Abu Dhabi and Doha: Skyscraping for Tourism Development

Abstract

This article explores the link between the proliferation of skyscrapers and hotel establishments. In the Middle East, particularly in Qatar, the skyline is replete with tall buildings that serve multiple functions: hotels, residences, offices, and combinations of these. This article uses relevant secondary data to analyze how Doha and Abu Dhabi transformed their built environment through the construction of skyscrapers as a symbol of their wealth, of their participation in the world's informal skyline competition and their national pride. Tourism growth in these two cities—both of which have invested in urban planning and have made deliberate efforts to develop tourism as a means of diversifying an oil-based economy—has been phenomenal. Skyscrapers have become a tourist attraction in themselves, and tourism growth has spurred the construction of more skyscrapers for multiple purposes. Thus contemporary architecture has transformed these cities into world-class tourist destinations. Heritage and contempora...