“Our commitment to India has been steadfast and we expect it to only see an upward curve in the years to come.”
Bader Ali Habib, Head of Region, South Asia, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.
Bader Ali Habib has been heading the Department of Dubai’s Economy and Tourism in South Asia since 2019. South Asia contributes to over 17% of total inbound tourism to the Emirate of Dubai.
A creative and result-oriented professional with over 11 years of experience in marketing and branding, Bader is actively involved in the department’s marketing strategy, digital marketing, communications and destination branding. In an exclusive interview with Hotelier India, Bader talks about his vision for sustainable Dubai, plans for the Indian market and more…
- Please tell us more about the focus on ‘Working Towards Net Zero’ at the ATM (Arabian Travel Market) this year?
Travellers are increasingly becoming conscious of their environmental impact and are actively seeking destinations that align with their values. To meet the evolving expectations of travellers, Dubai welcomes a more evolved, collaborative, inclusive, and long-term approach to sustainable growth. By embracing sustainable practices, we can cater to travellers who prioritise responsible and ethical tourism choices.
To further our vision of sustainable Dubai, we announced the opening of Expo City in October 2022, the dynamic legacy of Expo 2020. Expo City Dubai is a futuristic destination driven by sustainability, innovation, education and entertainment, a model city for the future of the world and an enduring legacy. Adhering to Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, the Expo City Dubai is fully pedestrianized, free of single-use plastic and includes more than 1,200 LEED-certified buildings. The world’s largest installation of Mindsphere – Siemens’ cloud technology platform that uses smart metering and sensors to monitor energy consumption and efficiency of power, light, water and climate conditioning systems is installed across Expo City Dubai.
Furthermore, 2023 is the UAE’s Year of Sustainability and Dubai is hosting COP28 from November 30 to December 12, 2023. Sustainability lies at the heart of Dubai’s tourism and economy strategy. Aligned with the vision of Dubai’s visionary leadership to make the city the best place to visit, live, and work, Dubai has achieved significant milestones through the Dubai Sustainable Tourism (DST) initiative. The aim is to reduce the carbon footprint and foster a more responsible and inclusive tourism industry.
- How does the Dubai tourism industry perceive the Indian market?
India has been the number one tourism market for Dubai over the past few years. We are optimistic about the Indian market for inbound tourists who can enjoy a bevy of activities, across age groups.
Dubai’s connectivity to key metros and Tier 2 cities in India has proved to be a game-changer for leisure travel all through the year. Due to India’s close proximity (three-five hours direct flight connectivity), Dubai remains one of the top leisure and business destinations for Indians. In addition, we have direct flights to and from 22 cities in India, which makes it the highest number for any destination in the world.
Travellers are also increasingly seeking destinations that offer affordable options without compromising on the quality of overall experience. The cultural parallels between Dubai and India have been the key driving factors to curate unforgettable experiences, which, in turn, is encouraging repeat travel from India. As we foresee, the trend is here to stay.
A melting pot of culture, India is a land of diversity and heritage. Over the years, we have approached the Indian market with tailor-made campaigns and messaging to cater to a culturally nuanced set of audience. Our commitment to India has been steadfast and we expect it to only see an upward curve in the years to come.
“The cultural parallels between Dubai and India have been the key driving factors to curate unforgettable experiences, encouraging repeat travel from India.”
Bader Ali Habib, Head of Region, South Asia, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.
- Any plan from the Dubai Government and Tourism Board to encourage Indians to live in Dubai?
According to the Global Talent Competitive Index, Dubai is ranked second in the most desirable destination to live and work in 2022. Dubai is a modern global city that is positioned as innovative, safe and secure with world-class infrastructure and health systems. The multicultural destination is currently home to over 200 nationalities that combine the best of all worlds to deliver exceptional experiences and an outstanding quality of life. To attract world-class talent and investors from across the globe including India, we made provisions for 10-year Golden visas. To attract foreign national investors into Dubai, a total investment of minimum AED 2MM towards fund in the UAE and/ or capital contribution towards company setup; and/ or company equity is the minimum requirement. Golden visa is also open to people with specialised and qualified talents recognised as specialists, inventors, and/ or proponents in knowledge fields such as but not limited to medicine, science, research, culture, art, sports, cinema, literature etc.
Dubai also has a five-year visa programme for business investors, property and entrepreneurs where the gross minimum investment of AED 2MM is required and/ or minimum capital of AED 500K is necessary to secure the same. Over and above this, Dubai was selected as one of 20 destinations globally, under Airbnb’s Live and Work Anywhere initiative to identify some of the most remote worker-friendly destinations in the world. Dubai Government has made provisions for remote working visas and freelance visas to offer flexibility to creative talent with new licenses available to social media influencers, agencies and online media companies. Lastly, to enable wholesome and high quality of lives for senior citizens, Dubai Government also facilitates five-year retirement visa programmes where AED 1MM in unmortgaged real estate or AED1MM savings in a three-year fixed deposit or AED15K monthly income from a pension or previous employer is the qualifying criteria.
Through the various initiatives that were launched to ease entry procedures and offer pathways for deeper engagement and longevity, Dubai will continue to guarantee a one-of-a-kind lifestyle as a global liveability hub and ensure it becomes the most sought-after international city and the most attractive location to live and work in.
