Would you go to Dubai?

[Londonscummymummy]

Would you go to Dubai?

My husband is interested in going and thanks it is unreasonable that I've always said I wouldn't go there. He thinks I should compromise since he would like to go.

The reason I don't want to go is mainly because of the treatment of women and gay people. (I'm also not fussed about the "shopping and money" type culture that a holiday there would be about). He says Dubai isn't going to care about my personal protest but I say I'm not "protesting" - I just wouldn't feel right or comfortable morally.

He argues there are plenty of countries in the world with attitudes / laws we don't agree with but we don't boycott them all. His example is gun ownership in the US. I argue that I may disagree with certain laws in some countries (ie death penalty, gun ownership), but that not many countries have such levels of state oppression enshrined in law, and none I would travel to.

I don't feel my position is that unusual but he thinks it is very unusual and inflexible. He knows a lot of friends / colleagues of his who've been.

100% agree with you - and no I wouldn’t go.

No, I absolutely wouldn’t go.

No I wouldn’t go there and due to their treatment of women I can’t believe women think it’s an ideal holiday destination.

I wouldn’t go. There are lots of countries which aren’t the greatest in terms of human rights but few make it a matter of official policy.

Another thread on this? Seriously? As someone who's been to Dubai I think there's far too much hand-wringing about it tbh.

No I wouldn't go there. It is a place I would avoid due to the numerous human rights issues (there are many other places I avoid too). I genuinely cannot see the attraction of the place anyway. It seems to be mainly a shopping/luxury hotel trip with the odd cultural daytrip destination.

No. It’s a shallow place with an ugly underbelly. DH and I have both been approached for lucrative jobs in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and turned them down flat.

The place is soulless - it’s been built on blood money through the pain and suffering of others - as well as everything else you’ve said.

Yes there’s some amazing sights to see such as modern architecture, giant fish tanks etc but these really aren’t worth it or the hype.

id happily never return, I only ever went for work - and nearly got arrested myself because we dared to report a theft - the police agreed after 4 hours of questioning us to look into the cctv as it would of identified the thieves however we would have to surrender our passports whilst they were ‘forced’ to investigate us as we admitted to drinking alcohol (in the hotel, a licensed premises!)

So that’s how they have such a low crime rate too 🧐

I wouldn’t go near it either, other than possibly a flight transfer on the way somewhere else if it was the best option

ask your dh why exactly he wants to go. Is it to experience the pure luxury elements that are only there because of exploited immigrants that are pretty much modern slaves?

I've been a few times - work related.

Aside from the human rights etc issues it just isn't somewhere I'd choose to holiday- jam packed with high rise buildings, bad traffic, everything fake and artificial, little evidence of any nature or local culture, lots of influencer types pouting and shrieking (well there was in my hotel) and a really obvious gulf between the rich Arab, western and Russian people and those (Philippinos , Indians etc) who 'serve' them.

Yep I'd go.....but lived there.....very happily and safely for 2 years as well as another Emirate and most of the GCC.
As a woman, ok...I'll rephrase that...as a white Western woman I felt far safer than I do in the UK. I also didn't spend all my time walking round the shiny shopping malls but headed (and in fact lived) in older Dubai.

No

No.

I wouldn’t go as it just doesn’t interest me. But if I had a layover there on the way somewhere more interesting I’d have a look round. But it’s not even on my Z list of places to go.

I’ve also been to places with just as dodgy human rights records….Ethiopia, Egypt, Indonesia….

No,for the reasons you give but also as its somewhere that holds no appeal for me as a destination.

No, because I wouldn't feel comfortable with the human rights and staying in hotels built on the poverty and death of others.

Nope, and there are plenty of other places I wouldn't go to either for similar reasons.

It's fine for a few days stop over with Emirates. Deira, the Creek, and the older parts are interesting. EXPO was amazing, but it closed last year. Oman is much better than the UAE

I’ve been. Wouldn’t go back just don’t see the big attraction

No

Not my scene at all and I share your objections entirely, OP.

Some enormous shipping centres, hotels, bling and orange people with dazzling white teeth aren't going to sway me.

Nope. For all the reason above including what is effectively modern slavery- “employers” not allowing “employees” access to their own passports, for example.

No it's definitely not for me.

Not somewhere I have interest in going- the works us a bug interesting place. Dubai appears fake to me and like you I’m not comfortable supporting their anti woman/lgbt laws x

It’s not my type of holiday, so no.