Think Dubai and think of the future

Every country and city brands itself whether by design or subconsciously. Think London think red buses and Big Ben; think Amsterdam think coffee shops and windmills; think New York, think hot dogs and skyscrapers, think Dubai ...

What two words come next are of huge importance. You may not think so, but the stream of images that follow a place name determine whether you'll want to visit, for how long, even whether you'd consider starting up a business in that country.

For Dubai, the emirate that most wants to replace oil with foreign direct investment, building a country brand is vital, which is why it would have welcomed the news that it alone in the Middle East was included on FutureBrands list of up and coming countries.

Dubai scored as a place to do business, as a place to hold conventions, in the most improved category, and as a rising star.

The latter would have particularly appealed to a city, increasingly on the forefront of innovations and developments. Above all else the emirate wants you to think Dubai, and think of the future.