It is easy to see how one can fall under the spell of magical Dubai with its awe inspiring sights of tall and brightly lit, shining, skyscraper designer buildings, gently touching the clouds, up high from the ground, proudly competing in their splendour.  Enter into a vastly different world which is indeed, quite beyond the normal expectations, even in a world of affluence and plenty.

On arrival in Dubai airport you are swiftly transferred into this land of possibilities and quickly suspend your cynical or skeptical views to allow your imagination to wander amongst the marble corridors all around you.  Perfume fills the air and the Welcome sign is well laid out, ready to cater to your needs.  You sense immediately, this place is a job well done.

Anyone who has visited this young city can testify that it does have some magical charm and it is quite reasonable to return to the old continent with ideas to emulate and transform our own patch as they have done, so successfully.  Growth and expansion is everywhere as the city gears up for Expo in 2020 when it aims to attract 25 million tourists.   Dubai is the first Middle Eastern city to organize the event in its more than 150-year history. The event itself is a six month exhibition and show case not just of the UAE but of all participating countries; their cultures, achievements, innovations, arts, and products.  Plus a little edutainment as well, which they do so well in Dubai.

In line with its reputation for over-the-top glitz, Dubai, on receiving the award of the Expo 2020, lit the world's tallest tower with glimmering lights. The skies around the Burj Khalifa, which towers at 2,717 feet, erupted with fireworks. 

A spending spree was already underway even before officials announced the host city. Dubai estimates a successful Expo 2020 bid will generate $23 billion between 2015 and 2021, or 24 percent of the city's gross domestic product. They say total financing for the 6-month-long event will cost $8.4 billion.

In a statement after the vote, Dubai ruler and UAE vice president Sheikh Mohammed bin Rahid promised to "astonish the world" in 2020.

"Dubai Expo2020 will breathe new life into the ancient role of the Middle East as a melting pot for cultures and creativity," he said.

The announcement made in 2013 came just days before the 2 December UAE national day, which celebrates the young nation's 42 years of unity and independence from the British Protectorate.

Huge plans are underway.  140 more hotels are expected to open in Dubai before the Expo starts (around 460 now serving 118 thousand rooms and 10 million tourists).  Jobs and vacancies are advertised even on the Emirates flights, who are also preparing to increase their fleet and routes and a new airport has already been built which is not yet operational.  

All quite staggering.  Just until the 80s there had been one skyscraper then there was something like the miracle of the loaves as one loaf began to multiply and feed nations.  Today people from all around the world knock at the door of the city with dreams to fill and little to leave behind them.  In a school in Dubai it is necessary to have at least 10 languages taught.  The appeal of the British educational system and culture is subtle but reassuring in this Middle Eastern country.  It has helped to attract many expats who come to Dubai for a better income, sun and a good standard of living and quality of life.

But the miracle is not so easy to replicate, as you might imagine.  To think that you can copy or emulate this place is to not do it justice and to underestimate some fundamental factors that contributed to the generation of its success.

This city is firstly built largely by Indian workers.   The service industry is well served by Indians, Philippines and national UAE citizens.  The Indian and other imported unskilled workers  are paid salaries which are good for their home countries but they are not on a par with European or other wages in Dubai itself.  Indeed, as you begin to reach the peripheral area of the city, there is another residential area, with skyscrapers too, but which is called International City.  Here all the low income workers reside.  Another place is Dragon City where you can find miles of large stores selling or marketing every kind of good and product from China. 

For a country like Malta to flirt with the idea of having a Dubai in the Mediterranean, we may need to rethink our diversion of immigrants to neighbouring countries and perhaps put out the Welcome sign instead.  Their tourism industry is labour intensive, from Parking Valets to hotel cleaners, taxi drivers, food and catering staff and an endless list of jobs.  No unions and moaning about shifts there.  If you don't perform well in your job, another person will readily fill your place. 

Whilst all the building is going on, there is proper boarding to cover the sites and sections are developed in a well planned infrastructural manner without unduly impinging on the environment around. 

But the fact is that Dubai is not just about the superficial glamour which you can copy if you have the investors ready to do it.  There is more to it than that.  It has an orderly society and civil state which appears to meet the needs and aspirations of young individuals and families who have chosen to live there.  It is true, you do not see many elderly people around although it is already becoming concerned with the aging factor.  Families are extremely well catered for.  It is very common to go down the Walk at the Dubai Marina and see children and babies everywhere.  The Walk itself is planned to be family friendly with a rubber pavement to stroll along by the beach and for the children to be free to run and use their ride-ons.   To the right of the Walk there are all the restaurants looking out onto the sea in front of them, perhaps like our Valletta Waterfront.  The beach is long and wide and well organized.  Not like our Bays.

As you head into the amazing Malls, such as the Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates, there are loads of fun things to do with the children, from Ski Dubai to the Penguin tours to Kidzania with all its fun rides and other entertainment.  The Dubai Mall also provides little buggies for the children to ride in so that they won't get tired or bored.  On Friday the Malls open till mid-night.  It is never ending but not overwhelming.  The design of the Malls is such that you are sheltered from the immensity of the place by cleverly designed pjazzas with "side streets" going off in all directions.   To attract such Brands and such a vast choice of luxury and mid-range shops, the customers have to be there.

It is a whole package - the quality, the luxury, the opportunity, the means and the vision.  The friendly service.  And the client.   You may view it as superficial but there is a very human process and element to it.  From some distance it can be seen as a rich city serving to feed and employ the thousands of people from India and the Philippines, like a big motor pumping in money and churning out jobs.  But it also has great infrastructure such as Dubai Health Care.  The area of Health Care is also attracting medical tourism and they offer cutting edge treatments and service.  Funnily enough, a visit to a Doctor at a free hospital brought us in contact with a Syrian doctor who said that her cousin is in Malta and came here on one of the refugee boats.  She said Syria is empty now.  Another Doctor from Kuwait who was on the flight to Malta said his son is studying medicine here at the University. 

But rather than run away with ourselves and lose our own identity whilst trying to make Malta a Dubai in the Med, it would be better to team up with Dubai Health Care for  a joint project between us.  Malta can be used for pre- and after operations or interventions.  It can be a good place to convalesce and a franchise hospital can be built by private investors to offer specialized care and treatment.

Another extension can be in offering a good place to be in during the hot and unbearable Summer months of Dubai (where it is normal to reach 55 degrees Celsius). 

When the Summer exodus begins, we should attract some of those families to come to Malta and stay in apartment or villa accommodation, maybe also in specially designed farmhouse clusters in Gozo.  People also travel out of Dubai during the month of Ramadan.  Each unit should be provided with a car included, domestic help and babysitting service, wi-fi and all electronic devices.  A 24 hour concierge service which can be shared by the compound or cluster would also be advisable.

It should not be forgotten that beneath the towering skyscrapers there are normal people living normal lives.  They have found a home and earn a good income but all of it is due to the vision of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rahid who foresaw the need to diversify from petrol money to tourism. What started as a small port on the Gulf has developed into this economic success.  Learning from the success of Dubai is definitely something worth doing.  Their high standards and bold vision are to be admired.  But it would be foolish and the stuff of soaps to compromise our island by trying to become them.  Tune in to their fireworks display on New Year's Eve and watch the spectacle and you may get the idea!