Dubai’s new take on desert camping
DUBAI: Just over 100 kilometres (62 miles) from Dubai's skyscrapers, Mohammed al-Kaabi strolls through the tranquil desert with his friends as the sun sets.
Kaabi, 27, hails from a long line of Emiratis, a people with a centuries-old bedouin history tied inextricably to the local desert.
Today, he is among a fast-growing group drawn to a new wave of a tradition of desert camping but with all the trappings of comfort, style and modernity.
With “glamping”, short for “glamorous camping”, Dubai aims to expand on its renown for luxurious city living and its tradition of camping.
Betting on tourism at a time of low oil prices, Dubai is now offering stays in chic desert trailers, in plush mountainside lodgings and beach camps, as it seeks to put its own mark on the glamping trend that has swept world tourism destinations.
“This place is far from the cities and the high-rises,” said Kaabi, sporting the traditional full-length white Emirati robe worn by men.
“Camping is very popular in the UAE, but when you want to bring the family it becomes more complicated,” he added, at a campsite in Hatta, near the Omani border.
“But here, safety and comfort are provided for.” Camping is still a beloved way of life for many Emiratis, who take their equipment and head for the desert from the fall months onwards, when the scorching summer heat has faded.
Tourists and expat residents also increasingly opt to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
Dubai welcomed a record 15.9 million visitors in 2021, many of whom were drawn to its mega malls, luxurious hotels and pristine beaches. It hopes to push the figure up to 20 million visitors annually by next year, when it hosts the six-month global trade fair.
