The world is shrinking and changing every day. Earlier, travel destinations and romantic getaways were all about the Islands in Thailand, the mountains in Switzerland and the romantic lanes of France. Now Dubai is also on its way to becoming a major tourist destination. Moreover, Dubai is the sole example where the country offers everything from a good adventure to economic growth with a flourishing trade market.
Dubai is not just a place, it is a brand in itself. The country is a plethora of flourishing markets whether it is retail, tourism, aviation, and traditional businesses like construction, manufacturing, and logistics. Every major brand has a presence here, and even though we have a hard time picking the best, we are going to try.
15 Most Popular Brands in Dubai
Read on to find what we think are going to be the most popular brands in Dubai for 2020.
Emirates Airlines is one of the most popular airlines in the world and is the primary airline company in UAE and Dubai. If Dubai is a brand, it is safe to assume that Emirates Airlines is doing an amazing job as the brand ambassador. Even before anyone enters Dubai, Emirates shows them what Dubai represents. Luxurious settings, impeccable service, and stringent professionalism are how everyone is introduced to Dubai by Emirates. Emirates’ fleet of Boeing and Airbus is the best in class and when you combine it with their meals and entertainment plans, you get a world-class flying experience. Emirates has also rigorously connected Dubai to the world by operating a whooping 4000 flights a week from Dubai to over 80 countries and back.
To further enhance the experience of people coming to Dubai even for a night, Emirates Airlines has launched Dubai Connect. The Dubai Connect program by Emirates airlines offers travelers a free hotel room if the layover in Dubai is between 8 to 24 hours. Initiatives like this have made the company a crowd favorite all over the world and Dubai is no exception.
Dubai Duty Free has a special place in the world retail market. A proverbial feather in the cap for the Dubai government, this retail outlet is a part of Dubai that nobody forgets easily. Spanning across the two terminals in the Dubai International Airport, Dubai Duty Free is one of the largest of its kind in the world. The Dubai government initially established this to increase the revenue of the International terminals. Having been in operation since 1983, the company has achieved this by great sales volume and even generating revenue of 2 billion dollars in 2019. Given the ongoing economic situation where many retailers are struggling to keep themselves afloat, the success of DDF is a phenomenon in itself. They could only achieve this by the trust and love of the people of Dubai. It is one of the most visited and loved shops in Dubai.
Today, all of us are glued to our phones and reliant on our data connections for survival. Well, then how is it possible to talk about popular brands and not mention a telecom brand like Etisalat? For Dubai, Etisalat is the most preferred service provider and the company has made great efforts to stay that way. Etisalat has reinvented itself from just a telecom company and diversified into the Internet, Digital TV, smartphones and smart device retailer. All this has been done with the sole aim to keep their customer base happy. Not just entering the market, Etisalat has always strived to be a leader in them. Their product offerings such as FTTH connections, 5G introduction to Dubai, the largest network in GCC the company ensures the best of products for their customers. The brand has a huge recall value in Dubai having launched 5G a year back in Dubai. This also made the Dubai International Airport one of the most connected airports in the world in terms of the network too. Etisalat has also launched a 5G-connected metro station on the green line of Dubai Metro. Etisalat is a prime example that innovation and service can help your growth exponentially.
The UAE market has only two major telecom players – Etisalat and Du. Both of them have been giving each other tough competition by constant market analysis to improve their service. Launched in 2007, Du has caught on fast with coverage of 45-47% in the UAE mobile network market. Coming to Dubai specifically, Du has established itself quite well here. Similar to Etisalat, Du also has a range of services such as prepaid mobile connections, broadband, and digital TV. Du’s competitive prices and outstanding service has made it one of the leading brands in Dubai. Realizing the potential for Smart technology, Du has partnered with the Dubai government in its effort to convert Dubai into a connected smart city. Du has many partnerships with government agencies to expand their presence in the city. The Du tourist sim, prepaid connections for migrant laborers, and smart infrastructure capacity building network Du Pulse are some of the outstanding programs by the company. It is definite that anticipating market trends and acting on it is going to reap many rewards for Du in the future. It is already making Du a brand to watch out for.
Not long before, Dubai and even the entire Middle East was perceived by the world as an exotic locale. The popular culture depicted them as upper class, royal, and highly luxurious places and the people lapped it up. Though many of the cities in the Middle East including Dubai have embraced the cosmopolitan New-York-Esque culture, the old image is still stuck in many minds. Moreover, some destinations here do live up to that image still. Burj Al Arab is one such destination. Called by a British travel journalist in the late 80s as a seven-star accommodation and experience stay, this extremely luxurious hotel has caught the attention of many eyes in the traveling world. Burj Al Arab is a luxury hotel sitting on a man-made island off the Jumeirah Beach and has managed to redefine luxury stay for the world for some decades now. The suite-only hotel has a dedicated butler for each suite with an overwhelming staff ratio to make the guests feel like royalty. They offer many services like pickup by a Rolls Royce, walk on the private beach, and luxury dining to do justice to their seven-star experience claim. Though hotel ratings stop at five stars, this particular hotel has stuck to its unofficial seven-star promise by being the best in hospitality for many years now. Burj Al Arab is a hot favorite in the hotel circuit and will continue to be for a long time.
If you are a history buff or a DC universe fan, you would be aware of the myth and legends surrounding Atlantis. For the rest, let me explain. Atlantis is an underwater kingdom in Greek mythology that was extremely prosperous and grew powerful and popular with time. Its subjects were considered to be one of the most powerful and intelligent in the world. Intrigued? Wishing you could see it? Alas, the kingdom remains a myth but Atlantis, the Palm located on the apex of Jumeirah, can give you a glimpse into that world. Calling themselves as the most Instagrammed hotel of the region, the hotel has underwater rooms with floor to ceiling windows opening into one of the largest aquariums in Dubai. This aquarium has close to 80,000 species living in it. The hotel has its waterpark to make you feel like a true sea habitant. Travelers have deemed it to be a must-see hotspot of Dubai. This hotel has maintained its reputation for good hospitality, cleanliness, and great service for many years now. Staying here will be one of the biggest highlights of your year, if not life.
Smart is the next currency. Everything from our businesses to shopping experiences and even commute is on its way to becoming smart. Dubai has realized this and is working hard to be one of the first and advanced smart cities in the world. Every year, the Government invites industry players to improve the infrastructure and ensure capacity building to make Dubai a smart city via the Dubai Expo. Honeywell Dubai in partnership with major industry players and governmental agencies has been helping to make this dream a reality. Honeywell Dubai, a wing of the German-based company provides smart and sustainable project management, building management and tech-based improvement solutions to industries. Even old businesses like aviation, logistics, oil and gas have profited immensely from their work in Dubai. For example, ADNOC – Abu Dhabi government-owned oil company has enlisted Honeywell Dubai to provide intelligent data about its operations and save the company from millions in production losses. By employing AI and data-driven models, Honeywell aims to build knowledge capacities to identify and act on maintenance issues before a breakdown. A day of production stopped could be very costly for ADNOC, so these intelligent solutions will save ADNOC from huge losses and improve the life cycle of assets too. These kinds of interventions have made Honeywell a favorite in the smart solution networks.
The construction sector is growing at a rapid pace in Dubai and is expected to grow to become a major contributor to the overall GDP. However, the growth is not just in terms of square footage but in terms of quality too. Dubai’s clientele is becoming sophisticated and is looking for high-quality construction and finishing materials. For many leading architects, quality materials are gaining prominence over design elements. Pegler Yorkshire, a UK based plumbing manufacturer has been utilizing this market tendency perfectly. They are the leading suppliers for valves, pipes and other plumbing material to leading architects in Dubai. They advertise themselves as a quality supplier and manufacturer to forge many long term valuable relationships. Pegler’s Dubai office offers many brass plumbing and integrated heating systems for the local and export market.
Bosch, a German-based manufacturer, has been associated with strong engineering-based ideas and quality products. The company has a strong presence in home appliances, power tools, automotive spare parts, and many other sectors. Their quality and design detailing are quite unmatched. Looking at these statements, it is easy to understand why Bosch figures in the list of Dubai’s popular brands for 2020. Bosch has been making steady growth in the Middle East and it has become one of the biggest markets for Bosch in the last 5-6 years. This growth rate has been climbing up consistently. Bosch further ensures to constantly experiment and innovate in the market and improve customer experience. Seeing great potential in the Dubai market, many of Bosch’s innovative products are first launched in Dubai. For example, Bosch’s fully networked and public address and voice alarm system was launched in Dubai first. Even further, Bosch has been experimenting on technology for flying taxis and the first few tests for electric flying tax are also going to be carried out in Dubai.
When we speak about innovation in the construction industry, it cannot be and should not be limited to designs and materials alone. The construction worker’s safety welfare divisions are as essential to the success of a construction project as the other elements. Dubai has many reputed builders who follow stringent quality and safety practices. 3M is a company that specializes in safety equipment, laminates, adhesions, personal protection equipment, and medical products to name a few. Their commitment to delivering quality products has made them the preferred manufacturer in Dubai. Their R&D capacities and giant manufacturing capabilities also make the developers trust their products in their projects. Dubai specifically has been a good market for 3M. One of 3M’s biggest experience centers showing the company’s R&D and scientific approaches is located in Dubai.
Grundfos is primarily a pump manufacturer based out of Denmark but has long since evolved way beyond that. Today, they provide solutions in HVAC, Water, and energy management for all major developers and are involved in many retrofitting activities. Dubai government commits to reduce the energy demand of the city and chart a path to a more sustainable future. Grundfos Dubai, with its years of industry knowledge and innovative problem-solving technique, has been working hand in hand with top consultants working in energy-efficient retrofitting. They have worked with many top companies and government agencies to improve the energy efficiency of many old buildings. Grundfos Dubai has also launched a digital showroom for cloud-based water monitoring systems to increase awareness and bring on solutions to the rising water challenges in Dubai. The company has been working so hard to be climate change positive, that it is a role model and preferred advisory for many individuals and companies in Dubai.
The British and the Middle East have one of the most robust quality standards in the world. The stringent standards have given rise to many manufacturing companies developing products to adhere to these standards. Decoduct is one such product. Decoduct is manufactured by Interplast packaging, one of the leaders in electrical management systems. Decoduct represents a family of electrical cables and wire management systems manufactured using a special variety of PVC. They are used in the construction of new buildings as well as retrofit activities of old buildings for electrical safety. With rising quality standards from builders in Dubai, Decoduct is widely used in all forms of constructions such as residential, commercial and mixed-use buildings as well. This volume of usage has made it a product preferred by many distributors and suppliers. It has also made Interplast a one-stop solution for all electrical and cable system needs. Since the product is compliant with many international standards, Decoduct is also exported all over the world.
A south Koren company with a strong electronics background, LG has been seeing good growth in the Dubai market. Dubai is called a retail magnet and this should not be a surprise given that Dubai is home to one of the biggest shopping malls in the world. Naturally, there are many major brands in Dubai in every sector. In fact, LG itself has a large store in the Dubai Mall. As per LG, UAE and the Middle East are some of the strongest markets and major sales hubs for LG products. The company is also planning to establish production units in the Gulf region and improve the value of their product offerings in terms of price and shipping costs. The company is aiming to establish a stronger presence for themselves in the display and OLED market here by aggressive launches and innovative product offerings. LG is estimating a 20% growth in the Middle East with Dubai being a major contributor. Going by the trend of electronic sales in Dubai and neighboring countries, it is safe to say LG will be making a good decision to invest their time and expertise here.
Everyone today is a gadget freak. There is just so much information out there about every little gadget that everyone considers themselves to be an expert. Now, look at this from a manufacturers’ point of view? They can either rebel against this or embrace it. Samsung has embraced this as a true war veteran. The South Korean electronic giant has been launching many products and every one of their products has been a huge success in Dubai. Be it mobile phones or home appliances, Samsung aims to deliver the very best. The reason for Samsung’s success in Dubai is manifold. Samsung has many experience centers in Dubai which allow the customers to view all of their unique and innovative product offerings at one go. Samsung has also ensured the availability of its products in all major hypermarkets for easy accessibility to customers. Dubai’s hospitality sector also forms a major client base for Samsung’s television products with the company doing sales to the tune of $5-10 million every year here.
Dubai must be one of the youngest cosmopolitan cities. Modern development started as late as the 1970s. The infrastructure, as well as the construction industry, grew at a rapid pace. However, in the past two decades, the Dubai government has realized that development without sustainability will set them back hundreds of years eventually. Siemens Dubai has been working with governmental agencies and major industry players to ensure that development happens in line with the Smart City principles laid down by the government. In a bid to play their part in Dubai’s sustainability fight Siemens has provided four steam turbines to the solar power plant in Dubai for clean energy generation. The company is also the technology partner for Dubai Expo 2020 wherein the company would be committing its smart building technologies for the development of Dubai. With many smart building technologies and technology solutions under their belt, the Siemens value proposition has started to appeal to the public of Dubai.