# Turning Oil into Entertainment Dubai's Chic Sheikh By Ben Preiss | Published 2007-06-21 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/turning-oil-into-entertainment-dubais-chic-sheikh References: [metimes](http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070619-025848-1417r) With oil reserves dwindling Dubai has turned to a number of mega-billion-dollar projects. Among them the [worlds tallest building](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-torch), The Burj (by a long shot at about 3,000 ft, 9,000 m), a series of [artificial palm shaped islands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/peninsula-dubai) and another group of islands shaped like a map of the world to be populated by luxury homes. The latest mega-project is a series of [amusement/theme parks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beast-land-theme-park) and theme hotels. All of this aimed at making Dubai a tourist Mecca, in order to bring in a healthy income when the petro-dollars dry up. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.5/10 - Popularity: 6% | Activity: 1% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Sustainable Tourism:** Developing eco-friendly theme parks and hotels to attract conscious travelers and promote sustainable practices. - **Urban Entertainment:** Creating innovative and immersive experiences in theme parks and hotels to attract urban dwellers seeking new forms of entertainment. - **Post-oil Economy:** Diversifying the economy by investing in tourism infrastructure to reduce reliance on oil revenue and create new employment opportunities. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Tourism:** Developing and managing sustainable theme parks, hotels, and tourist attractions. - **Hospitality:** Innovating the design and operations of theme hotels to provide unique and immersive guest experiences. - **Real Estate:** Building luxury homes and resorts on artificial islands to cater to affluent travelers seeking exclusive accommodations. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Sky-Garden Leisure Towers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-sobha-skyparks.md) - [Large-Scale Drone Lightshows](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/drone-lightshow.md) - [Luxurious Sandstone Desert Resorts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bab-al-shams.md) - [Thrill Ride-Topped Ultra-High Skyscrapers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-torch.md) - [Immersive Desert Safari Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/desert-safari-dubai.md) - [Carbon-Neutral LED Trees](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/led-tree.md) - [Tree-Lined Urban Highways](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dubai-green-spine.md) - [Pearl-Inspired Museums](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dubai-museum.md) - [Luxe Multidimensional Chocolates](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/abu-dhabi-chocolate.md)