Almira Martin was cautious about launching her freelance career online, but she soon got results: "I remember the days when I dreamed of being a freelancer," she says but I was trapped in the day to day routine that we are all often found in. One day, Karyn decided she was no longer willing to commute in smog-laden traffic to sit in a cubicle for eight hours, come home, eat, sleep, wake up, and then do it all over again. Going through the same routine, day after day, week after week , only to wake up one day old and tired - wondering how life might have been if she'd had the guts to go it alone.....continues

The discovery of oil in 1966 dramatically transformed the emirate by allowing the development of the economic and social infrastructure which laid the foundations for today’s society enveloped in a rich and luxurious lifestyle. Since this point, and the joining of the emirates in 1971, Dubai and the UAE has gone from strength to strength.Dubai UAE is perched perfectly on the southern shores of the Arabian Gulf.  Its peaceful culture and good location between East and West, the UAE’s centuries old trading tradition has continually bought visitors to its shores.

Year-round sunshine, virtually deserted, clean sandy beaches, luxury accommodation, tolerant and welcoming ambience, crime-free public environment and a cosmopolitan lifestyle have made Dubai’s Government’s marketing and Public Relations strategy easy.  Media across the world have had a field day reporting the gushing lifestyles available to anyone entering Dubai.  Dubai offers lifestyles to suit even the fussiest visitor. 

Every week a new lifestyle focused initiative is being announced in the media. PR companies are finding more and more clients knocking on their door, asking for help to get ahead of the game. The media hub of Dubai Media City is where the majority of GCC media companies are based.  Companies like Strawberry PR a boutique agency based outside of Dubai Media City are booming due to the growth in the lifestyle PR market in the Middle East and GCC. 

With a population growing week on week and the average net worth of individuals higher than most places in the world, the lifestyle market is boiling.  As more and more people enter Dubai, these lifestyle choices will expand and diversify to meet growing demands and varied tastes.

The recent results of the MasterCard Consumer Lifestyles survey conducted at the end of 2006 highlighted consumer preferences.   

It showed all UAE based consumers surveyed planned to travel in the next 12 months: 84% for personal reasons, 2% for business and 14% for both. With temperatures nearing 50 degrees during summer months, it’s not surprising that overseas travel is such a high priority for people living in the UAE.  

Shopping is very popular holiday activity, and ranks as the main activity enjoyed on a holiday trip.  Entertainment followed, then visiting family or friends, then rest and relaxation and finally general sightseeing.  Shopping festivals such as the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) provide a veritable feast of work for the Dubai based public relations agency based in and around Dubai Media City.   PR is becoming much more sophisticated with boutique agencies moving away from standard press release and monitoring towards value driven public relations in Dubai .  

It has been reported in the media, the lifestyle PR market has seen similar trends, but with limited media research available, it is hard to say exactly where the majority of growth is.  Still, anyone living or visiting Dubai only needs to look around them to understand the importance of lifestyle choice is to the residents of Dubai.  A culture of a place takes decades to change, so for the foreseeable future, you can rest assured, the Dubai lifestyle market is set to continue its growth.