To think most Dubai naysayers are hypocrites

[WhisperedLoudest]

Not at TAAT more a TAA lot of threads.

Repeatedly on MN people say they'd never go to Dubai because of Human Rights issues at the same time as announcing they'd much rather go to do yoga in India or sightseeing in Morocco.

It seems rather hypocritical and an attitude that is very particular to Dubai and I suspect something to do with being perceived as trashy not disagreeing there

So if you have objections to Dubai on moral grounds where do you go? Do you apply same strict standard to other countries.

I've often asked on those threads where people do go but never received much of a response.

Good post, Thefitfatty.

Dubai and Mumbai are fantastic if you like posh clubs /bars/clubs/shopping, just expensive. My hen do was 3 nights in Dubai, 3 in Mumbai. We went to some amazing places (roof top bars, beach bars where you can party til the sun rises, a club under an aquarium) & people are so friendly. I personally don't like to judge a country or its culture until I've been there & experienced it myself

I went to Dubai with work. Out of dozens of international delegates only one group had trouble. Three black African women were harrassed by the police for jay walking.

What's wrong with the Seychelles PhilODox ?

Three black African women were harrassed by the police for jay walking.

Yeah. Don't jaywalk here. I've been told off too. Had a good ten minute lecture by a cop. I've heard of way too many people getting mowed down. Frankly, I think the only thing to be afraid of here is the drivers.

In the end, you have to draw the line somewhere, so do it.

I'm guessing that the country that is seen as the most racist/uncultured/backward/sexist, etc. posted on MN is Australia. Far more than Dubai.

YABU. I along with others said we would not go to Dubai because of the treatment of immigrant workers, don't recall anyone saying they were happy to trot off to Morocco or wherever. That's without mention of how women are treated or the OTT conspicuous consumption.

It's hideous and I would like to see the whole of Dubai swallowed up by the sand.

I don't want to go to Dubai for lots of reasons. I used to work there so know what a "bling", soul-less, artificial, inefficient, tacky place it is.

Astoria7974: "I personally don't like to judge a country or its culture until I've been there & experienced it myself."

Really? I prefer to educate myself by reading the views of people who have experience and expert knowledge of the country. That's why I would never have visited apartheid South Africa or pre-democracy Burma, for example. It would have been an insult to the campaigners working so hard to achieve justice in those countries and who respectfully asked people not to visit them.

Yeah, we'd never go to Dubai and having given it some thought, we aren't travelling outside western Europe. We're not interested in going anywhere to observe how noble poverty and hardship have made the natives, we're not keen on bargaining with people in markets, we don't want to be in a resort that it's dangerous to travel outside while inside, every luxury possible is provided.

Egypt and Morocco use cheap migrant labor as well. Most Middle Eastern countries do. So Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, it's no different. In fact that conditions are worse there because there's less international focus on them and the use isn't so in your face.

Only in Mumsnet have I heard anyone dislike Dubai.

Are holidays not about beaches, shopping, good food and relaxation? It's mine n kids favourite hol destination.

It's such a safe place, I feel safer there than in the uk. So much for kids to do, indoor rides in the malls etc.

I don't do any Asian or African countries as I dislike their cultures, practices or religions so I won't put money into their countries. I stick to Europe and America. All countries have bad practices for example bullfighting in Spain so I don't support that but at least women are not mutilated, sold legally or made to dress differently and I mainly care about that. But no country in the world is perfect.

Why is going to Dubai perceived as 'trashy?'

Why is going to Dubai perceived as 'trashy?'

I can only assume because of all the Daily Fail pictures of reality stars in skimpy clothing partying and strolling along the beaches.

Europe isn´t innocent. Western Europe grew rich on colonization of these countries that people don´t want to visit now, because there is too much poverty and corruption. So in Europe, do you never visit museums or palaces or anything that has gained by exploiting colonial peoples? Or do you consider the ethics of visiting America because of the way they treated the Native Indians? I guess you never visit any of the southern states of America because of slavery and the deep social inequalities that still exist there? There is no country on earth that is without injustice and oppression.

I say that we should all work actively towards improving the lives of people all over the world. But don´t think that by choosing to avoid countries such as Dubai and going to a western European country instead, you are making a better ethical choice.

Kimann, I think the perception is that as well as the human rights abuses, it is a place built on materialism and low brow culture. I sound like a terrible snob there

God I can go to fuck all places.

Wouldn't go to Dubai for all the reasons given and most of the rest of the ME because of the oppression of women and minority religions.

Won't go to France if they start fucking about making women take off Burkinis again. Won't go to Burma because of religious violence against Muslims.

Won't go to China because of repression there.

I'm going to Cornwall this summer.

Lots of countries have issues, but I have a line in the sand. I would never go to Dubai.I have read too much about how Dubai was literally built on slavery. Other countries have human rights abuses including Britain, but I could not enjoy a holiday knowing that there were slaves making this all possible. I would also not go to Morocco.

Where I have been is the US, various European countries, Iceland, Costa Rica, New Zealand.

You might not care about human rights abuses, but you are wrong to think those of us who do are hypocrites.

hmmmm - sad because there is more to Dubai than whats reported in the Daily Mail. I don't live there but stop there enroute to Asia for a couple of days. We hv friends that live there too - they quite like it! i couldn't live there - far too hot!

Cornwall? Didn´t they have rum-smuggling there? Definitely unethical.

I was offered a very well paying job there and turned it down.
Too hot
Zero freedom for women
Slavery - maids etc treated terribly
Absolutely zero of interest for me there - no nice old villages to potter round by myself. No nice hills/ paths to wander on. No personal freedom.

If you like heat and shopping and resort type holidays then it's probably more fun?

I've known a lot of people go out to work in the Middle East - they either love it or hate it, it's quite a marmite issue.

Where do I go instead? Ummm well nowhere right now because of the toddler but Europe, NZ, S pacific...

I wouldn't give the Maldives my tourist dollar either, despite it looking divine, due to their issues

Well, I wouldn't go to any of those places because it's too fucking hot and I grew up in a hot climate and hated it.

What sonjadog said.

Only in Mumsnet have I heard anyone dislike Dubai.

Exactly. It's just Mumsnet snobbery.

And the bit about workers and domestic staff being paid only £300 a month... they get all lodgings and food paid for. So that's basically £300 left over every month to spend on whatever they want, send home to pay their kids school fees, whatever.

I work fooking hard in a good job and even I don't have as much as that left over every month.