DUBAI: The Middle East conflict has stopped business for thousands of workers in Dubai’s tourism industry, putting their earnings in jeopardy. Rows of sun loungers at the renowned Jumeirah Beach Residence, which is usually packed with guests, suddenly confront a nearly empty sea.
Restaurant terraces sit deserted, while souvenir, watersports and perfume vendors watch for the rare passerby. The world’s highest Ferris wheel, Ain Dubai, has ceased spinning across the ocean, and despite steep discounts, few people are visiting the Madame Tussauds wax museum below.
Zero yesterday. Zero today. “Not a single client,” stated Dulash, a 26-year-old Sri Lankan employee at a jet-ski rental business Dubai is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.” The UAE’s second city, which welcomed around 19.6 million tourists last year, has developed into a significant Middle Eastern tourism destination with its man-made islands and tall towers.
However, the onslaught of Iranian missiles and drones since February 28 has forced tourists to escape in the middle of peak season, before the summer heat arrives. Due to a lack of revenue, the industry is hopeful that the war, which was started by US-Israeli bombings on Iran, will finish quickly.
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