated with business knowledge after leaving Dubai...
The culture in Istanbul is amazing. It's one of the oldest cities in the world, and has such an interesting history as a once Roman empire and now a primarily Muslim city. In fact, Turkey is now 97% Muslim and 3% "other." There are ancient buildings, mosques, old cobblestone streets, local music, traditional Turkish food, and everything you would expect from an old city. Additionally, we met up with local MBA students in Istanbul, so we got a good sense of the local restaurants and nightlife in Taksim Square. I'd say Istanbul isn't as glamourous as Dubai, but if you want to visit a European city with a good mix of history, business, urban life and amazing food, Istanbul is definfitely worth a trip. Plus, the flight isn't as long. ;)
Well I wasn't planning on writing such an essay about this, but there you go! Too bad this post can't double count as the required paper I have for the class trip. If you want to learn about "The Role of Education in Dubai's Diversification" though, let me know ;) Seriously though, if you have any questions I didn't answer, please let me know and I'll be happy to answer them!
First off, the trip was absolutely incredible and to everyone who's asked: Yes, I am so happy I decided to go to Dubai/Abu Dhabi/Istanbul rather than the China or South America AGI (academic global immersion) trips. When I learned about the three AGI options, I couldn't decide which would be best for me. I'm sure those would have been incredible as well, but I never would have chosen to visit the Middle East had the opportunity not presented itself to me through my USF MBA program. It was truly an eye opening experience to see the "real Dubai" from a business perspective as opposed to just the beaches and shopping that tourists flock there to see, and it was amazing to soak in the ancient culture in Istanbul and be at the crossroads of east and west.
Other frequent questions have been: Which place did you like the most? Would you go back? Where would you recommend I visit? This is tricky because there was the business experience and the personal experience. So if you're asking in order to find out if you should visit for a vacation, my Dubai experience may not be relevant because it was very much focused on business.
Dubai
I definitely learned more from a business and economic perspective in Dubai, as compared to Abu Dhabi or Istanbul, because it is just so completely devoid of culture there that the focus was really on business. Plus, Dubai is obviously an emerging market and people from all over the world move there for the amazing business opportunities. Dubai was only just established in 1971 though, and with time comes culture so it will likely be vastly different in say, ten years. For those who think that Dubai's economy is still largely based on oil, it isn't, as there is an intentional emphasis on diversification. In the 1970's the majority of the economy was based on oil, but as of 2008, only 2.1% of it's GDP was a result of oil output. Dubai has successfully diversified into other markets, most notably hospitality/tourism, real estate and financial services. Additionally, they are making it easier than ever for foreign companies to do business in Dubai, when it used to be painfully difficult to do so. The ruler of Dubai had a vision to build a bustling city in the desert, and that's exactly what he's done. It is this oasis of luxury and business and opportunity for many, yet still a place of struggling to make ends meet and suffering for others.
The economy is certainly innovative, like nothing I've ever seen, where nothing is impossible and they are breaking all boundaries that have currently existed in the Middle East. For example, Dubai is a huge trading capital due to its location, and in order to attract even more trading in the existing port, they are just building more land out into the water to maximize capacity. Similarly, in order to create more ocean front property, the palm islands were built, and now The World is being developed. I was blown away by this, because generally if there isn't land to build on, then there isn't land to build on. But in Dubai, they just build more land.
As I mentioned in previous posts, there's a point where innovation is threatening the environment, and I was really turned away by that. There's a lot of contradiction in Dubai on this topic. Dubai has the highest carbon footprint in the world, yet they are touting their green initiatives and hosting green conferences to act as if they care, when all the while they're building the city with the "whatever it takes" mentality which is most certainly having an affect on the environment.
Despite this negative environmental impact which isn't quite talked about, there is so much to learn about innovation and diversification from Dubai's strategic business initiatives such as the Free Zone, Dubai Media City, and Dubai Academic City. So despite the real estate boom, and contrary to what I thought about Dubai's fluctuating economy before I visited, I now feel that Dubai will most certainly continue in its growth as an emerging market. The mentality is "bigger and better" and through that, they're putting themselves on the map over and over again, with things like "the most luxurious hotel in the world" and the "tallest building" and most recently, "the world's highest restaurant in the sky." The innovative marketing of Dubai as a tourist destination seems endless, and people all over the globe want to see what this unique place is all about. It's kind of an enigma, I think, to people who haven't there, because it just seems so unreal and different and truly intriguing as a result. And that's what Dubai wants.
So again, if you want my opinion about Dubai, it's very business focused. We did have some free time, and we'd go to the malls, the palm islands, the beaches...and the beaches were beautiful. If you want to spend your vacation at a place with beautiful beaches, world class shopping and a fun night life (you can drink at hotels which house all the bars and clubs), you'd probably love it. One thing to keep in mind though, is that for most people who visit Dubai, including me, it feels like Vegas. So I'm not sure it's worth traveling half way around the world to experience Vegas. If you're looking to really experience the Middle East, Dubai may not be the place to be. It's incredibly westernized, only 20% of the population is comprised of UAE nationals, and although I haven't been to Saudi or Iran, I'm sure those countries would present a much more realistic view of the traditional Middle East. If I were to sum up Dubai in one word, it would probably be "artificial." That said, I don't think there's any other place in the world quite like Dubai and it was truly amazing to experience something so unique, where there's this very interesting mix of east and west, old and new, desert and city, business and leisure.
Abu Dhabi
To present a completely opposite view of Dubai's neighboring emirate, I absolutely loved Abu Dhabi. We were only there for one day, but immediately upon entering Abu Dhabi, it just seemed real. We drove along the coastline for miles, and there was a never-ending "boardwalk" right on the beach where people were walking and running and riding bikes. As we drove closer to the city itself, there were parks and palm trees and ampitheatres. I love being outside so this balance of nature and business was really nice. We just visited one business, and learned about the cultural centers planned for Abu Dhabi including world class museums such as the Louvre and Guggenheim. It was plainly obvious to see the differences between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and that Abu Dhabi is being marketed as more of a family destination, perhaps for those needing a break from the bustling business of Dubai. So if you were to ask, I'd say absolutely visit Abu Dhabi, maybe around 2013 when most of the museums and parks are supposed to be completed. I would go back to Abu Dhabi. I wouldn't learn nearly as much as I did in Dubai, but I would most certainly go back there for a well-rounded vacation.
Istanbul
I would tell everyone to visit Istanbul and I would certainly go back. In fact, if I'd had more time, I would have loved to have toured the rest of Turkey because I hear it's beautiful. Turkey is interesting because the majority of the country is on the Asia side, and Istanbul is mainly on the European side. It was pretty cool to be able to be in Asia one minute and Europe the next! :) Regardless, I don't have a complete view of Turkey as a whole, given that we only just barely explored Istanbul.
From a business perspective, Turkey is one of the fastest growing markets in the world and the country is working hard to make this known around the world so that foreign businesses want to do business there. Compared to Dubai where we met with mainly expats, everyone we met with during company meetings, for the most part, was Turkish. Overall, I was much more engaged with the culture in Istanbul than with the business, maybe because I was oversaturated with business knowledge after leaving Dubai...
The culture in Istanbul is amazing. It's one of the oldest cities in the world, and has such an interesting history as a once Roman empire and now a primarily Muslim city. In fact, Turkey is now 97% Muslim and 3% "other." There are ancient buildings, mosques, old cobblestone streets, local music, traditional Turkish food, and everything you would expect from an old city. Additionally, we met up with local MBA students in Istanbul, so we got a good sense of the local restaurants and nightlife in Taksim Square. I'd say Istanbul isn't as glamourous as Dubai, but if you want to visit a European city with a good mix of history, business, urban life and amazing food, Istanbul is definfitely worth a trip. Plus, the flight isn't as long. ;)
Well I wasn't planning on writing such an essay about this, but there you go! Too bad this post can't double count as the required paper I have for the class trip. If you want to learn about "The Role of Education in Dubai's Diversification" though, let me know ;) Seriously though, if you have any questions I didn't answer, please let me know and I'll be happy to answer them!
I'd like to read about the role of education in Dubai's diversification =)
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