Residents spend an average of nine to 10 hours just having fun
Pat yourselves on the back, Abu Dhabi residents, as it turns out we’re pretty good at making time for fun.
Residents of Abu Dhabi and Dubai spend an average of nine to 10 hours a week at leisure destinations, more than people in any other cities included in a new global study.
The UAE has emerged as a global leader when it comes to making time for leisure, with residents of Abu Dhabi and Dubai spending an average of nine to 10 hours a week at leisure destinations, more than any other cities included in Boston Consulting Group’s latest Cities of Choice 4.0 report.
The two UAE cities are the only ones specifically identified as world leaders for time spent at leisure locations, with a majority of residents visiting leisure venues multiple times a week.
The figure puts the UAE well ahead of the global city average and highlights just how much restaurants, entertainment venues, attractions and other leisure destinations feature in everyday life.
And leisure is just one area where the UAE is performing strongly.
BCG’s fourth global urban competitiveness study, Built to Change: How Cities Compete for the Future, examined 80 cities across five dimensions: Economic Opportunities, Livability, Social Capital, Engagement with Governments and Speed of Change.
It combined objective data with surveys of residents to assess what makes cities attractive places to live, work and build a future.
Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai performed above the global average across almost every resident experience measure.
Dubai was ranked fifth globally for Economic Opportunities, making it the only Middle Eastern city in the global top five.
The ranking was driven by factors including household incomes, business sentiment and the presence of global companies, while residents also reported above-average confidence in career development and financial accessibility.
The city also placed 12th globally for Social Capital, leading all Middle Eastern cities in the category and ranking first globally for social connections.
Residents reported high levels of meeting friends, participating in their communities and social generosity.
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Dubai also ranked ninth globally for Engagement with Governments, reflecting strong performance in digital public services and resident satisfaction with government delivery.
BCG noted a broader global improvement in residents’ ability to use online tools to resolve city issues, with UAE cities among the highest-performing worldwide.
The report also points to strong performances in healthcare and housing affordability, with residents in UAE cities rating both areas above global averages.
Dubai’s international appeal was another standout. The city recorded the highest inbound visitor spending of all 80 cities included in the study and was one of only two cities, alongside Istanbul, to significantly outperform its peers for international flight connectivity.
According to BCG, the combination of business and leisure travel in the Gulf is helping Dubai benefit from the growing global trend towards combining work trips with holidays.
Overall, the report places the UAE among the world’s strongest-performing urban destinations, with its cities combining economic opportunity, digital government, social connection and quality of life.
For further information, visit Global City Ranking
