Originally Posted by
threeighteen
Yes... the climate is horrendous and the government is just as bad..
Six months of the year are lovely, two months are OK and four months in Summer I agree with you. Sort of like LAS..........
Originally Posted by
threeighteen
Singapore and Hong Kong have limited land available for purchase, which causes it to be worth more. There's no room for expansion. Dubai has an entire desert to expand into, there's not going to be any rise in property prices there due to a land shortage..
You don't seem to really understand that basic law of economics. I own a house in Australia, probably the most sparsely populated country in the world. Using your theory, that land should be worthless. Supply and demand, right? No shortage of supply so price goes down. Same in the US. No shortage of land there. Of course, it doesn't work that way. Some land is more desirable than others, it's finite and therefore worth more. Same in Dubai. Location, location, location. Land near the water, or in the middle of town, is finite and that famous law will eventually work it's magic. You just have to buy in the right place, wherever that may be....
Originally Posted by
threeighteen
Singapore and Hong Kong also have more tolerable governments (in most aspects), and much better climates.
Been to either place from May to about September? Air conditioned space in one country is much the same as an air conditioned space in another. Tolerable government? By what measure? They all provide world class services to their citizens and, in the cases of Dubai and Singapore, the leaders are held in very high regard by their citizens. Can't speak for Hong Kong as I've never spent much time there. Don't make the western mistake of thinking that a government that isn't democratic is, by definition, bad. Their systems aren't for me but all three seem to be doing OK.
Originally Posted by
threeighteen
That's why I said, there's going to be a ton of connection traffic, but not much O/D traffic. The only thing that is going to make them money is travel and trade, but when they are eventually bypassed by direct flights on faster or more fuel efficient aircraft, what then? Or what happens when the world economy goes down the tank once China stops growing? DXB is basing their entire economy on volatility, and it will have some serious consequences.
Continuing the Singapore and Hong Kong comparison, how much O/D do they have? They're both trade and travel hubs. Are they doomed, too? World economy tanks due China? Crackpots have been predicting the end of the world economy probably since the beginning of the world economy. Maybe they're right this time, but I doubt it.
Originally Posted by
threeighteen
It figures in, because LAS has a tourism economy, like DXB is trying to build, but likely won't succeed with. The only reason why I'd want to go to Dubai is to save some money on a ticket by connecting there or something....
In 2010 (last year I could find figures for) Dubai ranked eighth in visitors worldwide. Las Vegas wasn't even in the top twenty. I know it's very popular with Americans but internationally it doesn't rate anywhere near as well. Obviously Dubai isn't your cup of tea. Fair enough but plenty of others disagree.
Originally Posted by
threeighteen
It's basic economics, there's tons of supply, with not much demand or foreseeable demand.
See above.