Is Dubai’s glossy image under threat? Not everyone thinks so

Stephanie Baker was celebrating her birthday with friends at a bar on Palm Jumeirah, Dubai’s iconic palm-shaped artificial island, lined with luxury hotels and beach clubs.

But as the group exited to head to another nearby location, something unusual crossed the night sky.

Moments later, debris from a drone hit the five-star Fairmont Hotel. Baker and his friends were standing right across the street.

“We were all scared,” she said. “Seeing something like this was unexpected.”

Baker, a British real estate consultant who moved to the city a year ago, says she has always considered Dubai one of the safest places in the region.

However, after two weeks of missile and drone attacks linked to the Iranian conflict, she says she has no intention of leaving.

“On the contrary, the way the situation was handled reassures me more,” she says.

Dubai is home to millions of expats like Baker from different countries, including 240,000 Britons. Emirati citizens represent only 10% of the population.

For decades, the city has cultivated an image of stability and security in a volatile region. Its skyline of glass towers, tax-free salaries and reputation for personal security have helped it become the booming trade and tourism center of the Middle East – a place where people from all over the world arrive in the hope of building a better life.

Conflict has reshaped much of the region in recent years, but Dubai has remained largely untouched. This image is currently being tested.

According to United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities, since the start of the Iranian attacks, the UAE air defense has faced 285 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,567 drones. Authorities say more than 90% have been intercepted and destroyed.

But some debris fell in parts of Dubai, including major residential areas and near the city’s airport. Images of fragments hitting an upscale residential building, a luxury hotel and the airport have circulated widely online.

So far, six people have been killed and 141 injured across the UAE, according to the country’s authorities.

The BBC spoke to more than 20 residents, some of whom have lived in Dubai for decades and others who arrived more recently. Most say they are shocked by the events of recent days. But almost all say they have no intention of leaving.

“It’s the first time we’ve seen something like this,” says Eti Bhasin, an Indian expat working in her family business who has lived in Dubai all her life.

“Dubai has grown phenomenally into a huge city. But we have faith in the authorities. This is my home. We support it.”

For some residents, the last two weeks have been worrying. Adam Callow, his wife and their two young sons moved from the UK to Dubai in 2024, attracted in part by the city’s reputation for safety.

The family slept in the same room during the first days of the war as the sound of detonations echoed throughout the city; the children were too afraid to sleep near the windows.

“The authorities are doing enough so that we can stay and feel safe, but we also feel unstable,” Callow says. “The concern is whether this will become the new normal.”

The rise of Dubai, where I work, from a small Gulf trading port to a global destination has been built on connectivity. Dubai International Airport – the world’s busiest for international passengers – welcomed almost 90 million travelers last year.

Thousands of flights have been canceled since the conflict began, bringing one of the region’s busiest travel hubs to a standstill.

In recent days, temporary operations have resumed, with Emirates operating a reduced flight schedule while working to restore full network operations.

Such disruptions come at a busy time of year for visitors, before the intense heat of summer sets in, and the repercussions are obvious.

The country is now experiencing widespread flight and hotel cancellations from those who wish to stay away. Rooms in some luxury hotels cost a fraction of their usual price.

“Unfortunately, we are seeing cancellations through May,” says Dr. Naim Maadad, founder and CEO of Gates Hospitality. He is an Australian expat and has resided in Dubai for over two decades.

“When the first quarter starts poorly, the rest of the year becomes a race to catch up.”

Many potential visitors are attracted by Dubai’s luxurious lifestyle image: influencers post videos online of rooftop swimming pools and supercars parked outside five-star hotels, and tourists sunbathe on private beaches.

But behind this image hides a different reality.

Another side of Dubai

The opportunities offered by the city present striking contrasts. While Dubai’s glossy image abounds online, many migrant workers who help fuel the economy here earn modest salaries and live in shared housing on the city’s outskirts.

The UAE’s workforce is predominantly foreign: South Asians alone make up more than half of the city’s rapidly growing population, often working in construction, logistics and delivery services.

For many, the war made little difference to daily life.

Hamza, a Pakistani delivery driver, says orders increased in the early days of the war as more people stayed home.

“There is a certain fear when we hear explosions or see debris falling,” he says. “But I can’t stop working.

“My family depends on me. I don’t have the luxury of staying home out of fear.”

Rights groups have long expressed concerns about the treatment and living conditions of some low-paid workers in the Gulf, including issues related to working conditions and employer sponsorship rules.

While most residents, including Hamza, tell me they plan to stay, a few who managed to find a flight have decided to leave.

An airline employee, who asked to remain anonymous, told me she returned to Melbourne, Australia, earlier this week.

“I was really anxious hearing constant explosions every day,” she says. “It was safer to leave for now and come back once the situation stabilized.”

But, she adds, she still plans to return.

At a time when many Western countries are strengthening their immigration policies and debating the impact of migration, Dubai represents a different model.

The Emirate has positioned itself as a magnet for global talent and the wealthy, seeing an influx of millionaires since the pandemic. And for ambitious professionals from developing countries – whether an Indian engineer, an Egyptian doctor or a Filipino nurse – obtaining a visa to work can be much easier in Dubai than in Europe or North America, sometimes requiring higher salaries.

Investigations by international media and law enforcement have already highlighted that some suspected organized crime figures were based in Dubai, although extradition cooperation between the UAE and several countries has increased in recent years.

Can the Dubai brand continue?

While the city’s greatest appeal has always been its image as a stable oasis in a turbulent region, is that brand now forever under threat?

Christopher Davidson, an expert on Middle East political economy who has written extensively on the UAE, believes the attacks could damage Dubai’s appeal in the short term.

“But the fundamentals – infrastructure, regulations, weather and geography – remain unchanged,” he says.

“In the long term, its appeal will remain intact.”

Authorities have won praise from residents and businesses who post daily updates on the attacks and regularly send mobile alerts warning of possible strikes.

President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed reassured residents that the country would protect them, while warning that the UAE is “not easy prey” for those who threaten their security.

Top executives also made public appearances in Dubai, a sign that life goes on.

However, public criticism of the government is rare in the UAE, where laws impose restrictions on speech considered to undermine or criticize the state or its leaders.

Authorities have warned that sharing unverified footage of the conflict online could result in heavy fines or jail time. A 60-year-old British man was charged in Dubai on Thursday after allegedly filming Iranian missiles over the city.

After a few days of unusually quiet streets, traffic and crowds returned to normal.

Analysts say the long-term impact on Dubai and the UAE will depend on how the conflict plays out. “A weakened Iran could further strengthen the appeal of the United Arab Emirates,” Davidson believes.

But if the regime survives, tensions with its Gulf neighbors could increase, an investment banker told me. “It’s concerning. If any of the banks or financial institutions were affected, it could have an impact on business confidence,” he said.

The Iranian military on Wednesday threatened to target U.S.- and Israeli-linked economic and banking interests in the region, following an attack on an Iranian bank. Many financial companies in Dubai then asked their staff to evacuate their offices.

For now, most Dubai residents remain cautious but hopeful. They point out that the city has weathered crises before – from the global financial crash of 2008 to the pandemic of 2020 – and emerged stronger.

“Dubai always bounces back quickly,” says Maadad. “Resilience is part of the UAE’s DNA.”

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