Planning for Tourism: The Case of Dubai

Abstract

In recent years, the Middle East region has enjoyed rapid growth as a tourist
\ndestination. At the forefront of this growth has been Dubai, a state that has successfully and
\ndramatically diversified its economy into tourism in order to reduce its economic dependence on
\ndwindling supplies of oil. Despite this success, however, little attention has been paid to tourism
\ndevelopment in general, and tourism planning processes in particular, in Dubai. In addressing
\nthis gap in the literature, this paper explores tourism planning in Dubai in relation to the
\npolitical economy of oil-rich “rentier” states. Reviewing tourism policy and processes in Dubai,
\nit reveals that an apparent hybrid model of tourism planning has been adopted. However,
\nunderlying control of tourism development reflects the authoritarian political structures in the
\nemirate, pointing to potential future challenges.