BUSINESS

In the past twenty years, Dubai has become an inspiration for what a modern metropolis can be. It’s home to inspiring contemporary architecture, a flourishing food scene (showcasing both homegrown dining concepts and major international brands), iconic luxury hotels, the best shopping in the Middle East, and an ever-expanding cultural offering that’s now the envy of the region. In fact, there’s so much choice in Dubai that when it comes to entertaining clients, the biggest challenge is fitting everything into one trip.

For keen golfers, there’s no better place than the 18-hole Greg Norman-designed Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, home of the DP World Tour Championship, and the final leg of the European Tour.

If your guests are more interested in culture than golf, the Etihad Museum offers an insight into UAE’s rich heritage. The building takes its architectural inspiration from the country’s founding moment; the signing of its constitution in 1971 at Union House (located nextdoor). Designed by Canada’s Moriyama & Teshima Architects, its curved white roof represents the parchment that the document was written on, and its golden columns the pens used to sign it.

For art and design, take a trip to the Al Quoz industrial district and stop by Alserkal Avenue, a community of visual and performing artists and designers. With more than 60 creative spaces, there should be plenty of opportunities to impress your guests. Other creative hotspots include Dubai Design District (d3), the city’s design community and incubator for local talent, and the Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai’s first major contemporary art institution. Located on the Jaddaf Waterfront, the centre is a symbol of the city’s commitment to culture. It houses 10 gallery spaces, The Jameel Library (the Gulf’s first open-access art library), and seven desert gardens designed by landscape architect, Anouk Vogel.

For those more interested in Dubai’s much-feted seafood, try a platter of Canadian lobster and Yellowtail carpaccio for lunch at Pierchic. This light and airy, award-winning restaurant is perched at the end of the pier and overlooks the Arabian Gulf. For oysters, innovative drinks and line-caught fish, look across the water to the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. Its flagship restaurant Al Mahara provides a sub-sea atmosphere with aquarium-lined walls and low lighting.

For the 'wow' factor, show your guests the sights from Burj Khalifa’s 555m-high, vertigo-inducing observation deck. While in Downtown, make sure you find time to take in The Dubai Fountain (the world’s largest choreographed fountain) and The Dubai Mall, the largest of its kind in the Middle East and the second largest in the world.

Finally, to make a stay truly unforgettable, your choice of hotel makes all the difference. Jumeirah’s hotels offer state-of-the-art business and meeting facilities, excellent restaurants and bars, and smooth access to the rest of the city. Pick one to suit all of your client’s needs.

Dubai is the ideal place to strengthen your business relationships. With world-class entertainment, culture, art, gastronomy and hospitality, there’s no better place to make a lasting impression.