Dubai content creators step up to tell stories beyond the skyline
The first fifty years in Dubai were all about building the concrete. Now, the focus is shifting entirely to the narrative.
The Dubai Press Club, alongside the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and the Dubai Media Office, has officially launched a specialized content creators programme designed to push authentic stories of the city past its familiar skyscrapers and superlatives.
Shifting the lens from skyline towers to local culture
With nearly 150,000 hotel room keys now established across the city, officials argue the physical foundation is complete. DET’s vice-president of consumer advocacy and social, Aida Al Busaid, laid out the sequencing during the opening address to a room full of creators, noting that the city spent its first half-century building infrastructure and now needs those stories told.
About 30 creators make up the initial cohort. During their orientation, officials from Dubai Media and DET briefed participants on local laws, culture, and the city’s overarching storytelling agenda. Rather than policing output, organizers stressed an approach rooted in education, encouraging creators to share Emirati culture directly.
For lifestyle and tourism creator Bushra Hamui, who operates under the handle ‘anabushbush’, the programme offers a direct route to navigating local regulations while sharpening professional skills as a certified tour guide. Hamui, who built a following of 100,000 over 18 months without using fake followers, advises newcomers to practice patience and consistency.
Creators in the cohort will also take part in workshops tied to the Dubai Tourism College, which opened in 2017 to help position the city on global hospitality and retail ranking maps. These sessions are designed to connect creators with the right people to bring untold stories out into the open.
