Dubai has lengthy been the situation the place opulence isn’t just a luxurious however a life-style, and the place the world’s elite manufacturers flock. However just lately the path has began to reverse: What was as soon as a market the place international manufacturers got here to capitalize on wealth and tourism is now a launchpad for constructing a model earlier than world enlargement, with Dubai positioned as the last word springboard.
It was once that world-renowned eating places or worldwide resort chains would emerge from cities like London and New York earlier than increasing to locations like Singapore and Paris of their quest to go world. However, in recent times, it’s Dubai that’s more and more changing into that second step, if not even the primary.
Take Atlantis Resorts as a first-rate instance. The model selected Dubai as its first worldwide enlargement earlier than spreading its wings to Sanya, China. In my very own enterprise I’ve particularly sought to construct manufacturers in Dubai – after which broaden them globally – quite than the opposite manner round.
Nammos, the mediterranean luxurious eating and seashore resort model which – I’m proud to say – is the very best incomes restaurant on this planet for 2 years operating, first went world in Dubai. Although beginning within the Nineteen Sixties as a seashore membership in Mykonos frequented by the European jet set, it had by no means developed past that one Greek island.
The primary location we expanded to was Dubai. For us there was no second selection. With its massive, dynamic, refined, and rich inhabitants drawn from the world over, town had all of the substances we wanted for establishing a luxurious, worldwide model.
Now as a part of ADMO Life-style Holding, a three way partnership between Monterock and the UAE’s Alpha Dhabi Holding, the seashore membership and restaurant idea has expanded from our authentic Mykonos and Dubai places to comprise operations in Cyprus, Sardinia, and Cannes within the south of France. In 2026 we’ll open our first restaurant in northern Europe, in that different capital of worldwide manufacturers – London.
Nammos Lodges and Resorts, which opened its doorways in 2024 in Mykonos with our first Nammos Resort and buying village this 12 months noticed its second profitable season. Within the coming months it will likely be joined by our second Nammos Resort on the AMAALA Resort in Saudi Arabia, adopted by the opening of the primary Nammos Resort Island within the Maldives in 2027, and our second Center Japanese Nammos Resort and Resort in Abu Dhabi in 2029.
We’ve finished the identical with CÉ LA VI, the luxurious rooftop bar and eating expertise from Singapore, which in addition to Dubai now has outposts in Tokyo, Taipei, and a trailblazing London rooftop venue opened in September this 12 months. None of this is able to have been attainable with out the launchpad supplied by Dubai which has helped us refine and model for a really worldwide viewers. It’s this metropolis that has allowed us to take our manufacturers world.
It’s the identical with different manufacturers. The homegrown, Michelin-starred restaurant Trèsind is a first-rate instance. Serving luxurious Indian delicacies, it emerged out of Dubai, achieved world acclaim, after which opened a second restaurant in Mumbai – a reverse enlargement if ever there was one. Equally, the Jumeirah resort chain established itself domestically first earlier than opening in London, Capri, Bali, the Maldives, and a handful of different vacationer hotspots.
So, what’s it about Dubai that has seen it rework into an incubator and launchpad for worldwide manufacturers?
Initially is Dubai’s strategic location. Located on the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, town provides unparalleled entry to an unlimited and various buyer base. Manufacturers based mostly in Dubai are uncovered to a big pool of prosperous shoppers from throughout the globe, a demographic that’s important for any luxurious model’s development. Dubai’s worldwide airports are among the many busiest on this planet, guaranteeing a gradual inflow of holiday makers and potential clients.
Dubai’s prosperous shopper base is one other important issue. Dubai’s cosmopolitan nature signifies that shoppers will not be solely prosperous but additionally have refined tastes, making it an excellent testing floor for high-end services.
Lastly, and infrequently ignored, the important mass of individuals and wealth that Dubai enjoys is now served by a wealthy English-language media panorama, combining regionally based newspapers and magazines with center japanese editions of key, world information and way of life publications. The latter is especially targeted on luxurious throughout a number of fast-moving shopper sectors, publicizing and elevating regionally constructed manufacturers – particularly within the luxurious meals, beverage and hospitality sectors.
Merely put, any model with severe world aspirations should set up a foothold in Dubai whether it is severe in its ambitions. Maybe extra than anyplace else on this planet, at the moment that is the place manufacturers develop, thrive, and in the end conquer the world. As Dubai continues to evolve, it’s poised to play an much more vital function within the world model panorama, cementing its standing as town the place manufacturers go to go world.
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Written by Petros Stathis.
