Dubai treats New Year's Eve like a good business
This piece was originally shared on LinkedIn.
I’m publishing it here as part of an ongoing body of thinking around restaurant strategy, market entry, and operational decision-making.
This was our third one back here, and each year it gets bigger and more organised.
We live right Downtown, which is the epicentre of it all, so we see the chaos up close.
Last year, trying to move around on New Year's Eve was a challenge. A short walk to the restaurant took over an hour.
This year, despite significantly more people, it worked.
Queues were organised and security were everywhere. Nothing felt reactive.
The event itself has expanded, too.
Alongside an incredibly impressive firework display, there are parades, installations and programming across the week.
What struck me is this area has now probably hit capacity - there's almost nowhere left to see the show from. Dubai Mall's KFC supposedly charged a £300 minimum spend because people camp there for the view!
Most cities would slow things down, but Dubai's response will likely be to build a second major viewing area somewhere else.
This place really doesn't do things by halves.