Destination Development and
Institutionalization Strategies
In the OIC Member Countries
74
1. DMO Development
To fully understand the role of DTCM it is important to study the evolution of Dubai as a tourism
destination. Unlike destinations that have natural resources, historical relics, or entertainment venues,
Dubai did not have any.
It all started with business tourism:
With the launch of the Jebel Ali Port in 1979 Dubai became a regional hub for trade and it was time to build
Dubai’s first skyscraper. The 39-storey Sheikh Rashid Tower (now called the Dubai World Trade Centre)
was inaugurated in 1979 and laid the groundwork for the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition
Centre which now hosts more than 500 events across international trade fairs, mega consumer shows and
prestigious conventions - and welcomes more than 3 million visitors from 160 global markets every
year254 . Dubai’s business tourism or MICE industry can trace its roots to the Sheikh Rashid Tower.
Shopping:
The traditional souks (markets) gave way in 1981 to Dubai’s first modern shopping mall, Al Ghurair Centre
- which was the first of its kind in the entire Middle East. It remained the unchallenged center for retail
therapy in Dubai for ten years until 1992 when the Al Ghurair Group launched the upscale Bur Juman
Centre shopping mall. In 1995 the Deira City Centre shopping mall was launched adding another
destination for the growing number of tourists who had started visiting and transiting thru Dubai thanks
to the expanding network of Emirates Airline.
But it was not until a year later in February 1996 that the Dubai Economic Department launched Dubai
Shopping Festival. This retail extravaganza gained global recognition when every day for 31 days of the
festival, a Rolls Royce was given away in a raffle draw during DSF 2001. The Dubai Shopping Festival
alongside Dubai Summer Surprises, the biannual Gitex Shopper and Eid-in-Dubai have now positioned
Dubai as a global shopping destination. The proliferation of shopping malls like Mall of the Emirates (with
its indoor ski slopes) and Dubai Mall (one of the largest shopping malls in the world) provide the outlets
necessary for Dubai to become a destination for tourists who are focused on retail therapy.
Airline and airport:
Emirates Airline was launched in 1985 and by 1995 was flying to 34 destinations across the Middle East,
Europe and Asia. An ‘open skies’ policy of inviting airlines to transit through or fly into Dubai and the rapid
growth of Emirates Airline made Dubai a regional aviation hub. This necessitated infrastructure
investment and a modern airport was built in 2000. The aggressive expansion plans of Emirates eventually
resulted in the creation of an exclusive terminal for Emirates that was inaugurated in 2008. Today,
Emirates Airline flies to over 150 cities in 80 countries around the world and every time it launches flights
to a new destination, it aggressively promotes Dubai. Emirates and Dubai have always been inextricably
linked. Since Emirates Airline launched their first flight in 1985, they have actively promoted Dubai. The
airline and the city have grown together. Today, Emirates operates more than 500 flights a day that
connect Dubai to the world, and the world through Dubai.255
254 Dubai World Trade Center - More than a venue. (2018). Retrieved fro
255 Interview with Emirates Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer