Is Qatar the Next Dubai?

In Doha, the capital of Qatar, hundreds of cranes peak the skyline. To some, views of the city may even be mistaken with the skyline of Dubai City. This seems to be the theme on the East Coast of the Arabian Peninsula, but why? The race to become the largest, most recognized economic city in the world is most certainly on. With only 7-8% of this region's economy funding rapid construction and historic economic growth, where is the rest coming from? When I search for new and interesting articles and sources on Middle Eastern economic expansion, I continue to stumble upon record growth in the tourism industry. It seems as if every major city in the region is frantically building up, towards the sky, with high hopes of attracting the world's most affluent. It is working quite well, with the largest concentration of 5 (and beyond) star hotels in the world, the world's wealthiest with seemingly bottomless wallets and a keen craving for luxury are arriving in droves.

But what can cities such as Kuwait City, Doha and Dubai create, innovate or build to set them apart from each other? In today's globalizing world, the tourism industry is becoming one of the most aggressive. Shifting demographics are giving rise to a greater distribution of wealth and disposable income. Coupled with pressure from the international community, cities, not just companies, require a unique competitive advantage to attract the best of the best.

Cities all around the globe certainly have their own distinct symbols that tourists and traveling business people alike can recognize in an instant. New York City has the Statue of LIberty, Rome the Colloseum, Paris the Eiffel Tower and Sydney the Opera House. These are all historical landmarks that have been around for ages, but cities in the Middle East are essentially "new." They must create symbols that the international community will learn to recognize, and associate with pristine fame and fortune. In Dubai, the unofficial symbol is the Burj al Arab; the 7 star hotel shaped to resemble the sail of a dhow. Doha has their own unique "symbol" as well. The Pearl, a $2.5 billion, 985-acre artificial island loaded with five-star hotels, two million square feet of high-end shopping is currently under construction. It will attract more than 1 million visitors per year upon completion.

Dubai is certainly shooting for the recognition of the world's pemeir tourist destination, but it will face some serious competition from Doha in the next few years. With a population of 400,000 and investment reaching into the tens of billions, the city has significant room to grow. It seems as if Qatar is mirroring the growth of the UAE, implementing every idea of new construction, attraction and super structure in from Dubai in their city of Doha. Qatar Airlines, a 5 star, first class airline, is experiencing incredible growth in the international marketplace, on par with Emirates Airlines. Will projects such as the Pearl be enough to attract some potential out of towners to Qatar instead of the UAE? Only time will tell. More on Qatar (pronounced CUT-er) and photos in the near future.

-KD