Due to the
duty-free zone in the port of
Jebel Ali in Dubai's suburbs,
consumer electronics imported from
Hong Kong and
Taiwan tend to be very cheap. This has resulted, in recent years, in an abundance of "tourists" from
Russia and other
former Soviet republics. These people hop into Dubai (or its next-door neigbour,
Sharjah), buy up a half-dozen
television sets,
radios,
computers and whatnot, or as many as they are allowed to carry back into their respective countries, and board the plane back
home to sell their goods at a
500% markup. The lucrative profit on such runs draws these people back again and again, and certain districts are overflowing with such tourists.
The
governments of the countries these people originate from help with this augmentation of their national
economy by arranging trieaties with the
UAE government that allow their citizens easy access to 4-day
tourist visas.
Incidentally, Dubai is also home to the tallest
hotel in the world. The
Burj Al-Arab rises to a height of 321
meters (60 stories) on a man-made island just off the shore of the suburb of
Jumeira. The building, shaped like a giant
sail and visible from 40 miles down the highway, also encloses the highest
atrium in the world, at 112 meters. There is a charge of 200
Dirhams (about $60 US) per party just to enter the hotel, which can be used towards any expenses incurred while on-site. Needless to say, the
Russian tourists tend not to stay here.
There are 2 world-class
golf courses in this
desert city, and an
ice rink.
Dubai International Airport's
Airport Code is
DXB.