As the emirate of Dubai strives to expand and diversify its economy, foreign investments in the trade, tourism, and financial services sectors have been coming in abundance.  These investments have created a surplus of better employment opportunities, thus attracting foreign expatriates to work and live in the city, either for the long-term or permanent status.

The resulting influx of foreign expatriates has caused its population to grow at a remarkable rate of 5.8% per annum, subsequently reaching its present figure of 1,570,779 in just a few years.  Over 90% of this figure is made up of expatriates of various nationalities.

Dubai may be the most unlikely place to find a golf course. The city is located in the arid Arabian Desert where lush green grass is rarely seen and temperatures could rise above 38° centigrade. Yet the irony of finding these lush recreational facilities in the desert is but one of Dubai’s charms, which is a city known for phenomenal feats of transformation.

Dubai is quickly becoming one of the world’s top golf destinations. Just a few years ago, Dubai was a fledging city with just two golf clubs, one of which is a sand-only course. As Dubai developed as a major mid-East financial capital and as the city attracted numerous expatriates to move into the city, developers began to see the enormous potential of golf courses. The city is now home to several world-class luxury golf courses designed by many of the world’s most renowned golf course architects and pros like Tiger Woods.

Dubai is one of the most modern cities in the whole world right now. It seems hard to believe that this sparkling gem of a city just sprung up in the middle of the desert, but it really did. Ultramodern architecture, one of the best healthcare systems in the world, and an excellent mix of western amenities and traditional Middle Eastern treatment, it’s all in Dubai. Of course, behind the success that it is, stands the government of Dubai, one of the emirates in the UAE. They stand behind the scenes and aim to serve the residents with excellent facilities, and there is even an e-government website to cater to Dubai residents whether local or expatriate and provide a high quality of life while they’re in the emirate. This project was launched back in 2001, and there are also more facilities to serve in different capacities on the way.

Background of the Emirate

Traditionally, the government in Dubai is passed down to the next generation, namely the sons and daughters of the rulers. The Al Maktoum family has been in power over the emirate of Dubai since 1833. The current ruler of the whole of Dubai is Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and not only is he serving in this capacity, but he is also the prime minister and vice president of the whole country. These two positions are also traditionally given to the ruler of Dubai, although it is not stated explicitly in the government code of the United Arab Emirates. The ruler of Dubai is also a member of the Supreme Council of the Union.

There is an abundance of business opportunities found in the city of Dubai.  The attractiveness of the emirates for entrepreneurs is primarily propelled by the tax and operating incentives in the government designated free zones.  Adding to Dubai’s attractiveness for fertile business ventures is the fact that the emirate has a strong economy that is growing at a steady rate, the fact that the government is committed in creating new business opportunities in order to maintain the diversification of the economy, and the fact that the emirate of Dubai has the most liberal operating conditions for businesses in the entire federation of emirates.

In addition to these economic factors, there are other supporting details that make Dubai a haven for business ventures.  These include the emirate’s strategic and accessible location, excellent infrastructure, competitive labor costs, no corporate and personal taxes levied, government reforms to make the process of putting up businesses in Dubai much easier, and an exceptionally safe and pleasant working environment.

The most ideal location for foreign investors seeking to put up their businesses in Dubai is at the emirate’s free trade zones.  They were created by the government to attract more foreign investments and trade in a bid to diversify the economy and move its economic dependence on the oil and petroleum sector. Free trade zones are designated areas, wherein regulations with regards to business ownership, taxation, recruitment of workers, value addition, and income repatriation are especially augmented to provide additional incentive to foreign businesses.