Dubai Special The Travel Show

as minus six.

Now on BBC News, The Travel Show.

20 years ago Dubai set out to become

one of the most talked about towns

in the world. Since then this young

city state, one of seven emirates in

the UAE, has largely succeeded. It's

become one of the fastest growing

tourist destinations on the planet.

Synonymous with spectacular

skyscrapers, gigantic shopping walls

and high-end hospitality and also

the occasional stories of tourists

who fall foul of local customs. But

scratch deeper and there much more

to this place. No longer be brash

new kid on the block, Dubai is now

an established hub and one of the

world's truly global cities. And

although the impulse to impress is

still here, there's now a complex

identity taking shape and I'm here

to see how that is changing the book

and feel of Dubai, its people and

its future.

Aviation is at the very heart of

Dubai's growth. Geographically

blessed between east and west with

the vast Indian subcontinent on its

doorstep and an ambitious national

carrier, it is reckoned that over

40% of the world's population lives

within four hours flying time of

Dubai. 20 years ago, Dubai airport

was something of an aviation back

water. Today they say they handle

more international passengers than

anywhere else in the world.

A couple of years back, we were

looking ahead and seeing the 5

million number. Now we consider 5

million as very mild traffic. In

August, we broke our record of more

than 8 million per month.

The

numbers may have grown at an Iowa

watering rate, but this is basically

a city airport and that's -- as that

city has grown land has become

scarce. So the usual solution of

building bigger isn't an option. You

could say the airport has become a

victim of its own success. The

solution? Investing in new

technology to cope with the project

did 100 million passengers who they

reckon will pass through here by

2020. All co-ordinated hearing this

new airport operations centre, which

they say is the largest in the

world.

We have infrared motion

sensors in the ceiling to detect any

movement of passengers.

And they can

tell each individual person,

separate them?

They can separate.

Once the passenger enters the queue,

the white dot turns into a red dot.

Airport staff can access real-time

data about passenger numbers

everywhere in the terminals. The

data helps predict potential surges

that could shut the whole process

down, but they insist it doesn't

identify individual passengers.

OK

it's going to be busy here in the

next ten minutes. We need to get

more desks open.

How are you?

Go-ahead.

What is happening at the

airport is symptomatic of the city.

It has successes but there are

challenges as the demands on Dubai's

infrastructure has grown. Congestion

can be the bane of this city, where

the car is king, but the solution

lies through more innovation.

Following trials in America, Dubai

says it has plans to build a super

fast Hyperloop between here and Abu

Dhabi and they reckon this could be

the only place in the world where

you will soon be able to hail your

own flying taxi. There's also a

drive you to encourage the use of

sustainable energy, IKEA on the

public beach, with this futuristic

looking solar palm trees. Those

other the panel soaking up the rays.

More importantly there is free Wi-Fi

and with this greed you can check

the weather, exchange rates and

really useful eon holiday you can

take selfies. But what I like most

of all is that you can just sit down

here, take in the views and charge

your phone. Check your e-mails and

whatever else, all thanks to the

power of the sun. With the massive

world Expo coming here in 2020, the

language of developers has moved on

from bigger is better to finding new

ways to add value to their tall

towers, by making many of them

attractions in their own right. This

complex of apartments, townhouses

and a hotel is due to be finished by

next year. It is being built by the

same group who came up with the

iconic Burj Khalifa nearby, which

just happens to be the world's

tallest structure. It's pretty early

in the morning and it's already very

hot. I can imagine 22 people in

these things going up and down all

the time. It can't be easy and the

temperatures gets hotter, the

humidity gets worse as the day goes

on. Look at that view. That's just

incredible. Look at that. I've got

to say, I'm feeling a little bit DD.

It's quite high up.

You get

accustomed to it.

You get used to

it? Do you want us to look down? On

floors 52 and 53 is the showpiece of

this project. It is quite astounding

to think that this bridge section

which connects the two Towers

started life on the ground and was

then hoisted 200 metres up into the

air. Just give you an idea of the

scale of that, this section weighs

more than fully laden A380 super

jumbo jet. What a feat of

engineering at! And for the super

adventurous you will be able to

harness up and get views from the

air.

You will experience walking all

the way out with unhindered views

over to the harbour. So it's a new

addition, a new visitor observation

experience that we don't have in

Dubai or even in the region.

4000

people are working on this site on

12 hour shifts. Construction here is

20 47 and if an internationally

stuffed project. But as ever be

Dubai construction industry relies

heavily on migrant labour from South

Asia, brought in from living

quarters outside the city. It is

hard to believe that 15 years ago

this downtown area was pretty well

empty. Today they like to think of

it as the most prestigious square

kilometre in the world. But isn't

there a limit to this boulder,

bigger and better aspirations? You

buy is famous for being the city of

superlatives. The tallest, the

biggest. Is there any more to it

than that?

Yes, there is that

perception, however we as developers

always look to show, where it can be

a value? What is unique? It's not

just about bragging rights, it's

about the quality. There's a lot of

thought going into the developments

we choose.

All of this may never

convince those who think of Dubai as

a vapid shrine to consumption and

unfettered growth. But whatever your

views on its addiction to

record-breaking construction, it's

also a calling car for the emirate.

The very reason why many people come

here in the first place, which gives

it a business rationale too.

And if you think you've seen it all,

think again. The so-called city of

superlatives is about to surpass

itself with this massive project.

And the centrepiece? This incredible

construction which will become the

tallest tower in the world. As ever,

the scale of ambition is

breathtaking, but subtlety and

understatement has never been

Dubai's strong suit. And for the

ultimate proof of that, what about

Atlanta's resort on the Palm Island,

where, if you can afford it, you

will get an on-call at low 24 hours

a day and a luxurious room with a

unique view. Hello! Nice to meet

you. But like? Please, show me

around. -- my butler?

I am presuming he doesn't live there

permanently. Mind you, it does sound

like it has to be on standby at all

times, like Danesh himself.

To be

honest, the guests to stay in this

kind of sweet are rich and wealthy

and they just don't want to wait for

things to delay. For example,

sometimes they might ask you, OK, I

want to see the diver coming when I

have breakfast. Because when she

wakes up, the first thing is she

wants to see it, so we have to wait

until she wakes up. So we will make

it happen somehow.

But not everyone

can afford to or indeed wants to

enjoy this level of indulgence. Just

maybe bigger, better and boulder

isn't everyone's cup of tea, which

takes us to paradigms shift I think

is taking in Dubai. Away from mega-

luxury towards more authentic

pleasures, which may help in

changing the perception of the

emirate as a mere three-day stopover

destination, or even blinged up blow

out for the world's rich and famous.

This is the creek, the real heart of

old Dubai, and gorgeous in this

light. This used to be a real

trading hub for the city and the

kind of boat you see behind me bring

in spices and other goods from

countries like India, Iran and much

further afield.

This is my personal favourite part

of Dubai, the old town. You get a

real sense of the past. As a

contrast to the skyscrapers and

shopping maul downtown. What is

this? Cinnamon. This is Tymrak. --

turmeric. For the face massage. This

is a long piece of wood, what is it?

Scissors.

What is the difference,

that is bigger. Frankly, if I hadn't

stopped him I think he would take me

through every single spice in the

shop.

This is for smoking and this

soup.

Of course if you are into

bullying you have to go too far to

find that here. -- bling. But to

find authentic art and craft 21st

century style, you will need to head

to be flourishing al-Qus district.

This is calligraphiti, a mixture of

calligraphy and graffiti, and is the

trademark of a artist who has

taken... Taken his artform to world

including this project in Cairo. So

what is he doing in Dubai?

For me,

Dubai is a new city, I look at it, I

try to get a different view to it, a

lot of people come from outside say

it is fake, you are an artist, how

could you be here? Thermae there is

this kind of growing art scene,

there is a growing art community. As

an artist it is good to see that I

am part of this, I am part of making

a change and making this movement.

If I can question you won that, it

is also a place that is glamorous

and wealthy, you have a big expat

population, you have some very rich

people here.

Is that inspiring for

you? We are here in the middle of

the industrial zone that has been

turned into this culture and art

community. When you cross the street

you are near a steel factory. This

is the Dubai that I want to see. I

am not interested in the shiny

thing, but some people that they

wanted. I think at some point now

there is a switch, Dubai will show

people, this is what we do.

Some people love Paris, I love

Paris, some people hate Paris. Some

people love New York, some people

hate New York. For me it is too

naive. What has been done here in

less than 30 years is exquisite, and

I think people should salute that.

While the artists are busy feeding

the soul, many locals and expats

here in Dubai are also now keen to

exercise their bodies. Some of them

in the most quintessential Emirati

locations. You would not normally

associate Dubai with cycling.

Writing through the Dubai rush hour

is a no-no. But the sport is

becoming more popular here, thanks

to facilities like this are cycling

track. It is long, smooth, purpose

built and flat. In a country not

famed for its exercise culture,

these days many locals are getting

into a whole range of sports. And in

case you are wondering, I will leave

this to the experts.

Hi, I am awake

border in Dubai. -- weight Wake

board. I am all about sports a

snowboarding, wake boarding, kite

surfing, all accessible in Dubai.

Living in the desert, the closest

mountain is in Lebanon or Georgia or

something, -- Jordan. You have the

best instructors, you learn how to

snowboard here and when you go into

any mountain from the Alps to

Colorado, is simple.

The younger generation is actually

crazy here in Dubai. They are crazy

when it comes to extreme sports,

they are trying to compete more

internationally. It is very nice to

see. The vibe of the city is all

about working hard, playing hard.

You put in so many hours at work, so

the little time you have left, you

want to waste it, just lolling

around.

Keen to get another fix of the great

outdoors, I am heading out to the

desert early in the morning to

experience something new, but I am

told there could only see here in

Dubai. -- that I am told you can

only see here in Dubai.

It is a new twist on traditional

Arabian falconry. But I hear it is

truly breathtaking.

2500 years ago,

people relied on Falcon is the way

we rely on the supermarket. Falcons

put food on the table. Additionally

how it worked, birds from Europe and

Asia migrate from the Middle East to

Africa. The migration would be when

people capped their Falcons and use

them for the winter months. At the

end of winter they would untie them

and released into the wild. It is a

beautiful system of borrowing a bird

from a and giving them back. -- from

the wild. We are about to release

Oberon from the basket and I will

untie him, he is wearing a

transmitter on his tail, that is so

I can find him if he flies away, and

I will pop his hood off in a second,

this device is called the hood, and

this good is keeping him calm and

relaxed. That comes off, OK. Reddy,

guys? Five, four, three, two, one...

Amazing.

Good boy.

Do you want to

go?

I would love to, let's try.

Oh, yes. Peter has helped to Hendry

at these birds from birth top and

the bond of trust between them is

vital. It is clear that to him the

Falcon's were felt -- welfare is

paramount, and months go into

training the birds to get them used

to this sights and sounds of the

Berlin and its passengers.

These

birds are in good shape...

So the

bird is not suffering.

Absolutely

not.

What more could you ask for?

Unique experience, and a beautiful

animal.

And that ride over Dubai's ancient

landscape marks the end of my

Trippier. Where I have seen the

sharply contrasting old and new

worlds of this citystate. I have

witnessed again first-hand how the

limitless desire to press and amaze

the world has not diminished, with

Expo Twenty20 a big incentive for

yet more development. This is still

a relatively young destination,

almost an ongoing experiment that

continues to grab headlines and

polarised reaction in equal measure.

But I sense that Dubai is developing

into a complex and intriguing mix of

cultures and attitudes, of

experiences old and new and forging

its own unique personality. That is

not to say its reputation as a haven

of luxury and access is going to

disappear any time soon. Let's go!

-- XS. -- excess.