Bloomberg News reported yesterday that Dubai has managed to turn the page on the COVID-19 pandemic, as the emirate's economy is recovering rapidly, experiencing the largest growth in new jobs since November 2019. The agency's report on the current labor market situation in Dubai notes that there has been a positive turning point since the beginning of this summer, and this trend continues to expand, particularly with the upcoming flagship international event, Expo 2020 Dubai, and the easing of pandemic-related restrictions.
The report highlighted that the hospitality, aviation, and network marketing sectors are leading the job creation efforts in the emirate, currently providing thousands of new jobs. It explained that as Dubai prepares to host Expo 2020 Dubai next month, Emirates Airlines plans to hire 3,500 employees, including 3,000 cabin crew members and 500 airport ground staff in the next six months.
The report stated that companies in the travel and tourism sectors in Dubai saw the highest increase in their activity levels and hiring over the past two years in August, according to the results of the Purchasing Managers' Index for the same month. Additionally, Amazon intends to hire 1,500 new employees in Dubai and other emirates throughout this year.
The report included statements from senior executives at major companies in Dubai, including Mark Kirby, Chief Operating Officer at Emaar Hospitality Group, which recently announced plans to hire between 200 to 300 new employees in various positions. Kirby stated, "We are currently hiring new employees, and we have intensified our recruitment drive now as the fourth quarter is an important time for us every year." Emaar Hospitality Group opened three beachfront hotels in the UAE last year and plans to open five more hotels during the next year.
Jay Hutchinson, President and CEO of Rotana Group, noted, "The hospitality sector has generally returned to hiring again over the past three months." Hutchinson reported that Rotana has hired 400 new employees across the UAE in the last three months and intends to hire more with the opening of new hotels.
Mark Willis, CEO of Accor for India, the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, remarked, "We have experienced a really good summer in the Middle East, exceeding expectations, as travel routes gradually opened with rising vaccination rates."
The report also referenced comments from Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, in an interview with Bloomberg, where he stated that lifting travel restrictions to Dubai from certain countries such as the UK, the US, and Saudi Arabia would have a significant impact on the number of travelers through Dubai airports this year, with the number expected to reach around 27 million by the end of the year.
