People from around the world are voicing their opinions about a plan to open SeaWorld in Dubai. At the heart of the issue are animal rights concerns - many believing the American owned attraction will taint the pristine tourism reputation of the UAE.
The transformation of Dubai from a once small fishing village into a world-leading tourism destination is a symbol of achievement and national pride - this same level of passion for a worthy cause has led to an online petition attracting over 50,000 signatures globally in a bid to prevent SeaWorld from coming to the Middle East.
The original plan to develop SeaWorld in Dubai was set aside in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis, however recent confirmation from SeaWorld states that it has concluded an agreement with an undisclosed partner in the region to “assess the viability of a multi-park development in the Middle East”.
New tourism attractions in the UAE rarely attract negative public reactions; often they’re warmly welcomed in recognition of the social and economic benefits they contribute to the community.
However, concerns surrounding the SeaWorld attraction in Dubai are avidly expressed by petition organiser Care2 and strongly supported in the comments of signatories.
The petition says: “Dubai has a great reputation as a popular tourist destination for beautiful architecture, beautiful nature and kind hearted people; thus you should not tarnish your great reputation by allowing SeaWorld to open a SeaWorld park in Dubai.
“SeaWorld is already one of the worst cases [sic] of wild animal abuse in the history of the United States and SeaWorld should not be allowed to exist in Dubai as well.
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“SeaWorld is absolutely barbaric in terms of what they are doing to these poor marine animals they have in captivity at their theme parks.
“In the wild, killer whales are the king of the ocean and they swim 100 miles per day. In confinement, they are living in a tiny swimming pool that is the equivalent to a human living in a bathtub.”
At first glance, bringing SeaWorld to Dubai appears to support Dubai’s Tourism Vision for 2020 – a strategic roadmap to make Dubai the world’s most recommended destination.
However, in addition to widely reported animal rights failings - SeaWorld’s worsening financial performance saw profits fall 28% during the 2014 fiscal year, including falling stock prices, departing corporate partners, and the redundancy of hundreds of employees.
To make matters worse, during this same period, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) named SeaWorld one of the worst companies in the United States.
In light of such information it becomes difficult to reconcile the performance and reputation of SeaWorld with the pristine ambitions of Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2020.
Undoubtedly the strategic roadmap for tourism in Dubai is making great progress, but while talk of bringing SeaWorld to the emirate is surrounded by economic uncertainty – growing evidence that the attraction will damage the reputation of the sector is of much greater concern.
As signatures from around the world continue to flood the online petition, and with mounting media coverage, tourism in Dubai is certainly set to be the focus of international attention - for better or worse.
About the author
David Thompson is a writer, editor and a sustainable development advocate. For more information email: dthompson@saharagcc.com
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