Dubai has been prospering, which is remarkable, considering that it faced down default in 2009. Real estate has roared back from its earlier crash to boom once again; tourism and business travel have also soared. In addition, foreign businesses have flocked to the emirate, one of the seven that make up the United Arab Emirates, to open offices in the region, attracted by its duty- and tax-free zones.
However, there may be storm clouds on the horizon for this hot business destination. The 2009 near-collapse of Dubai's economy, built as it was on debt, and known before the financial crisis for its focus on ostentatious wealth, was averted only because of loans. The UAE Central Bank and oil-rich Abu Dhabi each kicked in billions, but the bills will soon be coming due and even the current thriving state of Dubai's economy may not be equal to the challenge.
Dubai had sought to diversify its economy from oil and, by spending freely built the pre-crash boom that saw it become the "in" spot for many businesses in the UAE. It was so successful at the job that when the crash came, it was disastrous. Credit dried up and only bailouts saved the emirate from going bust. But that's not the end of the story, since some of what built Dubai's pre-bust economy has helped to bring the emirate back.
As a free port, or entrepôt, Dubai boasts a number of free trade zones that offer 100% foreign ownership and zero taxes for foreign businesses. Companies from IBM to Sky News and Microsoft to the BBC have taken advantage of its internet and media free zones (called, together, TECOM (Dubai Technology, Electronic Commerce and Media Free Zone Authority).
The Jebel Ali Free Zone is one of the largest transit ports in the world, and recently Qantas inked a deal with Emirates that will allow the Australian airline to shift its European flight hub from Singapore to Dubai (see Australia's Economy Continues To Grow, With No Recession In Sight). Even the Arab Spring has worked to Dubai's advantage, as much of the money spent in neighboring areas to forestall public unrest ended up being spent in Dubai.