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Emirati influencers and content creators check out the creative installations that promote the theme “The Sky The Land The Water” after the launch of Dubai Destinations’ second edition that promotes the emirate as ‘Dubai-The best city to live in’ at GDMO on Sunday Image Credit: Sajila Saseendran, Senior Reporter

Dubai: Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), kicked off the second edition of Dubai Destinations’ winter campaign with the launch of a new website on Sunday.

The initiative, which seeks to capture Dubai’s spirit as a global destination by sharing a variety of stories about what makes Dubai a truly unique place to explore, will this time promote the concept “Dubai- The best city to live in.”

Under the directives of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, the #DubaiDestinations winter campaign returns this year to showcase the attractions and experiences that make the emirate a top pick among global destinations in the cooler months of the year.

This season, Dubai seeks to excite and entertain residents and visitors with amazing adventure, entertainment, food, art, culture, sports, fitness experiences and more.

Brand Dubai will collaborate with content creators to develop videos and promotional content that will highlight the city’s best activities, experiences and events and where to find them. The featured content that highlight the Dubai marvels and hidden gems under the theme “The Land, The Sky, The Water” via Dubai Destinations website and social media.

The initiative falls in line with the third season of the World’s Coolest Winter campaign launched last Sunday by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Mona Al Marri
Mona Al Marri speaking at the launching of Dubai Destinations programme on Sunday in Dubai Image Credit:

Mona Al Marri, vice chairperson and managing director of the Dubai Media Council and director general of the GDMO and Shaima Al Suwaidi, director, Brand Dubai, unveiled the initiatives and addressed a group of content creators, influencers and media personnel at the GDMO office.

Celebration of places, activities, attractions

Al Marri, who announced the launch of the campaign, said: “The campaign is a celebration of the places, activities and attractions that provide memorable experiences in the season. The initiative will showcase the covetable culture, fascinating food, pristine beaches, stunning mountain landscapes, unique modern lifestyle, exciting adventures, centuries-old heritage and futuristic cityscapes that Dubai offers.”

“The campaign will weave together compelling narratives from diverse sources about what makes Dubai a truly unique place to visit and explore. Content creators of all nationalities can participate in the campaign by contributing their unique stories and creative content about Dubai’s attractiveness as a winter destination. The campaign aims to convey Dubai’s distinctive character that combines its modern spirit and cosmopolitan ethos with its rich history and heritage.”

She hoped that the stories shared by the local creatives would offer new perspectives about Dubai.

Top-rated experiences

Al Suwaidi said the creative initiative will highlight an array of top-rated experiences for people of different tastes and age groups at its beaches and waterfronts, public parks and entertainment venues, world-class hotels, restaurants, and natural attractions in the Al Marmoom area and Hatta.

“The collaborative storytelling campaign will share compelling content on Dubai’s winter destinations and events through guides, creative videos, and social media as part of Brand Dubai’s objective to enhance Dubai’s profile as a must-visit destination.”

Announcing the launch of the website, she said: “The newly launched Dubai Destinations website will allow users to get the latest updates about the winter campaign, helping to further raise the visibility of the city’s major attractions and recreational destinations while capturing Dubai’s distinctive winter vibe.”

Al Suwaidi said that as part of the winter campaign, Brand Dubai will continue to launch a series of guides to raise the visibility of the emirate’s various winter attractions. The guides will cover must-try winter activities, outdoor sports activities, camping journeys, winter pop-ups, outdoor dining options and other attractions.

“The whole objective of this campaign is to highlight that Dubai is the best city to live in with all the experiences and unique destinations that we have in Dubai. We have been inspired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s call to focus on the land, the water and the sky,” she added.

The current season of the #DubaiDestinations campaign, running until February 2023, invites the local and global community to savour Dubai’s diverse winter attractions across land, sky and water.

Hatta in focus

The Hatta region will be a key focus of the campaign. The region’s picturesque mountain scenery, archaeological sites and other tourist attractions such as the Hatta Fort, the Hatta Dam, the Hatta Heritage Village and the Hatta Hill Park will be prominently featured in the campaign.

The campaign will also put the spotlight on the exceptional recreational facilities, luxury resorts and diverse adventure activities, such as camping, cycling, hiking and swimming. The Hatta Mountain Conservation Reserve, which is home to many rare birds and animals, will also be highlighted in the #DubaiDestinations campaign.

111million tags on Instagram

Vindicating Dubai’s strengths, a global study released late last month named the emirate the “world’s best winter-sun destination”. According to The Winter Sun Index issued by travel package provider ParkSleepFly, Dubai has been tagged on Instagram more than 111 million times and has the most winter-related ‘things to do’ Google search results in the world, reaching 55,000. The iconic city is also blessed with more than eight hours of sunlight daily and a pleasant average temperature of 20.4 degree centigrade in the winter. Another study by Remote, a global talent consultancy, issued last month, ranked Dubai the second-best winter destination for digital nomads.

The #DubaiDestinations summer campaign earlier this year saw some of the emirate’s most accomplished creatives, including influencers, photographers, digital media content creators, animators and videographers, come together to create engaging content across traditional and new media. The campaign, which attracted the participation of over 150 influencers and content creators, drew high levels of interest from the creative community, families and visitors.

The new #DubaiDestinations winter campaign will raise the profile of the activities, shows, culture, festivities and sights that make Dubai a one-of-a-kind winter hotspot.

Key partners in the new campaign include: Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism; the Dubai Municipality; the Roads and Transport Authority; the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; the Dubai Sports Council; Nakheel Properties; Shamal; Emaar; Al Serkal; the Dubai Design District; Dubai Holding; Majid Al Futtaim Group; and Merex Investment Group.