Local Dubai Opinions on the Economic Downturn

Over the last year I've been informally polling various friends in business and industry here to ask about the economic downturn and whether things are changing; getting better or worse.  Sometimes it's difficult to tell from the local media reports.

Here's a quick and brief sampling from friends...

Experienced Safety Engineer

"Our company is very precarious financially..."
"(The Dubai economy) will not get better... it cannot."

Experienced Industrial Designer

"Many companies were trying to hold on until after Eid to see if business picked up but there's just not enough to go around.  There are some 'big players' in the market that are going to go under soon... or just pull out."

Higher Education Administrator

"Enrollment is down significantly this year"

Taken together, these opinions paint a pretty bleak picture.  We'll see what happens.