Extreme sports Dubai

Extreme sports Dubai

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Extreme sports in Dubai live at the intersection of spectacle and sincerity. On one side is the city's polished façade-glass towers, manicured beaches, climate‑controlled malls. Polaris RZR rental Dubai . On the other is a surprisingly raw canvas of desert, sea, and mountain foothills that invite you to step beyond the postcard and into your pulse. dune buggy tour operator Dubai “Extreme” here isn't just danger for its own sake; it's a curated invitation to test edges-of altitude, speed, skill, or fear-against a backdrop built for big moments.

Start in the sky, where Dubai's skyline isn't just scenery-it's a stage. Tandem skydiving over the Palm Jumeirah is the city's marquee thrill, the kind of experience that rearranges your sense of scale. The aircraft door opens, the wind roars, and then the puzzle of the Palm slots neatly beneath you: crescent, fronds, the blue geometry of the Gulf. The peculiar calm that comes after the first scream is almost as memorable as the jump itself. If falling isn't your thing, a high-speed zipline across the Marina-marketed as one of the longest urban ziplines-threads you between towers at highway velocities, a superhero's-eye tour of steel and water. Gyrocopter flights offer yet another aerial vantage: strapped into a two-seat craft with a pilot, you loop lazily along the coast, low enough to see the textures of beach and breakwater, high enough to feel very small.

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Then there is the desert-the original arena of Arabian endurance. An hour from the city's glitter, the dunes begin to move like an ocean under wind. Dune bashing in a 4x4 can be gentle or gladiatorial; experienced drivers treat each slope like a question of physics, weighting the crest just so, letting gravity answer. For those who'd rather participate muscle-first, sandboarding turns a dune into a slope with nothing to catch you but warm, forgiving grains. Quad bikes and dune buggies add throttle to the equation, carving lines across the red desert near Lahbab that the wind will erase by evening, as if your bravado were a secret shared between you and the sand. Go at sunrise or just before dusk-the light is kinder, the temperatures saner, and the desert more itself.

Water, too, writes its own chapter. On winter days when the Gulf is ruffled by a decent breeze, Kite Beach fills with color: kites arcing, boards skipping, instructors whistling over the hiss of the shore break. Kitesurfing here rewards patience-the wind can be fickle, the learning curve steep-but the payoff is a rare kind of moving meditation. Closer to the marinas, wakeboarding and wakesurfing boats trace smooth loops, offering a repeatable, coachable kind of progression: stand, turn, carve, then maybe a jump when confidence arrives. For quick, photogenic highs, there's flyboarding, which looks like sorcery from the shore and feels like mastering a stubborn elevator. Jet skis are everywhere and easy to rent, but the smartest riders keep to designated zones, respect the swimmers, and remember that the Gulf has its moods.

Dubai is not all flat land and glass. The Hajar foothills near Hatta, within the emirate, swap sand for stone. The mountain-bike network at Hatta Wadi Hub has grown into a serious playground, with graded trails that invite beginners and still punish complacency in experts. It's the kind of riding that rewards flow more than brute force: look through the switchback, trust the berm, feather the brakes. Rock scrambles and ridge walks offer more vertical flavor; the exposed feeling is authentic even if you can see a date farm or dam not far away. The paradox of Hatta is that it delivers adventure without wilderness-beauty braided with accessibility.

There's also a strand of Dubai's extreme culture that thrives on controlled environments and engineered challenge. Ski Dubai keeps a mountain's worth of cold tucked inside a mall, where snowboarders ride a chairlift in July and kids pelt each other with snowballs after brunch. Indoor skydiving tunnels let you practice the body mechanics of a freefall without ever seeing a plane.

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Shark dives at the massive aquarium place you, calmly and deliberately, in the glide path of creatures that most of us only meet through glass. These are “extremes” that prioritize repetition and technique over risk; they are gateways that turn a bucket‑list checkmark into a hobby.

What makes Dubai's extreme scene distinct is the choreography of it all. Operators are numerous and, by design, highly regulated. Safety briefings are unglamorous until they're not; gear fits, harnesses are double-checked, and minimum age, weight, and health requirements are enforced. The staff-many of them athletes first-are usually a few steps ahead of your fear and have seen your particular mix of bravado and nerves before. It doesn't mean caution is unnecessary. powerful dune buggy Dubai Summer heat is a serious player; hydration is nonnegotiable, and early starts are your friend. Sunscreen, sensible clothing, and respect for local norms go further than you think. Insurance that covers adventure sports is wise, and so is reading the fine print about photos and videos, which are often optional add-ons that feel compulsory when the moment arrives.

Cost is variable, and honesty helps with planning. A tandem skydive is a premium splurge. Desert quad biking and sandboarding can be relatively affordable, especially in small groups. Kitesurf lessons aren't cheap but compress months of YouTube into a few efficient hours. Wake sessions price by the boat and minute; split with friends to soften the hit and add laughter. Zipline tickets, shark dives, and indoor experiences sit somewhere in the middle, offering slick logistics in exchange for a painless, polished thrill.

The best season for outdoor extremes is the city's “winter,” roughly November through April. The light is gold, the evenings are social, and you can string activities together without feeling cooked from the inside. In summer, water wins: dawn wake sets, night‑time jet ski runs over warm, inky water, and the simple charm of stepping out of over-air-conditioned life into the sea. Either way, booking ahead-especially on weekends and during holidays-saves both time and disappointment.

Perhaps the most surprising part of doing extreme sports in Dubai is how quickly the city shifts from backdrop to participant. The skyline that dazzles from a hotel bar becomes a landmark you aim for under canopy. The desert that looked decorative from a taxi becomes a living, moving surface that tells you exactly how confident you are. The Gulf, placid in postcards, knocks you over on a kite and then rewards your stubbornness with a glide that feels like flying. Dubai desert adventure tour You learn, on the way down a dune or across a wake, that bravado is cheap and curiosity is priceless. You finish your day dusty or salty, hungry and happy, and you see the city at night with a little more softness. The lights look less like an exhibition and more like an invitation.

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Polaris
 
Location of Polaris (circled)
Observation data
Epoch J2000      Equinox J2000
Constellation Ursa Minor
Pronunciation /pəˈlɛərɪs, -ˈlær-/;
UK: /pəˈlɑːrɪs/[1]
α UMi A
Right ascension 02h 31m 49.09s[2]
Declination +89° 15′ 50.8″[2]
Apparent magnitude (V) 1.98[3] (1.86 – 2.13)[4]
α UMi B
Right ascension 02h 30m 41.63s[5]
Declination +89° 15′ 38.1″[5]
Apparent magnitude (V) 8.7[3]
Characteristics
α UMi A
Spectral type F7Ib + F6V[6]
U−B color index 0.38[3]
B−V color index 0.60[3]
Variable type Classical Cepheid[4]
α UMi B
Spectral type F3V[3]
U−B color index 0.01[7]
B−V color index 0.42[7]
Variable type suspected[4]
Astrometry
 
Radial velocity (Rv) −17[8] km/s
Proper motion (μ) RA: 44.48±0.11[2] mas/yr
Dec.: −11.85±0.13[2] mas/yr
Parallax (π) 7.54±0.11 mas[2]
Distance 446.5±1.1 ly
(136.90±0.34 pc)[9]
Absolute magnitude (MV) −3.6 (α UMi Aa)[3]
3.6 (α UMi Ab)[3]
3.1 (α UMi B)[3]
 
Position (relative to α UMi Aa)
 
Component α UMi Ab
Epoch of observation 2005.5880
Angular distance 0.172″
Position angle 231.4°
Position (relative to α UMi Aa)
 
Component α UMi B
Epoch of observation 2005.5880
Angular distance 18.217″
Position angle 230.540°
Orbit[9]
Primary α UMi Aa
Companion α UMi Ab
Period (P) 29.416±0.028 yr
Semi-major axis (a) 0.12955±0.00205"
(≥2.90±0.03 AU[10])
Eccentricity (e) 0.6354±0.0066
Inclination (i) 127.57±1.22°
Longitude of the node (Ω) 201.28±1.18°
Periastron epoch (T) 2016.831±0.044
Argument of periastron (ω)
(primary)
304.54±0.84°
Semi-amplitude (K1)
(primary)
3.762±0.025 km/s
Details
α UMi Aa
Mass 5.13±0.28[9] M
Radius 46.27±0.42[9] R
Luminosity (bolometric) 1,260[11] L
Surface gravity (log g) 2.2[12] cgs
Temperature 6015[7] K
Metallicity 112% solar[13]
Rotation 119 days[6]
Rotational velocity (v sin i) 14[6] km/s
Age 45 - 67?[14][15] Myr
 
 
α UMi Ab
Mass 1.316[9] M
Radius 1.04[3] R
Luminosity (bolometric) 3[3] L
Age >500?[15] Myr
α UMi B
Mass 1.39[3] M
Radius 1.38[7] R
Luminosity (bolometric) 3.9[7] L
Surface gravity (log g) 4.3[7] cgs
Temperature 6900[7] K
Rotational velocity (v sin i) 110[7] km/s
Age 1.5?[14][15] Gyr
Other designations
Polaris, North Star, Cynosura, Alpha UMi, α UMi, ADS 1477, CCDM J02319+8915
α UMi A: 1 Ursae Minoris, BD+88°8, FK5 907, GC 2243, HD 8890, HIP 11767, HR 424, SAO 308
α UMi B: NSV 631, BD+88°7, GC 2226, SAO 305
Database references
SIMBAD α UMi A
  α UMi B

Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris (Latinized to Alpha Ursae Minoris) and is commonly called the North Star. With an apparent magnitude that fluctuates around 1.98,[3] it is the brightest star in the constellation and is readily visible to the naked eye at night.[16] The position of the star lies less than 1° away from the north celestial pole, making it the current northern pole star. The stable position of the star in the Northern Sky makes it useful for navigation.[17]

Although appearing to the naked eye as a single point of light, Polaris is a triple star system, composed of the primary, a yellow supergiant designated Polaris Aa, in orbit with a smaller companion, Polaris Ab; the pair is almost certainly[14] in a wider orbit with Polaris B. The outer companion B was discovered in August 1779 by William Herschel, with the inner Aa/Ab pair only confirmed in the early 20th century.

As the closest Cepheid variable, Polaris Aa's distance is a foundational part of the cosmic distance ladder. The revised Hipparcos stellar parallax gives a distance to Polaris A of about 432 light-years (ly) (133 parsecs (pc)), while the successor mission Gaia gives a distance of 446.5 ly (136.9 pc) for Polaris B[9][a].

Stellar system

[edit]
Polaris components as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope

Polaris Aa is an evolved yellow supergiant of spectral type F7Ib with 5.4 solar masses (M). It is the first classical Cepheid to have a mass determined from its orbit. The two smaller companions are Polaris B, a 1.39 M F3 main-sequence star orbiting at a distance of 2,400 astronomical units (AU),[18] and Polaris Ab (or P), a very close F6 main-sequence star with a mass of 1.26 M.[3] In January 2006, NASA released images, from the Hubble telescope, that showed the three members of the Polaris ternary system.[19][20]

Polaris B can be resolved with a modest telescope. William Herschel discovered the star in August 1779 using a reflecting telescope of his own, one of the best telescopes of the time.[21]

The variable radial velocity of Polaris A was reported by W. W. Campbell in 1899, which suggested this star is a binary system.[22] Since Polaris A is a known cepheid variable, J. H. Moore in 1927 demonstrated that the changes in velocity along the line of sight were due to a combination of the four-day pulsation period combined with a much longer orbital period and a large eccentricity of around 0.6.[23] Moore published preliminary orbital elements of the system in 1929, giving an orbital period of about 29.7 years with an eccentricity of 0.63. This period was confirmed by proper motion studies performed by B. P. Gerasimovič in 1939.[24]

As part of her doctoral thesis, in 1955 E. Roemer used radial velocity data to derive an orbital period of 30.46 y for the Polaris A system, with an eccentricity of 0.64.[25] K. W. Kamper in 1996 produced refined elements with a period of 29.59±0.02 years and an eccentricity of 0.608±0.005.[26] In 2019, a study by R. I. Anderson gave a period of 29.32±0.11 years with an eccentricity of 0.620±0.008.[10]

There were once thought to be two more widely separated components—Polaris C and Polaris D—but these have been shown not to be physically associated with the Polaris system.[18][27]

Observation

[edit]

Variability

[edit]
A light curve for Polaris, plotted from TESS data[28]

Polaris Aa, the supergiant primary component, is a low-amplitude population I classical Cepheid variable, although it was once thought to be a type II Cepheid due to its high galactic latitude. Cepheids constitute an important standard candle for determining distance, so Polaris, as the closest such star,[10] is heavily studied. The variability of Polaris had been suspected since 1852; this variation was confirmed by Ejnar Hertzsprung in 1911.[29]

The range of brightness of Polaris is given as 1.86–2.13,[4] but the amplitude has changed since discovery. Prior to 1963, the amplitude was over 0.1 magnitude and was very gradually decreasing. After 1966, it very rapidly decreased until it was less than 0.05 magnitude; since then, it has erratically varied near that range. It has been reported that the amplitude is now increasing again, a reversal not seen in any other Cepheid.[6]

The period, roughly 4 days, has also changed over time. It has steadily increased by around 4.5 seconds per year except for a hiatus in 1963–1965. This was originally thought to be due to secular redward evolution across the Cepheid instability strip, but it may be due to interference between the primary and the first-overtone pulsation modes.[20][30][31] Authors disagree on whether Polaris is a fundamental or first-overtone pulsator and on whether it is crossing the instability strip for the first time or not.[11][31][32]

The temperature of Polaris varies by only a small amount during its pulsations, but the amplitude of this variation is variable and unpredictable. The erratic changes of temperature and the amplitude of temperature changes during each cycle, from less than 50 K to at least 170 K, may be related to the orbit with Polaris Ab.[12]

A 4-day time lapse of Polaris illustrating its Cepheid type variability.

Research reported in Science suggests that Polaris is 2.5 times brighter today than when Ptolemy observed it, changing from third to second magnitude.[33] Astronomer Edward Guinan considers this to be a remarkable change and is on record as saying that "if they are real, these changes are 100 times larger than [those] predicted by current theories of stellar evolution".

Torres 2023 published a broad historical compilation of radial velocity and photometric data. He concludes that the change in the Cepheid period has reversed and is now decreasing since roughly 2010. Torres notes that TESS data is of limited utility: as a survey telescope, TESS is optimized for dimmer stars than Polaris, so Polaris significantly over-saturates TESS's cameras. Determining an accurate total brightness for Polaris from TESS is extremely difficult, although it remains suitable for timing the period.[34]

Furthermore, apparent irregularities in Polaris Aa's behavior may coincide with the periastron passage of Ab, although imprecision in the data prevents a definitive conclusion.[34] At the Gaia distance, the Aa-Ab closest approach is 6.2 AU; the radius of the primary supergiant is 46 R, meaning that the periastron separation is about 29 times its radius. This implies tidal forcing upon Aa's upper atmosphere by Ab. Such binary tidal forcing is known from heartbeat stars, where eccentric periastron approaches cause rich multimode pulsation akin to an electrocardiogram.

Szabados 1992 suggests that, among Cepheids, "phase slips" similar to what happened to Polaris in the mid 1960s are associated with binary systems.[35]

In 2024, researchers led by Nancy Evans at the Harvard & Smithsonian published a study with fresh data on the inner binary using the interferometric CHARA Array. They improved the solution of the orbit: combining CHARA data with previous Hubble data, and in tandem with the Gaia distance of 446±1 light-years, they confirmed the Cepheid radius estimate of 46 R and re-determined its mass at 5.13±0.28 M. The corresponding Polaris Ab mass is 1.316±0.028 M. Polaris remains overluminous compared to the best Cepheid evolution models, something also seen in V1334 Cygni. Polaris's rapid period change and pulsation amplitude variations are still peculiar compared to other Cepheids, but may be related to the first-overtone pulsations.[9]

Evans et al also tentatively succeeded in imaging features on the surface of Polaris Aa: large bright and dark patches appear in close-up images, changing over time. Follow up imaging campaigns are required to confirm this detection.[9] Polaris's age is difficult to model; current best estimates find the Cepheid to be much younger than the two main sequence components, seemingly enough to exclude a common origin, which would be quite unlikely for a triple star system.[14][15]

Torres 2023 and Evans et al 2024 both suggest that recent literature cautiously agree that Polaris is a first overtone pulsator.[34][9]

Role as pole star

[edit]
Polaris azimuths vis clock face analogy.[36]
A typical Northern Hemisphere star trail with Polaris in the center.
Polaris lying halfway between the asterisms Cassiopeia and the Big Dipper.

Because Polaris lies nearly in a direct line with the Earth's rotational axis above the North Pole, it stands almost motionless in the sky, and all the stars of the northern sky appear to rotate around it. It thus provides a nearly fixed point from which to draw measurements for celestial navigation and for astrometry. The elevation of the star above the horizon gives the approximate latitude of the observer.[16]

In 2018 Polaris was 0.66° (39.6 arcminutes) away from the pole of rotation (1.4 times the Moon disc) and so revolves around the pole in a small circle 1.3° in diameter. It will be closest to the pole (about 0.45 degree, or 27 arcminutes) soon after the year 2100.[37] Because it is so close to the celestial north pole, its right ascension is changing rapidly due to the precession of Earth's axis, going from 2.5h in AD 2000 to 6h in AD 2100. Twice in each sidereal day Polaris's azimuth is true north; the rest of the time it is displaced eastward or westward, and the bearing must be corrected using tables or a rule of thumb. The best approximation[36] is made using the leading edge of the "Big Dipper" asterism in the constellation Ursa Major. The leading edge (defined by the stars Dubhe and Merak) is referenced to a clock face, and the true azimuth of Polaris worked out for different latitudes.

The apparent motion of Polaris towards and, in the future, away from the celestial pole, is due to the precession of the equinoxes.[38] The celestial pole will move away from α UMi after the 21st century, passing close by Gamma Cephei by about the 41st century, moving towards Deneb by about the 91st century.[citation needed]

The celestial pole was close to Thuban around 2750 BCE,[38] and during classical antiquity it was slightly closer to Kochab (β UMi) than to Polaris, although still about 10° from either star.[39] It was about the same angular distance from β UMi as to α UMi by the end of late antiquity. The Greek navigator Pytheas in ca. 320 BC described the celestial pole as devoid of stars. However, as one of the brighter stars close to the celestial pole, Polaris was used for navigation at least from late antiquity, and described as ἀεί φανής (aei phanēs) "always visible" by Stobaeus (5th century), also termed Λύχνος (Lychnos) akin to a burner or lamp and would reasonably be described as stella polaris from about the High Middle Ages and onwards, both in Greek and Latin. On his first trans-Atlantic voyage in 1492, Christopher Columbus had to correct for the "circle described by the pole star about the pole".[40] In Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, written around 1599, Caesar describes himself as being "as constant as the northern star", although in Caesar's time there was no constant northern star. Despite its relative brightness, it is not, as is popularly believed, the brightest star in the sky.[41]

Polaris was referenced in the classic Nathaniel Bowditch maritime navigation book American Practical Navigator (1802), where it is listed as one of the navigational stars.[42]

Names

[edit]
This artist's concept shows: supergiant Polaris Aa, dwarf Polaris Ab, and the distant dwarf companion Polaris B.

The modern name Polaris[43] is shortened from the Neo-Latin stella polaris ("polar star"), coined in the Renaissance when the star had approached the celestial pole to within a few degrees.[44][45]

Gemma Frisius, writing in 1547, referred to it as stella illa quae polaris dicitur ("that star which is called 'polar'"), placing it 3° 8' from the celestial pole.[44][45]

In 2016, the International Astronomical Union organized a Working Group on Star Names (WGSN)[46] to catalog and standardize proper names for stars. The WGSN's first bulletin of July 2016 included a table of the first two batches of names approved by the WGSN; which included Polaris for the star α Ursae Minoris Aa.[47]

In antiquity, Polaris was not yet the closest naked-eye star to the celestial pole, and the entire constellation of Ursa Minor was used for navigation rather than any single star. Polaris moved close enough to the pole to be the closest naked-eye star, even though still at a distance of several degrees, in the early medieval period, and numerous names referring to this characteristic as polar star have been in use since the medieval period. In Old English, it was known as scip-steorra ("ship-star").[citation needed]

In the "Old English rune poem", the T-rune is apparently associated with "a circumpolar constellation", or the planet Mars.[48]

In the Hindu Puranas, it became personified under the name Dhruva ("immovable, fixed").[49]

In the later medieval period, it became associated with the Marian title of Stella Maris "Star of the Sea" (so in Bartholomaeus Anglicus, c. 1270s),[50] due to an earlier transcription error.[51]

An older English name, attested since the 14th century, is lodestar "guiding star", cognate with the Old Norse leiðarstjarna, Middle High German leitsterne.[52]

The ancient name of the constellation Ursa Minor, Cynosura (from the Greek κυνόσουρα "the dog's tail"),[53] became associated with the pole star in particular by the early modern period. An explicit identification of Mary as stella maris with the polar star (Stella Polaris), as well as the use of Cynosura as a name of the star, is evident in the title Cynosura seu Mariana Stella Polaris (i.e. "Cynosure, or the Marian Polar Star"), a collection of Marian poetry published by Nicolaus Lucensis (Niccolo Barsotti de Lucca) in 1655. [citation needed]

Ursa Minor as depicted in the 964 Persian work Book of Fixed Stars, Polaris named al-Judayy "الجدي" in the lower right.

Its name in traditional pre-Islamic Arab astronomy was al-Judayy الجدي ("the kid", in the sense of a juvenile goat ["le Chevreau"] in Description des Etoiles fixes),[54] and that name was used in medieval Islamic astronomy as well.[55][56] In those times, it was not yet as close to the north celestial pole as it is now, and used to rotate around the pole.[citation needed]

It was invoked as a symbol of steadfastness in poetry, as "steadfast star" by Spenser. Shakespeare's sonnet 116 is an example of the symbolism of the north star as a guiding principle: "[Love] is the star to every wandering bark / Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken."[57]

In Julius Caesar, Shakespeare has Caesar explain his refusal to grant a pardon: "I am as constant as the northern star/Of whose true-fixed and resting quality/There is no fellow in the firmament./The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks,/They are all fire and every one doth shine,/But there's but one in all doth hold his place;/So in the world" (III, i, 65–71). Of course, Polaris will not "constantly" remain as the north star due to precession, but this is only noticeable over centuries.[citation needed]

In Inuit astronomy, Polaris is known as Nuutuittuq (syllabics: ᓅᑐᐃᑦᑐᖅ).[58]

In traditional Lakota star knowledge, Polaris is named "Wičháȟpi Owáŋžila". This translates to "The Star that Sits Still". This name comes from a Lakota story in which he married Tȟapȟúŋ Šá Wíŋ, "Red Cheeked Woman". However, she fell from the heavens, and in his grief Wičháȟpi Owáŋžila stared down from "waŋkátu" (the above land) forever.[59]

The Plains Cree call the star in Nehiyawewin: acâhkos êkâ kâ-âhcît "the star that does not move" (syllabics: ᐊᒑᐦᑯᐢ ᐁᑳ ᑳ ᐋᐦᒌᐟ).[60]

In Mi'kmawi'simk the star is named Tatapn.[61]

In the ancient Finnish worldview, the North Star has also been called taivaannapa and naulatähti ("the nailstar") because it seems to be attached to the firmament or even to act as a fastener for the sky when other stars orbit it. Since the starry sky seemed to rotate around it, the firmament is thought of as a wheel, with the star as the pivot on its axis. The names derived from it were sky pin and world pin.[citation needed]

Distance

[edit]

Since Leavitt's discovery of the Cepheid variable period-luminosity relationship, and corresponding utility as a standard candle, the distance to Polaris has been highly sought-after by astronomers. It is the closest Cepheid to Earth, and thus key to calibrating the Cepheid standard candle; Cepheids form the base of the cosmic distance ladder by which to probe the cosmological nature of the universe.[62]

Distance measurement techniques depend on whether or not components A and B are a physical pair, that is, gravitationally bound. If they are, then their estimated distance can be presumed to be equal.[b] Gravitational binding of this pair is well supported by observations, and the presumption of common distance is widely adopted in historical and recent estimates.[64][65][66][26][67][62][14][9]

For most of the 20th century, available observation technologies remained inadequate to precisely measure absolute parallax.[68][62] Instead, the main technique was to use theoretical models of stellar evolution for both main sequence and giant stars, combined with spectroscopic and photometric data to estimate distances. Such modeling relies on theoretical assumptions and guesses, and contains much systematic error and statistical uncertainties in population data. Even by 2013, these techniques were still struggling to achieve even 10% precision in either main sequence[69] or Cepheid[14] modeling.

Further progress was thus limited until the advent of Hipparcos, the first instrument able to engage in all-sky absolute parallax astrometry.[68] Its first data release was in 1997.

Selected distance estimates to Polaris
Published Component Distance Source Notes
ly   pc
1966 B (359)[c] (110)[c] Fernie[64] Photometry and modeling of B[c]
1977 B (399)[d] (122)[d] Turner[65] Photometry and modeling of B[d]
1978 A 356* 109* Gauthier and Fernie[66] Modeling extinction and Cepheid evolution of A
1996 B 359* 110* Kamper[26] Photometry and modeling of B, reproducing prior estimates
1997 A 431±29 132±9 Hipparcos[70] All-sky/absolute[68] parallax observations, of the primary variable[e]
2004-2013 A, B 307±13 94±4 Turner/Turner et al Cepheid evolution modeling[30], cluster kinematics and ZAMS fitting[30][67], photometry and modeling of B[67], spectral line ratios of A calibrated on yellow supergiants[62]
329±10 101±3
323±7 99±2
2007[f] A 432±6 133±2 Hipparcos[2][69] All-sky/absolute parallax observations, revised analysis, of the primary variable[f]
2008 B 357* 109.5* Usenko & Klochkova[7] Photometry and modeling of B
2014 A >385 >118 Neilson[71] Cepheid evolution modeling, independent of any distance prior
2018 B 521±20 160±6 Hubble, Bond et al.[14] Relative[68] parallax of the wide component referencing photometrically-calibrated background stars
2018 B 445.3±1.7 136.6±0.5 Gaia DR2[72] All-sky/absolute[68] parallax observations, of the wide component[g]
2020 B 446.5±1.1 136.9±0.3 Gaia DR3[5][9] All-sky/absolute parallax observations, of the wide component[h]
^ * This estimate didn't state its uncertainty

After the arrival of the Hipparcos data, the distance to Polaris and consequent analysis of its Cepheid variation was controversial. The Hipparcos distance for Polaris was broadly but not universally adopted.[20] Immediately, the Hipparcos data for the nearest few hundred Cepheids appeared to clarify Cepheid models and to clear up then-tension in higher rungs of the distance ladder.[70] However alternatives remained; particularly by Turner et al, who published several papers between 2004 and 2013.[62]

Stellar parallax is the basis for the parsec, which is the distance from the Sun to an astronomical object which has a parallax angle of one arcsecond. (1 AU and 1 pc are not to scale, 1 pc = about 206265 AU)

In 2018, Bond et al[14] used the Hubble Space Telescope to provide an alternate direct measurement of Polaris's parallax; they summarize the back-and-forth:

However, Turner et al. (2013, hereafter TKUG13)[62] argue that the parallax of Polaris is considerably larger, 10.10 ± 0.20 mas (d = 99±2 pc). The evidence cited by TKUG13 for this “short” distance includes (1) a photometric parallax for Polaris B based on measured photometry, spectral classification, and main-sequence fitting; (2) a claim that there is a sparse cluster of A-, F-, and G-type stars within 3° of Polaris, with proper motions and radial velocities similar to that of the Cepheid, for which the Hipparcos parallaxes combined with main-sequence fitting give a distance of 99 pc; and (3) a determination of the absolute visual magnitude of Polaris based on line ratios in high-resolution spectra, calibrated against supergiants with well-established luminosities. [...]

[...]

In a critique of the TKUG13 paper, van Leeuwen (2013, hereafter L13)[69] defended the Hipparcos parallax by presenting details of the solution, concluding that “the Hipparcos data cannot in any way support” the large parallax advocated by TKUG13. Using Hipparcos data, L13 also questioned the reality of the sparse cluster proposed by TKUG13, presenting evidence against it both from the color versus absolute-magnitude diagram for stars within 3° of Polaris, and their non-clustered distribution of proper motions. Lastly, L13 examined the absolute magnitudes of nearly 400 stars of spectral type F3 V in the Hipparcos catalog with parallax errors of less than 10%, and showed that the absolute magnitude of Polaris B would fall well within the observed MV distribution for F3 V stars, based on either the Hipparcos parallax of A or the larger parallax proposed by TKUG13. Thus, he concluded that the photometric parallax of B does not give a useful discriminant.

— [14]

Bond et al go on to find a trigonometric parallax (independent of Hipparcos) that implies a distance further-still than the "long" Hipparcos distance, well outside the plausible range of the "short" distance estimates.

The next major step in high precision parallax measurements comes from Gaia, a space astrometry mission launched in 2013 and intended to measure stellar parallax to within 25 microarcseconds (μas).[74] Although it was originally planned to limit Gaia's observations to stars fainter than magnitude 5.7, tests carried out during the commissioning phase indicated that Gaia could autonomously identify stars as bright as magnitude 3. When Gaia entered regular scientific operations in July 2014, it was configured to routinely process stars in the magnitude range 3 – 20.[75] Beyond that limit, special procedures are used to download raw scanning data for the remaining 230 stars brighter than magnitude 3; methods to reduce and analyse these data are being developed; and it is expected that there will be "complete sky coverage at the bright end" with standard errors of "a few dozen μas".[76]

Gaia DR2 does not include a parallax for Polaris A, but a distance inferred from Polaris B is 136.6±0.5 pc (445.5±1.7 ly),[72] somewhat further than most previous estimates and (in principle) considerably more accurate. There are known to be considerable systematic uncertainties in DR2.[77]

Gaia DR3 significantly improved both the statistical and systematic uncertainties, although the latter remain numerous and on the order of 10–60 μas[63]; the new estimate is 136.9±0.3 pc (446.5±1.1 ly) using the baseline parallax zeropoint correction.[5][9][h]

Gaia DR4 (expected December 2026) will further improve the statistical and systematic uncertainties in general, and the data pipelines for variable and multiple stars in particular.[78] Multistar orbital solutions will become available, greatly aiding the study of Cepheids and Polaris, and in particular, may enable solving the outer AB orbit.[9]

[edit]

Polaris is depicted in the flag and coat of arms of the Canadian Inuit territory of Nunavut,[79] the flag of the U.S. states of Alaska and Minnesota,[80] and the flag of the U.S. city of Duluth, Minnesota.[81][82]

Vexillology

[edit]

Heraldry

[edit]

Ships

[edit]
  • The Chinese spy ship Beijixing is named after Polaris.
  • USS Polaris is named after Polaris
[edit]

See also

[edit]
  • Extraterrestrial sky (for the pole stars of other celestial bodies)
  • List of nearest supergiants
  • Polar alignment
  • Sigma Octantis
  • Polaris Flare
  • Regiment of the North Pole

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ If A and B are a physical pair, then they share the same parallax; see #Distance
  2. ^ Their minimum spatial separation is the angular separation: 0.09 mrad (18.2 arcseconds), i.e. 0.009% of their distance from Earth; it could be higher (2x-5x) depending on the orbital eccentricity and orientation of the apsides to Earth's sightline. In any case, distance estimate uncertainties have far exceeded 0.2%, with only Gaia approaching the latter precision, when neglecting systematic uncertainties.[63] Future Gaia data may enable solving this outer orbit, constraining the apsides and thus precisely determining the distance between the components.
  3. ^ a b c The paper only estimates an absolute magnitude of roughly 3.3 with an apparent magnitude of 8.51. That implies a distance modulus of 5.21, implying a distance around 110 pc. A notional magnitude error of ±0.3 would correspond to roughly ±16 pc error.
  4. ^ a b c The paper only estimates an absolute magnitude of roughly 3.16. Taken with the quoted apparent magnitude 8.6, that implies a distance modulus of 5.44, implying a distance around 122 pc. A notional magnitude error of ±0.1 would correspond to roughly ±6 pc error. Extinction was concluded to be negligible.
  5. ^ Parallax 7.56±0.48 mas
  6. ^ a b Parallax 7.54±0.11 mas; observations from 1989 to 1993, first analysis published 1997, revised analysis published 2007.
  7. ^ Statistical distance calculated using a weak distance prior
  8. ^ a b The raw parallax is 7.2869±0.0178 mas; applying a basic systematic[63] correction[73] gives 7.3045±0.0178 mas

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[edit]
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  84. ^ "Sir Francis McClintock Explorer - Arctic Fox Exhibition, Louth County Museum (Gallery Section)". arcticfoxtrail.com. Retrieved 14 January 2025.

 

 

 

Sandboarding in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Sandboarding is a boardsport and extreme sport[1] similar to snowboarding that involves riding down a sand dune while standing on a board, with both feet strapped in. Sand sledding can also be practised sitting down or lying on the belly or the back. It typically involves a sand sled, although it is also somewhat possible to use snow sleds or snowboards. The invention of modern sandboarding is largely attributed to Lon Beale, aka 'Doctor Dune', who began sandboarding in 1972 in California's Mojave Desert.

Sandboarding has adherents throughout the world, but is most prevalent in desert areas or coastal areas with beach dunes. It is less popular than snowboarding, partly because it is very difficult to build a mechanised ski lift on a sand dune, meaning participants must climb or ride a dune buggy or all-terrain vehicle back to the top of the dune. On the other hand, dunes are normally available year-round as opposed to ski resorts, which are seasonal.

Equipment

[edit]

The sandboard base is much harder than a snowboard, and is built mostly out of formica or laminex with special base materials now being made, that will slide on wet and dry sand. To glide in the sand, the board bottom is often waxed, usually with a paraffin-based sandboard wax, before a run. Afterwards, the bottom of the board may have a lightly sanded look to it. Most terrain sandboards are composed of hardwood ply, while 'full-size' sandboards are a wood, fiber glass, and plastic composite. However, a snowboarding base will sometimes work on steeper dunes as well.[2]

Worldwide

[edit]

Sandboarding is practised worldwide, with locations available on every continent except Antarctica. The World's Greatest Sandboarding Destinations lists sandboarding destinations in over 65 territories.[3]

Sandboarding in Hawaii

[edit]

Sand boarding or sand sliding (Hawaiian: heʻe one) was a favourite beach pastime on the islands throughout the first half of the 20th century including the outbreak of World War II.[4]

Sandboarding in Palestine

[edit]

Drorbamidbar has sandboarding in Israel at Negev Desert not far from Ashalim in Ramat HaNegev.

Sandboarding in Australia

[edit]

Little Sahara on Kangaroo Island in South Australia is a sand dune system roughly covering two square kilometres (0.77 sq mi). The highest dune is approximately 70 metres (230 ft) above sea level.

Lucky Bay, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Kalbarri, in Western Australia, is another sandboarding hotspot. Sandboarding Tours are offered in the area.

The Stockton dunes, 2.3 hours north from Sydney. Stockton Bight Sand Dunes system is up to one kilometre (0.62 mi), 32 kilometres (20 mi) long, and covers an area of over 4,200 hectares (10,000 acres; 42,000,000 m2). The massive sand dunes climb up to 40 metres (130 ft) high. Located only minutes from the centre of Nelson Bay, it is the largest sand dune system in Australia.[5]

Sandboarding in Africa

[edit]
Woman sandboarding in Africa

Sandboarding sites in Egypt include the Great Sand Sea near Siwa Oasis واحة سيوة in Egypt's Western Desert, the Qattaniya القطانية sand dunes (1.5 h drive on/off-road from Cairo), El Safra الصفراء and Hadudah هدودة dunes midway between Dahab and St. Catherine in Sinai.

Namibia features sand-skiing, which is similar to sandboarding, performed with skis instead of a board. Most of the sand-skiing is performed in the Namib desert dunes around Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. With a special permit it is sometimes possible to sand-ski at the world's highest dunes in Sossusvlei.[6] Henrik May, a German living in Namibia for some 10 years, set a Guinness World Record in speed sand-skiing on 6 June 2010. He reached a speed of 92.12 km/h (57.24 mph).[7]

After some pioneers like Derek Bredenkamp who boarded Swakopmund around 1974, commercial operators in South Africa began offering sandboarding to tourists in 1994.[8] In 2000 the Sandboarding South Africa league was established. Between 2002 and 2004 the South African Sandboarding League held competitions on the Matterhorn Dune located between Swakopmund and Walvis bay. Competition events included dual slalom, boarder cross and big air events. In 2005 and 2006 Alter Action held sandboarding competitions at Matterhorn but the competitions no longer formed part of the South African Sandboarding League during those years. The league collapsed, then the sport was revived again in 2007 with weekly sandboarding sessions in and around Cape Town and Gauteng.

Sandboarding in the United States

[edit]

Sand Master Park, located in Florence, Oregon is a dedicated sandboarding park and the first of its kind, featuring 200 acres (81 ha; 810,000 m2) of sculpted sand dunes and a full-time pro shop. Dune Riders International is the governing body for competitive sandboarding worldwide and sanctions events each season at Sand Master Park and around the world. Sand Master Park is also the factory outlet for the largest sandboard company in the world, Venomous Sandboards.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, near Kanab, Utah, permits sandboarding on roughly 2,000 acres of sand dunes within its boundaries.[9] Utah also contains sand dunes near Salt Lake City, Lake Powell, and Moab. Additionally, the company Slip Face Sandboards is based in Provo, Utah.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve near Alamosa, Colorado has sandboarding on what it calls the tallest dunes in North America.[10] Sandboarding and skiing are permitted anywhere on the dunefield away from vegetated areas.[11][12]

Sandboarding in South America

[edit]

Peru is known for having large sand dunes in Ica, some reaching up to 2 km (1.2 miles). Duna Grande in Ica is the largest sand dune in the world. The Copa Sandboarding Perú (Peru – Sandboarding Cup) has been held near Paracas every year since 2009. Since 2017 the Sandboard World Cup is hosted in the region of Ica by InterSands.[13] There are also great dunes near the capital city (Lima) in Chilca.

In Chile, sandboarding is practiced throughout the north of the country, including the Medanoso dunes in Copiapo (where the Dakar rally takes place), Puerto Viejo beach in Caldera, excellent dunes in Iquique, and some near Viña del Mar.

Sandboarding in Central America

[edit]

Nicaragua is home to Cerro Negro, the youngest volcano in Central America. Since it has steep slopes and volcanic sand, it is possible to sandboard down this active volcano.

Sandboarding in Europe

[edit]
Sandboarding in Greece

A rather small sand mountain is the Monte Kaolino in Hirschau, Germany. Equipped with a 120-metre (390 ft) lift, it was the host of the annual Sandboarding World Championships until 2007.

The Dune of Pilat in France is an hours' drive from Bordeaux; it is the tallest dune in Europe, measuring 3 kilometres across, 500 metres wide and between 100 and 115 metres tall depending on the year.[14]

Amothines is a small desert five kilometres (3 mi) from Katalakkos village in Limnos, Greece. There are many sand dunes there, where people can practice sandboarding.

Sandboarding in the United Kingdom

[edit]
Sand dunes in Holywell, England

Wales is home to the village of Merthyr Mawr that is 2+12 miles (4 km) from the town of Bridgend, the village is close to a beach and it is home to the "Big Dipper", the second largest sand dune in Europe.[15]

Holywell, Cornwall is also home to a beach with a complex of sand dunes; in the summer and during peak times, local shops that cater for beach goers also sell sandboards.

The Braunton Burrows sand dunes on the Devon coast, was the filming location for where Alex Bird became the first sandboarder to be towed by a car on British shores.[16]

In the North East region of the United Kingdom, there is a small beach at Seaton Sluice where people can sandboard. This is a good alternative to sledding, as there is insufficient snow to support sledding there, even though the UK has a rather cold climate, with chilly winters and cool summers.

Sandboarding in the Russian Federation

[edit]
Сэндбординг в пустыне п. Шойна НАО

Sandboarding in Russia began to develop and popularize in the village of Shoyna in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Local entrepreneur and public figure Fedor Shirokiy is a pioneer in this development. The Shoyna sand dunes are located above the Arctic Circle, offering a unique opportunity to master this sport in the extreme Arctic conditions.

Events

[edit]
  • Sandboarding World Championship – The SWC was held annually in Hirschau (until 2007), Germany at Monte Kaolino, currently also the site of Europe's largest sand hill. Riders can board down dunes over 90 m (300 feet) tall, riding into a water landing site at the base of the hill. It has a sand lift, the only one in the world. Events include slalom (akin to snowboarding's parallel giant slalom), freestyle (similar to freestyle snowboarding) and sandboard cross (cf. snowboard cross).
  • The current Sandboard World Cup is hosted in Ica - Peru every two years.
  • Sand Master Jam – Annual sandboarding event that takes place in Florence, Oregon at Sand Master Park. This event occurs in late spring or early summer. The Sand Master Jam has been held since 1996.
  • Pan-American Sandboarding Challenge – This event takes place in July in Aquiraz, Ceara, Brazil at Prainha's Beach. It features amateurs and professionals who wish to compete in freestyle and jump events.
  • Sand Sports Super Show – Annual outdoor event for all sand sports, including sandboarding. This three-day event takes place in September in Costa Mesa, California at the Orange County Fair and Expo Center.
  • Sand Spirit - Annual event that takes place at Monte Kaolino, Germany.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "What is sandboarding and how does it work?". Sand-boarding.com. 4 February 2025.
  2. ^ Sand-boarding.com (16 April 2021). "Sandboarding: Facts and Figures". Surf The Sand. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  3. ^ Soley, Jack (2022). The World's Greatest Sandboarding Destinations. Jack Soley. p. 200. ISBN 9798360473794.
  4. ^ Clark, John R. K. (2011). Hawaiian Surfing: Traditions from the Past. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press. pp. 85–8. ISBN 978-0-8248-3414-2.
  5. ^ "Port Stephens Visitors Information Centre". Archived from the original on 16 February 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  6. ^ "Xtreme Spots". Xtreme Spots. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  7. ^ "The World Record", Ski Namibia, Retrieved 5 January 2013
  8. ^ "Sandboarding".
  9. ^ ""Sandboarding at Coral Pink Sand Dunes"". Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  10. ^ "Park Always Open - No Reservations Needed to Visit". US National Park Service. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  11. ^ "Sandboarding and Sand Sledding". US National Park Service. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  12. ^ "Where to go sandboarding in the US". sand-boarding.com. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  13. ^ Peru's top sandboarders compete tomorrow in Paracas, Living Peru. Sports. 26-11-2010. Retrieved 11-26-2010
  14. ^ Soley, Jack (2022). The Sandboarding Book. Jack Soley. p. 111. ISBN 9798498830896.
  15. ^ "A sleepy village in Wales is home to the second largest sand dune in Europe". 11 July 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  16. ^ "JEEP RENEGADE DESERT HAWK SANDBOARDING STUNT". Retrieved 5 April 2019.
[edit]
  • Sand-boarding.com

 

The Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, also called Al Bastakiya, is Dubai's historic district and major tourist destination.

Tourism in Dubai is a major part of the economy of Dubai. Dubai was the third most visited city in the world in 2023 with 17 million international visitors according to Euromonitor International.[1][2] Dubai hosts more than 800 hotels with more than 150,000 rooms.[3][4]

History

[edit]

The discovery of oil in 1966 kick-started the development of present Dubai, however Sheikh Hamad bin Maktoum (ruler from 1958 till 1990) realised one day Dubai would run out of oil and started building an economy that would outlast it.[5] A quote commonly attributed to Sheikh Rashid reflected his concern that Dubai's oil, which was discovered in 1966 and which began production in 1969, would run out within a few generations. Sheikh Rashid stated "My grandfather rode a camel, my father rode a camel, I drive a Mercedes, my son drives a Land Rover, his son will drive a Land Rover, but his son will ride a camel".[6] Sheikh Rashid realized early he needed to diversify the emirate of Dubai's economy by building on the city's trading history and therefore he set out to establish Dubai as the region's trade and service hub. By 1979, he was successful in establishing the Jebel Ali Port, which became the logical shipping centre for the entire United Arab Emirates and the world's largest man-made port. He also upgraded Dubai International Airport and built the Dubai World Trade Centre, which was then the tallest building in the Middle East. By the end of the 1970s, the stage was set for the diversification of Dubai's economy away from oil and into other areas such as tourism.[7]

In 1989 the Dubai Commerce and Tourism Promotion Board was established, to promote Dubai as a luxury destination for the up-tier market and influential business sectors. In January 1997, it was replaced with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).[8]

In May 2013, the government of Dubai launched the Dubai Tourism Strategy 2020, with the key objective to attract 20 million visitors a year by 2020 and making Dubai a first choice destination for international leisure travellers as well as business travellers.[9] In 2018, the strategy was expanded by setting new goals of attracting 21-23 million visitors in 2022 and 23-25 million visitors by 2025.[10] The key objectives from 2013 and 2018 were not met due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The need to maintain its tourism industry has hampered Dubai's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] Along with COVID-19 Dubai's tourism sector has also been hurt by a greater international awareness of the status of human rights in the emirate and in particular the treatment of Princess Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum.[12]

In November 2022, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announced a national tourism strategy until 2031. The goal of the strategy is to attract Dh 100 billion in additional tourism investments (so that the tourism sector's contribution will be Dh450bn of Dubai's GDP in 2031) and receive 40 million hotel guests in 2031. The strategy includes 25 initiatives and policies to support the development of the tourism sector in the country.[13]

In April 2025, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism introduced a new programme offering media training to students for promotion of tourism in the UAE. Applicants are provided with flights, luxury apartment and three months of income, along with certification from Dubai College of Tourism for posting about traveling experiences in Dubai on social media. According to Middle East Eye, this program aims to whitewash its human rights violations and war crime accusations in Sudan.[14]

Visitors and visitor spending

[edit]

Since 1982, Dubai continued to be one of the fastest growing destinations for tourists. In 2002, visitors were mainly from other Gulf Cooperation Council members which accounted for 34% of tourists, South Asia accounted for 25%, other Arab states 16%, Europe 15%, and Africa 9%. In 2003, revenue from tourism exceeded $1 billion and surpassed oil revenues to directly and indirectly account for over 17% and 28% of GDP respectively.[15]

From January to June 2019 8.36 million international tourists visited Dubai. Most of the visitors were from India (997,000) followed by Saudi Arabia (755,000) and the United Kingdom (586,000).[16]

Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Index 2019 found that tourists spend more in Dubai than in any other country. In 2018, the country topped the list for the fourth year in a row with a total spend of $30.82 billion, a 3.8% increase over 2017 ($29.70 billion). The average spend per day was $553.[17]

In 2019, Dubai attracted a total of 16.73 million tourists, which was an increase of 5.09% on the previous year. However, in 2020, the number of visitors dropped to 5.51 million due to the coronavirus pandemic.[18]

 

Accommodation

[edit]
Burj Al Arab hotel

In the last three years, Dubai saw an increase in 4 and 5 star hotels and number of rooms, but a decrease in standard hotel apartments. The total number of rooms increased by 9,098 from 2015 to 2017, an increase of 9.25%. Prior to the Expo 2020 hotels in Dubai were reducing room rates to stimulate demand as supply accelerated. Based on data of August 2019, Dubai hoteliers reported a 7.6% rise in supply against 7.4% increase in demand.[31] Average room rates stood at AED 486 in June 2019 while in the same month of 2018 average room rates were at 544 AED.[32] In July 2019, Dubai's Jumeirah Group LLC fired 500 people due to a decline in tourism. In the second quarter of 2019, hospitality sector has had the worst quarter since 2009.[33]

Hotel inventory numbers 2014-2023[19]
  2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Total 5 star hotels   91 96 103 113 128 134 143 151 157
Total 5 star hotel rooms   31,551 33,122 35,853 38,543 43,133 44,067 47,035 49,585 51,809
Total 4 star hotels   106 112 122 146 158 161 181 189 194
Total 4 star hotel rooms   21,208 22,990 25,289 29,908 33,120 34,905 40,377 42,505 43,283
Total 1-3 star hotels   264 267 260 260 258 225 243 270 274
Total 1-3 star hotel rooms   19,714 21,767 21,591 22,634 24,491 21,732 25,384 28,512 28,789
Total hotel apartments (deluxe/superior)   66 66 65 68 68 74 80 82 85
Total deluxe/superior rooms   9,641 9,519 9,786 10,522 10,520 11,845 12,606 13,113 13,842
Total hotel apartments (standard)   150 140 131 129 129 117 108 112 111
Total standard rooms   16,219 15,447 14,930 14,360 14,856 14,398 12,548 12,781 12,568
Total establishments 657 677 681 681 716 741 711 755 804 821
Total available rooms 92,333 98,333 102,845 107,431 115,967 126,120 126,947 137,950 146,496 150,291
Average occupancy 79% 77% 78% 78% 76% 75% 54% 67% 73% 77%
 

Visitor Statistics

[edit]
Rank Country 6/2023 2022
1 India 1,223,000 1,842,000
5 Russia 616,000 758,000
4 United Kingdom 555,000 1,043,000
3 Saudi Arabia 538,000 1,216,000
2 Oman 511,000 1,311,000
6 United States 362,000 590,000
7 Germany 329,000 422,000
17 China 260,000 177,000
10 Iran 196,000 328,000
13 Israel 196,000 239,000
8 France 180,000 364,000
11 Egypt 168,000 288,000
12 Kuwait 152,000 260,000
9 Pakistan 152,000 356,000
14 Kazakhstan 145,000 234,000
15 Italy 130,000 212,000
19 Philippines 125,000 158,000
16 Australia 121,000 184,000
18 Canada 110,000 158,000
19 Japan 110,000 148,000

Attractions

[edit]
Al Fahidi Fort

Aspects of Dubai's old culture, while occasionally overshadowed by the boom in economic development, can be found by visiting places around the creek, which splits Dubai into two halves, Bur Dubai and Deira. The buildings lining the Bur Dubai side of the Creek provide the main flavor of the old city. Heritage Village is one of the few remaining parts of historical Dubai, containing preserved buildings. The adjoining Diving Village offers exhibits on pearl diving and fishing. The Diving Village forms part of an ambitious plan to turn the entire "Shindagha" area into a cultural city, recreating life in Dubai as it was in days gone by.

Boats on Dubai water line night view

Other attractions include the Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House; the Dubai Museum in the restored Al Fahidi Fort, which was erected around 1799; and the Heritage Village of Hatta, situated 115 kilometers southeast of Dubai City in the heart of the rocky Hatta Mountains. The history of the village can be traced back 2000 – 3000 years. It consists of 30 buildings, each differing in size, interior layout and building materials used. Great care was taken to use the same materials as those used when originally built during the renovation such as mud, hay, sandalwood and palm fronds. The Sharia Mosque is an old mosque built in the early 19th century using the same building materials and consists of a large prayer hall, a court and courtyard, minaret and other utility rooms.[34] Other museums include the Al Ahmadiya School.

Shopping

[edit]
Dubai Fountain at the Dubai Mall

Dubai has been nicknamed the "shopping capital of the Middle East."[35][36] The city draws large numbers of shopping tourists from countries within the region and from as far as Eastern Europe, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. Dubai is known for its souk districts. Souk is the Arabic word for market or place where any kind of goods are brought or exchanged. Traditionally, dhows from the Far East, China, Sri Lanka, and India would discharge their cargo and the goods would be bargained over in the souks adjacent to the docks.[37]

Modern shopping malls and boutiques are also found in the city. Dubai Duty Free at Dubai International Airport offers merchandise catering to the multinational passengers using Dubai International Airport. Outside of Duty Free areas and major sales, Dubai has a reputation for being one of the most expensive shopping destinations in the world.[38]

While boutiques, some electronics shops, department stores and supermarkets may operate on a fixed-price basis, most other outlets consider friendly negotiation as a way of life.

Dubai's numerous shopping centres cater for every consumer's need. Cars, clothing, jewellery, electronics, furnishing, sporting equipment and any other goods will all be likely to be under the same roof.[39]

The Dubai Shopping Festival is a month-long festival held during the month of January each year. During the festival the entire emirate becomes one massive shopping mall. Additionally, the festival brings together music shows, art exhibitions, and folk dances.[40]

The Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) is the summer version of Dubai Shopping Festival held during June, July and August. Dubai Government launched Dubai Summer Surprises in 1998 in order to promote Dubai as a family holiday destination. DSS offers fun, entertainment, food deals and great offers on shopping.

Cultural sensitivity

[edit]

Tourists are required to obey some Muslim religious restrictions in public even if they are not Muslim themselves, such as refraining from eating or drinking in public places in the daytime during Ramadan.[41]

Dubai has a modest dress code as part of its criminal law.[42] Sleeveless tops and short dresses are not encouraged at Dubai Mall.[43][44] Clothes are advised to be in appropriate lengths.[42]

Homosexuality is criminalized in Dubai, including for tourists. However, there is a vibrant underground gay scene in Dubai and authorities do not actively search for homosexuals to enforce the law.[45]

Transportation

[edit]
Dubai International Airport is the world's busiest airport by international passenger traffic.

Most capitals and other major cities have direct flights to Dubai. More than 120 airlines operate to and from Dubai International Airport to more than 260 destinations. Dubai International Airport is the world's busiest airport by international passenger traffic.[46] Dubai is also the home base of the airline Emirates, which operates scheduled services to more than 100 destinations.

In June 2009 Emirates designated a special handling area at departures and arrivals for passengers with special needs, allowing wheelchair passengers to receive a more personalized service.[47][better source needed]

The establishment of the first cruise terminal in Dubai in 2001 and the opening of the enhanced New Dubai Cruise Terminal in February 2010 with higher handling capacity has drawn the attention of cruise line operators. Cruises to Dubai sail from: Singapore, Sydney, Athens, Dover, Venice, Cape Town, Civitavecchia, Piraeus, Alexandria, Istanbul, New York City, Southampton, Barcelona, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Monte Carlo, Mombasa, Victoria, and Cairns among others.[48][better source needed]

The United Arab Emirates has a network of roads that connect major towns and villages, including a multi-lane highway between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with access to and from the bordering countries of Saudi Arabia and Oman. Highways and main roads in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates are designated by an Emirate Route Number. Speed limits are displayed on road signs and are usually 60–80 km/h (37–50 mph) around town and 100–120 km/h (62–75 mph) elsewhere.[49][better source needed]

Dubai ranked third in the best taxi services behind Tokyo and Singapore.[50][better source needed]

Illicit drugs

[edit]

Travelers entering Dubai are warned for harsh penalties regarding illicit drug use or smuggling. Authorities in Dubai use highly sensitive equipment to conduct thorough searches to find trace amount of illegal substances.[51] A senior Dubai judge was quoted on February 11, 2008, by the Dubai City News saying, "These laws help discourage anyone from carrying or using drugs. Even if the quantity of illegal drugs found on someone is 0.05 grams, they will be found guilty. The penalty is a minimum of four years. The message is clear — drugs will not be tolerated."[51]

Health

[edit]

No special immunizations are required, but tourists are encouraged to purchase appropriate medical insurance before travelling. Government immunization programs have led to recognition by a travel magazine.[47] As a latest addition to the established modern health care system, Dubai offers online health care contacts of virtually all medical doctors in Dubai.[52]

Sports tourism

[edit]

Dubai hosts the following international championships:

  • Dubai World Cup – the richest horse race in the world
  • Dubai Classic - the golf championship
  • Barclays Dubai Tennis for both men and women
  • UIM World Powerboat racing
  • Rugby Sevens
  • Dubai International Rally
  • Dubai Snooker Classic
  • The UAE Desert Challenge
  • The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon

See also

[edit]
  • Developments in Dubai
  • List of development projects in Dubai
  • List of tourist attractions in the United Arab Emirates
  • Palm Islands

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. ^ Due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Two of the most-visited cities in the world are in Turkey - this one is the unsung hero". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  2. ^ Kelly, Liv (2 February 2024). "This surprising city was the world's most visited in 2023". TimeOut.
  3. ^ "Dubai to host ATM 2024; city has 150,000 rooms and welcomed 17m tourists last year". Arabian Business. 2024-04-25. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  4. ^ "Enterprise". Enterprise. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  5. ^ "Dubai Tourist Information". Archived from the original on September 22, 2019. Retrieved Sep 27, 2019.
  6. ^ Gluckman, Ron. "Hong Kong of the Desert?". Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  7. ^ Sharpley, Richard (2009). Tourism Development and the Environment:Beyond Sustainability?. Earthscan. p. 184. ISBN 978-1-84407-732-8. Archived from the original on 11 May 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Sorry, the page you requested was not found". www.zu.ac.ae. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved Jan 30, 2020.
  9. ^ "Dubai Department of Tourism Vision". www.visitdubai.com. Archived from the original on September 22, 2019. Retrieved Sep 27, 2019.
  10. ^ Bridge, Sam (5 October 2018). "Dubai expands tourism ambitions, sets new target for 2025". ArabianBusiness.com. Archived from the original on September 22, 2019. Retrieved Sep 27, 2019.
  11. ^ Saifi, Zeena; Defterios, John; Swan, Melanie (6 February 2021). "How Dubai is paying the price for letting in tourists". CNN. Archived from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  12. ^ Abdellatif, Reem (5 March 2021). "Dubai Faces Festering Tourism Challenges Beyond Pandemic". skift.com. Skift. Archived from the original on 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  13. ^ National, The (November 11, 2022). "Sheikh Mohammed launches national tourism strategy to attract 40m hotel guests by 2031". The National.
  14. ^ "UAE launches influencer academy to 'whitewash' country's reputation, say critics". Middle East Eye. 30 April 2025.
  15. ^ a b Henderson, Joan c. (2006). "Tourism in Dubai: Overcoming Barriers to Destination Development". International Journal of Tourism Research. 8 (6): 84–85. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.606.2930. doi:10.1002/jtr.557. Archived from the original on 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  16. ^ "8.36 million tourists visit Dubai in first half of 2019". Khaleej Times. Archived from the original on September 22, 2019. Retrieved Sep 27, 2019.
  17. ^ "At $30 billion, Dubai takes in the most global tourist dollars by far". Consultancy-ME. 6 September 2019. Archived from the original on 15 September 2019. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  18. ^ "Dubai Tourism Statistics - Visitor Numbers, Number Of Hotels And Rooms". Dubai Online. Archived from the original on 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  19. ^ a b "About Dubai Tourism - DTCM Statistics & Performance | Visit Dubai". www.visitdubai.com. Archived from the original on September 16, 2019. Retrieved Sep 27, 2019.
  20. ^ "Dubai tourism: number of visitors 2016". Statista. Archived from the original on November 7, 2019. Retrieved Sep 27, 2019.
  21. ^ "Dubai received 15.92 million visitors in 2018 with most coming from India". The National. 24 February 2019. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved Sep 27, 2019.
  22. ^ Fernandes, Cedwyn; Karnik, Ajit V. (2010). "Estimating Elasticity of Demand for Tourism in Dubai". Tourism Analysis. 15: 57–69. doi:10.3727/108354210X12724734223630. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved Jan 30, 2020 – via www.academia.edu.
  23. ^ "Dubai welcomes 16.73 million tourists in 2019". Gulf Business. Jan 23, 2020. Archived from the original on September 2, 2020. Retrieved Jan 30, 2020.
  24. ^ "UAE Tourism Statistics 1995-2021". www.macrotrends.net. Archived from the original on 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  25. ^ a b "Dubai hotels registered $4.1 bn revenues in 2008". The Economic Times. 10 March 2009. Archived from the original on 2022-05-11. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
  26. ^ Stephenson, Marcus L.; Ali-Knight, Jane (December 1, 2010). "Dubai's tourism industry and its societal impact: social implications and sustainable challenges". Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change. 8 (4): 278–292. doi:10.1080/14766825.2010.521248. S2CID 115152557 – via Taylor and Francis+NEJM.
  27. ^ Jain, Shweta (4 May 2010). "SPECIAL: Dubai's tourism sector bounces back - eb247 - News - National - Emirates24|7". www.emirates247.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-05. Retrieved 2021-03-04.
  28. ^ "Dubai receives 14.36 million international visitors in 2022".
  29. ^ "Dubai annual visitor report 2023".
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[edit]
  • Visit Dubai Official Instagram
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Reviews for Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates


Desert Safari Dubai - Dune Buggy Rental & ATV Quad Bike Tours - Marasi Drive - Dubai - United Arab Emirates, Lake Central Tower 4th Floor - Office 404 مراسي درايف - الخليج التجاري - دبي - United Arab Emirates

Jason Wright

(5)

A wonderful fun packed 6 hours, Dune bashing, falcons, bellyaching, dune boarding, fire dancing, camel & horse desert rides and BBQ it has it all. picked up from our hotel & safely dropped back after an amazing desert experience. I’d highly recommend anyone to try this experience.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Morning tours offer cooler temperatures and sunrise views. Evening tours provide stunning sunsets and access to BBQ dinner and entertainment.

Prices start from 600 AED for a 2 Seater Polaris RZR 1000cc and go up to 999 AED for a 2 Seater Can-Am Maverick X3. The 4 Seater Polaris is available at 800 AED.

All packages include a guided tour with professional guides and unlimited mineral water. Safety gear including helmets and goggles are also provided.