Sunday, November 16, 2003

The Middle East is out-Westing the West

Dubai is to build the world's largest shopping centre, as the Gulf emirate seeks to pull in more and more visitors.

...The mega-mall will nestle in the shadow of the Burj Dubai, the world's tallest tower, on which work is due to begin in coming weeks.

..."Like a majestic ocean liner coming into view, the leviathan will be anchored by a waterfront atrium providing spectacular views of Burj Dubai and the surrounding skyline, and an aquarium of glass tunnels to wander among sharks and stingrays."

To keep the tills ringing behind the three-level glass facade, however, the mall will also boast the largest gold souq (market) on earth.

..."Tourism is the engine driving Dubai's growth....Some 3.2 billion consumers armed with a collective gross domestic product of 18.3 trillion will be knocking on [Dubai's] door.

"Daring planning is needed to win the global luxury tourism industry over. The Dubai Mall and Burj Dubai make this possible."
article

Sigh.

As industry leaves our shores, it takes shopping with it. And if the rest of the world's consumers carry out their threats to place sanctions on us come December...

Oh my.

We could be taking our place in history's long line of has-been empires. Somebody else's turn coming up as time marches around the globe. Third World, here we come. I just hope we keep our electricity and running water. I've grown partial to indoor plumbing.

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

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