| Kippreport.com

On faking it

July 8, 2012 5:20 by Priyanka Pradhan

There’s news of yet another tourist landmark to be constructed in Dubai, just in case the world managed to miss the tallest building, the largest mall or the only seven star hotel on the planet. Dubai has earned the dubious distinction of being the world’s flashiest, most superficial city with more fake potted palm trees than real monuments of culture and history.

Now Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has launched a new AED120m (US$32.66m) tourism project, to be dubbed “Dubai Landmark”. Construction of this new building called Al Berwaz Tower will begin within four months and is slated to be completed by the end of 2013. Authorities say this project is expected to attract around two million visitors and tourists.

Kipp thinks this move is more of a reaction to Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plans to dwarf the Burj Khalifa with its ‘Kingdom Towers’ than anything else. This one-upmanship and competition is cute when its between five year olds, not between nations with the ability to feed the population of a  poor country with the kind of money being spent on brick-and-tar toys.

Data published by Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) attempts to justify this venture by showing that the number of tourists visiting Dubai rose by 10 percent to total 9.3 million in 2011. The data also indicates that revenues grew by 20 percent to touch AED16bn ($4.36bn) as the emirate managed to withstand any impact from regional unrest.

Bravo. Now residents of Dubai can heave a sigh of relief. Afterall, that’s what the city really needs- Another building in the concrete jungle filled with fake lakes, ice capped mountains and more artificial lawns. Truly a blessing in disguise.

Tags: Dubai, Dubai Landmark, Dubai tourism, Kingdom Towers, Saudi Arabia, UAE