Following a drastic downturn in the US's entertainment market, American theme park operators have started aiming at foreign markets and targeting the Middle East region.  Hoping to exceed last year's record of 7 million visitors, Dubai has signed contracts with the world's major theme park operators, Six Flags, Universal studios, Busch, the creator of SeaWorld, and Marvel Entertainment to jointly build an American-style Dubailand at the cost of US$110 billion.

Dubailand will span 107 square miles, more than twice the size of Walt Disney World in Florida.  Developed by the state-run real estate agent, Tatweer, this project will house a 7-mile-long theme hotel and sport facilities including the first golf course designed by golf superstar Tiger Woods.  After its completion, Dubailand is expected to attract 40,000 visitors per day.

Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and China are also aggressive in developing their theme park markets. Besides facing competition from the neighboring Asian countries, Dubai is also competing with other Middle Eastern nations for tourism market.  According to a survey by Global Futures & Foresight, a London-based research company, on the future of travel and tourism in the Middle East, to the year of 2020 over US$3.63 trillion has been budgeted to invest in hotels, leisure projects, aviation developments, cruise lines, tourism promotion and supporting infrastructure across the Persian Gulf Region.

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