Why I found a trip to the top of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building – a let-down
Thousands of people visit United Arab Emirates’ 2,720-foot-high skyscraper every month since it opened in 2010, but ... , writes Harrison Jacobs
Three decades ago, Dubai was little more than desert.
Yet an oil boom in the United Arab Emirates produced unprecedented wealth for the small Gulf nation.
Dubai's rulers Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al-Maktoum and his successor, Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, put into effect a plan to turn the city into the world’s top tourist destination.
The building of outlandish landmarks such as the Burj Khalifa was key to the plan.
Towering over the city, at 2,717 feet (828 metres) tall with 160 floors, the Burj Khalifa became the tallest skyscraper in the world when it opened in 2010.
It also holds Guinness World Record titles for the tallest human-made structure and the highest restaurant. It also had the tallest observation deck until 2015.
Dubai’s strategy of building extravagant landmarks is paying off. The city is climbing in the ranks of the most visited cities – it’s now fourth – and this year an estimated 16.7 million visitors are expected, according to Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index.
The Burj Khalifa has been a major part of that growth – the US News & World Report website ranked it as the No 5 attraction in Dubai.
When I visited the city for the first time in November, I knew I had to go.