Dubai 2020 Summarised in Two Tweets
It’s been difficult to process the negative impact of COVID-19 in Dubai, especially when there isn’t (accurate) enough reporting locally about the levels of job loss and people in need. There is no independent news outlet here, so most of the reporting focuses on positive news and a lot of times it requires reading between the lines.
But we all know lots of people have lost jobs and businesses have shit down, but we don’t know the numbers. We’re also hearing of many people leaving the country, but again, no clear numbers have been published. We also know many thousands of UAE residents are still stuck outside and with frequent updates to the rules about when they can return, has left many people feel let down by a place they call home.
So I was dismayed when these two tweets appeared on my timeline, which summarised the current state of Dubai to me, and a reminder of how fragmented this city is.
”Dubai relies heavily on tourism and real estate -- two of the sectors most hard-hit by the pandemic. The city, part of the United Arab Emirates federation, now faces a deeper economic contraction than the decline it experienced during 2009, when it had to seek financing from oil-rich neighbor Abu Dhabi.”
The complete article can be found here https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-09/s-p-sees-tough-years-for-dubai-property-11-gdp-crunch-on-covid.
vs
“Water-loving dogs can now enjoy their very own spa day thanks to a new pet pool opening in Dubai. Aqua Pawk in Al Quoz is ready to welcome the first canine visitors to splash into two refreshing pools complete with water jets and fountains. Inspired by a similar purpose built dog park in Spain, owner Amr Youssef said Dubai’s latest pet attraction is the perfect place for pups to cool-off in the scorching summer heat.”
Read the complete article here https://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/middle-east-s-first-dog-water-park-opens-in-dubai-1.1046698.