Dubai issues new rule for expatriate behaviour

Martin Fellowes

The latest message for western visitors to Dubai from the authorities is that a chaste peck on the check is probably acceptable, but a passionate embrace in public is not.

In the country’s latest attempt to bring the public behaviour of western tourists in line with Middle East sensibilities, Dubai has released new guidelines through the local media. It is not yet clear whether the suggestions will become law.

The flashy Gulf city promotes itself as a destination where the Middle East meets the wilder West. Its new guidelines address a range of issues from wearing miniskirts to showing anger, and could in fact offer police more leeway in fining or arresting “offenders” on beaches and at malls.

What the “suggestions” reveal is the schizophrenic nature of Dubai, which has an international allure that attracts westerners, yet is governed by rulers who are traditional and conservative.

“Dubai has been walking a fine line by being all things to all people,” commented Valerie Grove, an art and culture blogger who is based in neighbouring Sharjah. “Concerns over Dubai’s image are split between its Western-style economy that includes tourism, and regional norms of conservative culture.”

If the guidelines are approved and enforced, this move could be seen as another strike against Dubai’s image as an easygoing and tolerant oasis in a region characterized by a lack of tolerance.

Thanks to news.yahoo.com for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.

www.dubaitourism.ae