Factors that help Businesses Flourish in the UAE

In the brand new Arnav Writes series, we uncover special and specific mysteries that people often do not know about and simply overlook. Our first in this series is how certain factors that help businesses flourish in the United Arab Emirates.

The following are those factors in significant detail:

Factor #1: Transportation

1.1: Road transport

Road transport is byfar the most significant mode of transport as it is the most widespread and convenient mode of transport in the UAE.

The country boasts impressive sized highways such as the following:

Sheikh Zayed Road (E11): From Border to Border, it is the highway that passes Burj Khalifa.
MBR Road (E311): A supplementary of E11, it runs parallel to E11, it serves more inland areas and alleviate congestion on E11
Emirates Road (E611): The second supplementary road of E11 which is the most inland highway in the series, it serves the Northern Emirates such as Umm Al Quain and Ras Al Khaimah very well which the E11 is not good at.

The Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) passing beside Burj Khalifa in the downtown area.

1.2: Rail Transport

Rail Transport is an emerging mode of transportation in the UAE. Till the late 2000's, the United Arab Emirates did not have any railway network in any form.

Dubai firstly opened it's mass rapid transit systems, which include both Red & Green Metro Lines, the Dubai Tram & the Palm Jumeriah Monorail.
The Abu Dhabi Government launched Etihad Rail, which has become the national railway network

The Railway Initially started for the transport of Sulphur from the mines to the ports.
After it's success, the railway has now expanded to every major important area such as borders and cities.
Till now, it remains as a freight only, however passenger transit is in development.
When launched, the travel time between Abu Dhabi and Dubai will drop to just 30 Minutes.

Etihad Rail in the UAE, the national rail operator.

1.3: air transport

Air Transport is a moderately old form of transportation in the United Arab Emirates. Initially the country was heavily reliant on mainly sea voyage or some rare land crossings, however due to regional tensions and later great demand/possibilities, Dubai opened it's official airport in the late 60's which continued to rapidly evolve into what it has become:

World's 2nd Largest Passenger Hub (after Atlanta, United States)
Runs continiously 24/7 with continious demand
Hub to not only Emirates & FlyDubai, but also Air India, Indigo & Saudia along with many other
Home to largest A380 capable terminals.

Alongside DXB airport:

Dubai has Al Maktoum Airport
Abu Dhabi has Al Bateen Executive & Abu Dhabi International
Sharjah has Sharjah International
Ras Al Khaimah also has it's airport, which is fairly smaller than others

In terms of Cargo movement, DXB and DWC Airports of Dubai lead the market share within the UAE, while other airports follow.

Credit: Jetphotos

Sea transport is the oldest mode of transportation in the UAE. Even before the discovery of oil, old wooden ships were used to move people and goods locally & internationally. Today this mode of transport is the beating heart of the country as nearly all items of use are imported via the very handful of ports in the country:

Major Ports:

Jabal Ali Ports (Dubai)
Khalifa Ports (Abu Dhabi)

Other ports:

Zayed Port (Abu Dhabi)
Port Rashid (Dubai)
Hamriya Port (Dubai)
Ruwais Port (Abu Dhabi)

1.4: Sea Transport

Factor #2: Conducive Environment

The UAE boasts one of the most business friendly environments in the world as it has almost no issues that other countries might regularly face:

Political: Monarchy government means no sudden shift in government policies, no red tape bureaucracy or election mayhem
Social: No strikes, protests or movements which affect businesses.
Environmental: No major climate issue such as landslide or earthquake, except for blazing heat.

The UAE Government actively makes it more attractive for businesses to open a branch here, or start new entirely through the following ways:

Business Opening Speed: In many cases, businesses can legally get registered & open in the UAE within 2 working days.
Simplicity: No heavy & complex paperwork. All official work is simplified and done through applications such as BASHER
Affordability: UAE Business registration is often very budget friendly, often allowing lower budget businessess to run businesses too.

Abu Dhabi - Capital of the United Arab Emirates

Factor #3: Banking

The UAE has one of the worlds most competitive & highly reliable banking systems in the world. They provide the top tier banking facilities for all from Low Income individuals to large revenue MNC's. Let us understand the features of the banking system:

Banks in the UAE provide very pro-business loan options, which help businesses to rapidly expand.
The Emirati banks allow for secure & fast financial transactions
The well established & flawless banking system of the UAE attracts foregin investors & businesses to the country

First Abu Dhabi Bank- Head Office in Abu Dhabi

Factor #4: Advertiesing

The UAE is home to one of the most eye catching and mouth watering advertisement spots anywhere in the world.
The country has a very large digital population, which allows for easy reach for businesses to advertise.
This attracts businesses to happily advertise their products for near guranteed success. Some of the examples are listed below.

Famous examples of Advertiesing in the UAE:

During Expo 2020, Emirates had painted their aircrafts with the Expo logo, which meant wherever the aircraft flew to, the people over there would get to know about the event.

Large Advertising Billboards on the famous Sheikh Zayed Road are very eye catching due to their size and location.

Ever since the inauguration of Burj Khalifa, the building has become the worlds tallest advertising place. It is a display which is clearly visible from several kilometers away

Factor #5: Security

The UAE is one of the few nations who leads the world rankings in terms of security of any kind. Let's look at the features of the safety in the UAE:

Harsh Laws for even the smallest of offenses, wiping off any unethical motives.
Large data record with wide range of documents of every resident and person in the UAE
Other data records include fingerprints, blood samples & facial recognition.
Country is flooded with surveillence systems on every corner and nook, from highway cameras to home cameras.
Extremely fast & effective response of not only police but ambulance and fire brigade too.
The UAE only allows for high quality & tested products to enter the country. No false products are sold.
All professional services have dedicated licenses by the government such as Doctor License & teaching license, ensuring authenticity & quality.

In the end, such combination of factors lead to a highly safe environment for both businesses & customers, which attracts businesses to come & thrive.

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