Expo 2020, Global Village, iPhone 13: UAE’s Google search trends for 2021 revealed

Dubai: The list of the top searched keywords on Google for 2021 in UAE are out, and there are no surprises in the list.

Expo 2020 Dubai, Global Village, Euro Cup and Squid Game have dominated the headlines this year, and the trend has reflected on internet searches as well.

Topping the category of ‘Top Destinations and Events’ is Dubai Expo 2020, the world’s greatest show. Running from October 1, 2021 until March 31, 2022, the Expo has over 200 pavilions that represent the best business opportunities, tech advancements, vibrant cultures and delectable food recipes the world has to offer.

Next on the list is Global Village, one of Dubai’s most famous tourist attractions. Visit all country pavilions, enjoy thrilling rides in the amusement park, or simply enjoy local delicacies at this venue. Entry tickets cost Dh15 when purchased online.

Saudi fast food chain Al Baik, which earlier this year opened its first outlet in Dubai, stood third on the list, followed by Dubai’s annual tech exhibition Gitex 2021 and Dubai Airshow 2021.

Under the category of ‘How To’, the top slot was taken by ‘How to check visa status’, followed by ‘How to change mobile number in Emirates ID’. ‘How to calculate gratuity in UAE’, ‘How to pronounce’ and ‘How to recall an email’ were the other search queries on the list.

India vs England was the top entry in the category ‘Trending Searches’, followed by Euro Cup, Ramadan 2021, Cyclone Shaheen, Expo 2020, iPhone 13, Alef, ‘Squid Game’, Olympics 2021 and Hope mission.

In the category ‘Top Shows and Movies’, the most talked about Netflix series ‘Squid Game’ took the top spot. Marvel’s ‘Eternals’ stood second on the list, followed by ‘Fast and Furious 9’, ‘Cruella’ and ‘Godzilla vs Kong’.

“Millions of Arabic speakers asked Search this year about a wide range of things. For us, it’s imperative that Google Search truly understands what you’re looking for, because a good answer ultimately depends on our understanding of the question being asked. Although Search is the first product of Google, it remains our greatest moonshot till this day as we continue to innovate not only in solutions for new challenges, but also innovate to make what we have built even better,” Google said in a press statement.

“This year we saw major improvements in our ability to better understand Arabic queries thanks to a new technology we announced in June called Multitask Unified Model, or MUM; a milestone in artificial intelligence which helps Google Search help you when the answer to your query is not very simple. One of the very first languages to have MUM applied to was our very own Arabic, helping millions of people find answers to their vaccine-related questions,” it added.

In Saudi Arabia, the word “Zakat” trended at an all-time high since 2011 around Ramadan this year as people searched for ways to give back to their communities.

In Egypt, the word “mangoes” trended more than ever this year after a heat wave destroyed some of the iconic fruit’s crops.